Kraken rookie forward and top burgeoning prospect Berkly Catton is listed as week-to-week with an injury to his right hand, suffered while blocking a shot in the third period against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
Week-to-week can mean anywhere from two to six, or even longer in more severe cases. But judging by video of Catton checking out his hand on the bench, the damage doesn’t look catastrophic. Is it a big break, a little break, or simply the equivalent of a deep bruise?
Also, we don’t know how fast a healer he is; definitely a factor with NHL players.
Kraken head coach Lane Lambert didn’t provide, nor was he asked about, an update on Catton after practice on Tuesday.
Catton experiences discomfort and checks out his hand on the bench. (Sound of Hockey X)
Here’s the silver lining. If his recovery is moderate or at all speedy, a trip to the World Junior Championship in Minnesota starting December 26th would be the perfect rehabilitation. Let him find his legs while living out a potential dream.
For all of the questions about whether the Kraken should let him go, or when they would let him go, the injury might answer the question for us.
The injury was suffered on December 6th. The tournament starts on December 26th. That’s essentially three weeks. One would think plenty of time to have him ready. He can be added to the roster by Hockey Canada at their discretion. The tourney runs until January 5th, the date of the Gold Medal game. That’s an eleven day commitment if he’s there for the whole thing.
Dude gets to play for his country, gets a chance to make up for Canada’s poor performances the last two years — he was on the team that finished out of the medals last year — and he’s happy and on top of his game when he hops back into the Kraken line-up at home on January 6th or 8th.
It serves as a win-win. His NHL game has been improving and this would give him a boost. And make him happy.
That’s right; just call me Santa Simmer. Who’s with me?!
Earlier Kraken:
— Kraken Frustration Builds; Wild Prevail 4-1
