Tampa Bay Lightning top prospect Brett Connolly injured at Team Canada WJC Camp –NHL offseason Update
Team Canada faced its first injury in this year’s World Junior Championship (WJC) training camp when Tampa Bay Lightning’s top prospect, Brett Connolly, smashed into the side boards in an abnormal manner and was eventually helped off the ice after lying
motionless for a few scary moments.
The good news is that the 19-year-old right winger from Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada, has not sustained a harsh injury, but is expected to recover in the upcoming days.
Team Canada coach, Don Hay, made the news official and also described the injury and minimal, compared to what could have happened.
“Right now, it doesn’t look as bad as maybe I first thought”, said head coach Don Hay. “It may be just a bad bruise. Hopefully, he’ll be able to recover and play on the weekend”.
The injury comes a little over a month after the sixth overall pick of the 2010 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft was officially signed on by the team to a three-year, entry-level contract by vice president and general manager, Steve Yzerman.
It is further believed that Connolly’s contract is worth an estimated $2.7 million over the tenure of three years, which would mean that every season is worth $900,000.
Before being picked for the major league by Tampa Bay Lightning, Connolly played four consecutive seasons with Prince George of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In total, he has participated in 144 WHL matchups in which he boasts a record of 152 points (86
goals, 66 assists).
Participating in the World Junior Championships, it is not a new experience for Connolly who is appearing with the national Canadian team for the second straight time. His injury sustained on Thursday will be evaluated again the next day according to coach
Hay.
“I was talking to the doctor and we’ll re-evaluate (Friday), but right now it doesn’t look as bad as maybe first thought”, Hay said, after taking due advice from the teams’ medical staff.
Brett Connolly will be playing for the Canadian team which seeks victory from the Russian national team which beat them 5-3 for the gold medal in January. Having the events in Edmonton and Calgary this time around, will not only give them easy access, but
also that much need home-ice advantage.
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