Surgery: Bryce Pickford may miss several months of action

Félix Forget
Surgery: Bryce Pickford may miss several months of action
Credit: Capture d'écran Twitter

Bryce Pickford had a breakout season in the WHL. The defenseman tallied 45 goals and 83 points in 55 games with Medicine Hat, earning him the title of Defenseman of the Year in the CHL.

He was also named WHL Player of the Year… and, unsurprisingly, Defenseman of the Year in his league.

Except that, in reality, all of this is even more impressive because, as Scott Wheeler reported, the young player accomplished all of this despite a shoulder injury.

But ultimately, this isn't great news, because Wheeler also notes that Pickford will need surgery.

This means he's likely to miss several months… and could miss time at the start of next season, his first as a pro.

Obviously, this isn't ideal for the young player's development. We know the offseason is a crucial time for player development, and Pickford will instead have to spend the next few months in rehab.

He may not be as ready as he'd like to be at the start of next season… and he might even start that season late.

And this news is also very bad for Kent Hughes if the GM had intended to use Pickford in a trade this summer. One might wonder whether other teams will be hesitant to acquire a defenseman who has just gone under the knife… and whether the defenseman's value will be affected.

In any case, it's not ideal… even if the most optimistic among us will say that Pickford's season is even more impressive when you consider that he achieved all of this with a damaged shoulder.


In a nutshell

– Interesting.

– Worth a read.

– Entry-level contract in Ottawa.

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