Canadiens top pick Nikita Scherbak stretchered off ice after hit in Everett Silvertips game

It is too soon to know the extent of Nikita Scherbak's injury, but there is widespread concern for the Montreal Canadiens first-rounder's health after he was wheeled off the ice on a stretcher after being slammed into the boards on Saturday night.

Late in the second period of the Seattle Thunderbirds-Everett Silvertips game, the 18-year-old right wing was checked into the boards by Seattle's Keegan Kolesar. Scherbak clutched at his knee and also lay immobile on the ice for several minutes while receiving care from each team's training staff. He was placed in a neck brace and on the stretcher and was taken to hospital. There was no penalty called on the play, as it simply seemed to be an awkward collison.

The last update from the Silvertips official account is reassuring, but obviously there was some injury that could affect Scherbak's progress.

The 18-year-old right wing is having a superb season in the Western League with 11 goals and 26 points across 17 games for Everett, which is first in the U.S. Division and has the second-best record in the Western Conference. Scherbak, whom the Habs drafted No. 25 overall in June, also has an excellent chance to be part of Team Russia at the world junior championship. Russia is in Group B, the Toronto pool.

We'll add more concrete information as soon as it becomes available.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.