Chase Schaber to miss remainder of Kamloops Blazers’ playoff games

The Kamloops Blazers, fresh off their sweep of the Victoria Royals on Wednesday, were dealt a huge blow to their Western Hockey League playoff fortunes when it was announced that team captain and overage Chase Schaber will be out for the remainder of the playoffs. Schaber's leg was sliced open in an awkward collision in Game Three of the Blazers' first round series along the boards with Zane Jones.

Schaber got the worst of it, and his junior hockey career has effectively ended. Gregg Drinnan has the nuts and bolts:

The Blazers' captain isn't quoted in that story, and his usually active Twitter feed has gone dormant since the team first arrived in Victoria. Linemate Dylan Willick, however, makes reference to both the fact that Schaber, the two-year captain of the Blazers, will still be around to provide leadership of the club.

One of the problems facing the Blazers, however, is that more than a leader, Schaber also has a very important role on Guy Charron's hockey club as the teams' primary defensive centreman, drawing many of the tough match ups and his forward unit starts in the defensive zone more than any other: about one-third of the time a draw comes up in the Blazers' own end, Schaber's unit will be sent over the boards, in one part minimizing the strain on Kamloops' young second scoring line, one part ensuring a strong veteran presence on the ice with the ability to drive the play forward.

Schaber had 23 goals and 52 points in 61 games this season, and had two goals and two assists in the three playoff games he played ere being shut down. In 135 career games with Kamloops, Schaber finished with 49 goals and 109 points. In his 277-game WHL career, he scored 68 goals and 170 points. He was also part of the blockbuster trade that sent Tyler Shattock, Jimmy Bubnick and Zak Stebner to the Calgary Hitmen in 2010 which also brought Austin Madaisky to Kamloops. In one of those trades that worked out for both teams, the Hitmen won the Ed Chynoweth Cup that season, while Madaisky and Schaber developed into strong pieces for the best Blazers season in recent memory two years later.

So this is a pretty tough blow for Kamloops, but an even tougher one for Schaber, who will have to watch his team play against the Portland Winterhawks in the second round from either the press box or the hospital, depending on his level of mobility. Against the best offence in the league, Kamloops could have used one of their best vets in the lineup, and his impact will be missed in the defensive half of the ice when Ty Rattie, Sven Bartschi & Company come to town.

Cam Charron is a hockey writer who covers the WHL for Buzzing The Net. He can be found on Twitter @camcharron