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Memorial Cup hosts Red Deer lose veteran forward Bleackley after wrist surgery
The Red Deer Rebels have been dealt a major blow in advance of the CHL playoffs. It comes in the form of more tormenting news to one of their longest-serving players.
The Memorial Cup hosts announced Monday veteran forward Conner Bleackley is sidelined indefinitely after undergoing surgery to his wrist. He sustained the injury as a result of a skate blade cut during a 7-2 win in Saturday’s WHL regular-season finale over the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Conner Bleackley update. He is out indefinitely after having surgery on his wrist, which was cut by a skate in Saturday's game.
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) March 21, 2016
Bleackley will miss the team’s first-round WHL series against the Calgary Hitmen, who finished five points behind the Rebels in the Central Division. Even though the Rebels are guaranteed to play until the end of May as a result of hosting the Canadian major junior championship, Bleackley’s presence at the tournament would seem to be a long shot.
Saskatoon Blades winger Jessey Astles stepped on his wrist in the aftermath of a fight in November 2012 and needed four months before he could return to the lineup. The Blades hosted the 2013 Memorial Cup.
If Bleackley doesn’t play again, the injury would be the cherry on top of what’s been a trying campaign.
After two seasons as team captain, Bleackley was stripped of the ‘C’ in October. Overage forward Wyatt Johnson was named captain in his place and Luke Philp took over a month after Johnson was dealt at the WHL trade deadline.
Speaking of trades, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound centre’s NHL rights were flipped to Arizona from Colorado as part of the Mikkel Boedker deal. Bleackley was selected in the first-round, 23rd overall, of the 2014 NHL draft by the Avalanche, but wasn’t signed by the team. Bleackley now has until June 1 to sign his entry-level deal or the Coyotes will get a compensatory second-round pick, 53rd overall, and he will be forced to re-enter the upcoming draft.
Coyotes general manager Don Maloney appears to be more enamoured with the draft pick.
“We liked him as a prospect,” Maloney told NHL.com after making the trade. “He does have a knee injury and we kind of have to look into that, but there is protection in the sense of a second-round pick, which is always a good asset.”
Bleackley returned March 4 after missing 15 games because of said knee injury. He had only played in eight games since.
Bleackley produced 13 goals and 46 points – seventh on the Rebels – his lowest totals since his 16-year-old year in 2012-13. However, the 20-year-old was a mainstay on the penalty kill and at the faceoff dot, areas crucial to any team hoping for a long post-season run.
