Capilano Rehab Centre Injury Report – December 15, 2015

If you’re keeping track at home, Eberle, Nuge, Pouliot, McDavid, Yakupov, Reinhart, Klefbom, Hendricks… *gasps for air*, Korpikoski, Schultz, Klinkhammer, Ference, Gazdic, Sekera, and Davidson have all missed games due to illness/injury this year. That is 15 different players. We have not played a single game where a full, healthy roster has dressed, and somehow the boys have climbed to nearly a .500 record, and a playoff spot for the first time in years. 

Right now, McDavid (clavicle), Yakupov (ankle), and Pouliot (lower-body) remain on the IR, nothing different from last week. The only changes are the addition of Oscar Klefbom who cracked his finger last Friday against the Rangers. This, in my opinion should raise questions to Oiler fans on Klefbom’s toughness, and eagerness to play on the team. I crack my fingers all the time, and I’m still able to type out un-insightful injury reports every week. 

Alright so apparently Klefbom has a crack IN his finger. A huge sigh of relief waves across YEG as everybody was afraid we’d have to trade him for a defenseman who doesn’t miss games for cracked fingers. Stupid jokes aside, Klefbom didn’t travel with the team on the road trip but may join them if all goes well. This time it is literally a huge relief. I was preparing my body to hear news that Klefbom Sex-bomb would be out for months with a shattered hand. I feel like that’s news Oiler fans are used to hearing by now. The silver lining to all of this is that the man will still be able to get his hourly sit-ups done with a hand injury. *swoons* 

If you think that all the Oiler injuries this year are unlucky, I am just going to leave this picture here for you to stare and sob at. Note that it didn’t take long after Klefbom scored his 12th point before he got injured, to join the rest of the guys in the 12 point IR club. In order to avoid jinking anything again like I did with McDavid, I URGE you to not look at where Eberle’s point totals are sitting right now.

The most exciting part about all these injuries we currently have, is that all the players must eventually return! I know right? Logic. McDavid and Yak may be returning around the same time in January hopefully, maybe Yak a little sooner. The hype for their return is going to be so insane, it’s almost worthy to throw a party for it…

Thankfully, Klefbom and Pouliot should all be returning before Christmas. Klinkhammer’s foot injury has seemed to take years. but he has been skating with the team and should be back any day….. is what I typed out this morning. THEN after a turn of events the Oilers pulled Klink off the IR and he was set to play in tonight’s game, which he did! A whole lot of editing went into this article tonight because apparently the guy re-injured his ankle.. Get it together Rob, c’mon! I was thinking how awesome it will be to have Klinkhammer back tonight, but things didn’t go as planned. 

I can also smell Benoit Pouliot’s return, he’s so close to it. Pou didn’t dress for tonight’s game against New York, but he was skating at the morning practice. His return will be crucial for the Oilers so we’re all hoping he will play some time on this road trip. For some reason I’m reading HF Boards right now where a lot of people think they shouldn’t let Pouliot play if he’s ready because they’ve won six straight without him. *facepalm*. Not sure if people have been watching the last two games, even though we’ve been winning, we always need more Pou.

If you missed the game, Pakarinen also left the game with an injury. He blocked a shot in the first period on the penalty kill and made a nice play to clear the puck. That shot was enough for him as he didn’t return. Was he wearing his shot block guards? Probably not. “Always wear your shot blocking guards” is what I always say. In one ear and out the other I tell ya. 

Can you believe we’re on episode 7 already? Unfortunately I wasn’t able to be in the office for this podcast, But we managed to get an awesome new me that’s arguably better at podcasting, Robin Brownlee! This podcast was a lot of fun for me to listen to. Give it a listen cause Brownlee’s story’s are a must-hear!