Marlies’ Gauthier to be sidelined six months

Three careers interconnected when Syracuse’s Jake Dotchin violently charged Frederik Gauthier: Dotchin was suspended three games; Gauthier was sidelined for six months; and Brett Findlay was dropped into Gauthier’s spot in the Toronto Marlies roster.

First there is great concern for Gauthier, affectionately known around the Ricoh Centre as The Goat, whose strides in improving his skating had made him a favourite as a possible fourth-line centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.

Gauthier will miss six months with an undisclosed lower body injury.

“It is obviously a devastating injury for both us and him,” Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He was playing really well. Playing in the playoffs was important for his development, a chance to keep going.

“He had established himself as our top-line centre, playing a lot and skating as well as we’ve seen him skate. It’s a tough blow and it will be a long recovery for him. A tough time of year for that to happen, as well.”

With the Marlies being as tightlipped about injuries as the Maple Leafs, the injury was left to speculation. Broken limbs usually heal in six to eight weeks. Ligaments take as long as six months. Was it the knee? Ankle? More than one? The Marlies wouldn’t say. But Gauthier could put no weight on his left leg as he was helped from the ice.

The hard-nosed Dotchin is known as a headhunter in Toronto, having taken out two Marlies — Gauthier with his vicious hit on Saturday, and Kasperi Kapanen in mid-season, costing the speedy winger seven weeks. Dotchin also took a run at Leafs centre Auston Matthews during a brief call-up to the NHL.

Keefe simply shrugged when told Dotchin would miss Syracuse’s next three games, making him eligible to return to this Calder Cup second round series — which resumed Tuesday for Game 3 at the Ricoh Coliseum — if it lasts until Game 6.

“That’s out of my control,” Keefe said. “We’ll worry about the players they have playing, and more importantly about getting our guys to play better.”

Of course, in the next-man-up world of professional sports, Findlay was inserted in Gauthier’s place between Kapanen and Brendan Leipsic.

“Findlay played well all season for us,” Keefe said. “He hasn’t had a chance to play a while for us because of our depth at centre. But there’s a reason why we keep these guys around, and push them every day, and why they keep putting in the work every day. It’s to stay ready for opportunities. He has one now.”

Findlay split his time between ECHL Orlando (15 points in 29 games) and the Marlies (24 points in 34 regular-season games.