Sabres’ Eichel ruled out for rest of season
Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel won’t play the rest of the season because of a neck injury.
The team said Wednesday that Eichel has a herniated disk and is expected to be healthy for the start of next season. The 24-year-old center hasn’t played since March 7.
“He (was) playing through it,” interim coach Don Granato said after practice. “It’s not something you want exposed, obviously, because it’s such a competitive environment, so that’s information you don’t want the opponents to have, obviously, for his safety. It’s a bummer.”
Granato said he didn’t know if Eichel would need surgery, adding, “You hope for him to feel better every day and improve every day.”
Eichel had 18 points in 21 games before coming out of Buffalo’s lineup. The 2015 No. 2 pick and face of the beleaguered franchise is three seasons into an $80 million, eight-year contract that runs until 2026.
The Sabres have lost 32 of 42 games this season and are in last place in the NHL. They’ve started to turn things around since Granato took over for fired coach Ralph Krueger and are 4-2-2 in their past eight games.
Eichel has 139 goals and 216 assists for 355 points in 375 regular-season games for Buffalo, which is well on its way to missing the playoffs for the 10th consecutive year.
Radulov done, Bishop won’t play at all for Stars
High-scoring Dallas forward Alexander Radulov will not return this season because he needs surgery to repair a core muscle injury. Goaltender Ben Bishop won’t play at all.
Stars general manager Jim Nill said Radulov is expected to be fully recovered for the 202122 season. Radulov, primarily on the top line with Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski when he did play, was limited to only 11 games this season because of a lowerbody injury.
Bishop, who hasn’t played any games after twice having knee surgery last year, will not play this season. Nill said the move will allow Bishop time to continue his rehabilitation and return to full health for the start of 2021-22. WILD 5, COYOTES 2 » Mats Zuccarello scored twice and Nick Bonino had a goal and two assists to lead Minnesota past Arizona.
It was the Wild’s first game since the death on Sunday of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, a Black man fatally shot by police during a traffic stop.
JETS 3, SENATORS 2 » Mathieu Perreault and Trevor Lewis scored third-period goals and Winnipeg rallied for a win over Ottawa.
FLAMES 4, CANADIENS 1» Mark Giordano had a goal and an assist, Jacob Markstrom stopped 26 shots and Calgary beat Montreal.