The Boston Bruins recalled forward Max Talbot from the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League on Wednesday after left winger Chris Kelly suffered a broken leg Tuesday night.
Kelly is expected to miss 6-8 months after fracturing his left femur in the first period of a 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars at TD Garden. Kelly left 1:40 into the game and was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital. He underwent surgery Wednesday.
Kelly was chasing the puck along the boards in front of the benches along with Dallas center Colton Sceviour, who was behind Kelly. Kelly’s left leg appeared to have buckled and he remained down on the ice in obvious pain for several minutes before being helped to the bench and then to the locker room.
Talbot has skated in two games for Boston this year, and appeared in 18 contests last season when he registered three assists. In 81 games split between Colorado and Boston last year, Talbot recorded five goals, 13 assists and 29 penalty minutes. In three games for Providence this season, Talbot has notched four assists.
The 31-year-old Talbot is a veteran of 668 NHL games and has recorded 197 points (89 goals, 108 assists) and 480 penalty minutes in his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche and Bruins. He won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009.
Talbot was drafted by the Penguins in the eighth round of the 2002 NHL draft. He was acquired by the Bruins on March 2 from Colorado.
Oilers’ McDavid breaks collarbone
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid is expected to have surgery to repair a broken left collarbone that will sideline the rookie sensation for months, team general manager Peter Chiarelli told a news conference on Wednesday.
McDavid, the number one overall pick in the 2015 National Hockey League draft and hailed as a generational talent, sustained the injury on Tuesday when he was slammed into the boards with just over a minute remaining in the second period of the Oilers 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
The 18-year-old forward carried the puck down the left wing, fired a shot on goal, was checked, fell to the ice and slid into the end boards.
McDavid is expected to have surgery on Wednesday that according to Chiarelli will require plates and screws.
“He’ll be out indefinitely, not week-to-week, we’re talking about months,” Chiarelli told reporters. “Don’t have a particular time frame, but as I said, plural, months.”
“He’s a strong kid, mentally and physically. He’s still developing and he’s going to come back stronger.”
Named on Monday as the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October, McDavid has made a blazing start to his career, scoring five goals and adding seven assists in 13 games.
“What’s important is just to move forward. The guys have to step up,” said Chiarelli. “They’re going to miss Connor. He will be back.
“Connor is such a special player at such a young age that it’s disappointing.
“Today feels like a loss. We won last night but today feels like a loss. But we’ll get by it.”
Flyers recall defenseman
The Philadelphia Flyers recalled defenseman Davis Drewiske from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
The Flyers also returned forward Chris Conner to Lehigh Valley.
Drewiske, 30, received his first recall of the season. He has recorded one assist in nine games for the Phantoms this season. He has appeared in 135 NHL games in his career for Los Angeles and Montreal, recording five goals and 20 assists.
Drewiske spent the last three seasons in the Canadiens organization, appearing in a total of 83 games over the past two years for Montreal’s AHL affiliate at the time in Hamilton, Ontario. His last NHL action came with the Canadiens during the 2012-13 season.
Conner was recalled Monday and joined the Flyers in Vancouver, but did not dress for games in Vancouver and Edmonton. He is second on the Phantoms in scoring this season with four goals and four assists in eight games.
Blues’ Reaves fined for roughing Kings’ Kopitar
St. Louis Blues forward Ryan Reaves has been fined for roughing Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar during Tuesday night’s game.
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced Wednesday that Reaves was fined $3,024.19, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Kopitar took a hard elbow to the face from Reaves at 11:56 of the first period and had trouble getting to the bench. Kopitar came back on the ice later in the period but was not on the Kings’ bench for the start of the second period. Kopitar suffered an upper-body injury, the Kings said.
The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.