Yesterday morning, the New Jersey Devils announced that Timo Meier had to step away from the team for a personal leave of absence to attend to a family health matter. Given the nature of the leave, of course, we do not know exactly why Timo Meier has had to step away from the team. But while the team will miss Timo on the ice, I think it is very important to keep him in our thoughts.
On the ice, Timo Meier is a model of hard work and grit. Off the ice, Timo always seems to have a positive attitude in his public appearances as one of the most apparently affable members of the New Jersey Devils. Both on the ice and off of it, Timo is a model for everyone to follow. But hockey is just one thing, and family is another. I hope that, regardless of what is going on, Timo spends as much time with his family as he needs to.
So, again, please remember to keep Timo and his family in your thoughts. When he does come back to the team, I hope that the crowd at the Rock gives him a big hand.
(Unexpected) Devils Injury News — Arseny Gritsyuk Out
This morning, Devils writers noted that three Devils — Arseny Gritsyuk, Cody Glass, and Stefan Noesen — were missing from practice. While Cody Glass and Stefan Noesen have dealt with injuries over the last few months, and a maintenance day was not too out of the ordinary for players in their situations, Gritsyuk had not yet missed a game this season.
Unfortunately, that’s about to change. Team writers reported that Sheldon Keefe told the media that Gritsyuk has recently been battling through a lingering issue and is out for the weekend back-to-back. Per the Devils’ website on NHL.com:
“(Gritsyuk is) going to need some time,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He was dealing with it in the game yesterday and it hasn’t gotten better.”
The young winger has 16 points in 31 games in a largely third-line role with second-unit power play usage, but he clearly has another gear to his game that he can reach. Gritsyuk has been marked as one of the best players in the entire NHL at tilting the ice, with the Devils enjoying some of the best shot rates in the league at five-on-five during his minutes, regardless of his linemates. How does he do this? Between impeccable forechecking reads, great skating, and silky hands, Gritsyuk is a complete forward.
Hopefully, Gritsyuk is only out for the weekend. The Devils can hardly afford to sustain more injuries (or losses), and he figures to be an integral part of the solution to this team’s issues. For now, though, the healthy Devils need to pick themselves and their teammates up.
Your Thoughts
What do you think of Gritsyuk’s injury? Do you think it’s related to his minor ankle injury earlier this season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.