Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson left Thursday’s game against the Calgary Flames midway through the third period and did not return after suffering an apparent lower-body injury on a collision with MacKenzie Weegar.
At approximately the 10:36 mark of the third period, Weegar awkwardly fell on Carlsson’s right leg as the Ducks rookie attempted to cross the red line toward the Flames’ defensive zone.
The 18-year-old center immediately left the ice and made his way to the Ducks’ dressing room. He did not return for the final 9:24 of the game, which the Flames won by a 3–0 score.
The Ducks originally selected Carlsson with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. The Karlstad, Sweden product has made an immediate impact in his rookie season, racking up 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in his first 23 NHL games with the Ducks.
Although Carlsson has found success, the Ducks have struggled immensely of late after getting to a surprisingly strong start to the 2023–24 season. The Ducks have lost six of their last eight games and are now seventh in the Pacific Division with a 12–20–0 record in 32 games.
The Ducks have utilized a relatively unique player deployment strategy with Carlsson in his rookie season, electing not to play him in back-to-back situations and, on average, more than twice a week. It appears to have been beneficial for Carlsson in the early goings, this unfortunate injury nonetheless.
The Flames outshot the Ducks 44–27 in Thursday’s game at Honda Center in Anaheim. Nick DeSimone, Elias Lindholm, and A.J. Greer scored for Calgary; Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal made 41 saves on 43 shots faced and was named the game’s second star.
With or without Carlsson in the lineup, the Ducks are slated to return to action on Saturday night to play host to the Seattle Kraken at Honda Center.
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