Kyle Connor was knocked out of tonight’s game between the Anaheim Ducks and Winnipeg Jets after a nasty knee-on-knee hit. The Jets announced that he wouldn’t return due to a lower-body injury. The unfortunate injury occurred following a collision with Ryan Strome of the Ducks.
The aftermath of the collision saw Strome being handed a game-misconduct penalty for his role in the controversial play. To add further fuel to the fire, Mark Scheifele, Connor’s teammate, engaged in a heated fight with Strome and both dropped their gloves. Strome got the better of the altercation.
The injury is unfortunate and hopefully, Connor isn’t out long-term. Some are claiming intent to injure and that the hit was intentional. Others suggest Strome doesn’t change position or extend the knee/leg. One could argue that the last-second turn ends up doing the damage.
Connor remained curled up in the Ducks’ crease for several moments before receiving assistance off the ice. As of this writing, it’s not clear how serious Connor’s injury is. We’ll update the story as more is learned. Connor and the Jets may face a pivotal moment in the season if this turns out to be something serious.
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