Red Wings' Troy Stecher, Mitchell Stephens out through Olympic break

The Detroit Red Wings updated a pair of long-term injuries. Both Troy Stecher and Mitchell Stephens will be out through the February Olympic break. Stecher underwent wrist surgery, while Stephens is dealing with a lower-body injury.

Stecher has played just six games so far this season, and he’ll miss another few months as the Olympic break doesn’t end until Feb. 22. The 27-year-old defenseman was such a difference-maker at this year’s World Championship that it appeared as though he might be taking a step forward, but through those six games he averaged fewer than 15 minutes and had just a single point for the rebuilding Red Wings.

Stephens meanwhile suited up 16 times for Detroit this year, only leaving the lineup after suffering an injury on Nov. 13. The 24-year-old forward hasn’t registered a goal yet, but he did have four assists through those games as he filled in as a bottom-six center option.

The Red Wings have come back to Earth recently after a nice start to their season and now sit at 8-9-3 on the year. Still extremely young, mounting injuries will only test their depth even further. While they are technically just a few points out of the playoffs, a four-game losing streak and -13 goal differential certainly don’t have them heading in the right direction.