Try to act surprised, everybody.
Joffrey Lupul is back on the injury shelf. The Leafs‘ porcelain man appeared to tweak something as he pivoted in the corner in the second period of last night’s game. He limped off to the dressing room and didn’t return.
Groin strain for Lupul. Will not travel on upcoming trip.
— Jonas Siegel (@jonasTSN1050) November 26, 2013
It’s being described as a grade-2 groin strain, which is defined as a partial tear of the muscles in the groin. LA goalie Jonathan Quick is currently sidelined with the same injury without a clear timetable for a return. Puck Daddy suggested Quick may be looking at a 4-6 week recovery period.
Lupul had been struggling for much of November. Throw out the three-assist game against New York and Lupul has one point in nine other November games.
There’s little doubt that the Leafs were relying on Lupul as a key piece in turning the offense around after scoring just 17 goals in 10 November games.
The injury plague continues to haunt the Leaf forwards, just as Tyler Bozak is returning and the team was looking relatively healthy. With Lupul, however, this is becoming a non-story.
Lupul’s first injury as a Leaf was a separated shoulder in March of 2012, sidelining him for the remaining 16 games of the 2011-12 season. He broke his forearm at the start of the 2013 season courtesy a Phaneuf slapshot, missing 25 games. He was suspended for two games and sustained a concussion in early April of 2013, adding up to seven more missed games and a total of 16 out of 48 games played in 2012-13.
This season he’s missed two games with a bruised foot, after taking a shot to the foot in practice, and now stands to miss a run of games with a groin injury.
Lupul has missed 57% of the games in the last five seasons, a total of 181 since 2008-09.
— James Mìrtle (@mirtle) November 26, 2013
Lupul won’t travel with the team for its upcoming road trip to Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Montreal. Randy Carlyle could shift a few things around and reinsert Trevor Smith into the fold, or he could recall Josh Leivo from the Toronto Marlies.
