A major part of the Calgary Flames’ resurgence after a sour start has been goaltender Devin Cooley’s upbeat attitude.
The backup netminder has captured headlines with his refreshing interviews, bringing life back to what many viewed as a sinking team.
However, hockey fans may not be seeing much of Cooley’s animated personality for a while. The injury he sustained on Wednesday night against the Edmonton Oilers could become a prolonged absence.
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The collision with Oilers forward Colton Dach forced Cooley out of the game with what the Flames called a lower-body injury. While that’s plainly evident, what doesn’t seem too clear is what exactly happened.
That’s where a notable expert, Dr. Harjas Grewal, weighed in. The renowned expert pointed out that Cooley could be looking at an MCL injury, potentially missing about four to six weeks. Of course, it all depends on the severity of the injury itself.
Grewal has not discounted the possibility of a high ankle sprain, though he believes that’s not really the case in this situation.
If the worst case should play out, there might be an even longer absence. Cooley remains listed as day-to-day, though there hasn’t been an official injury update. So, it will be a matter of seeing what the path forward is for the Flames goalie.
Cooley Injury Raises Comparisons to Igor Shesterkin
Earlier this season, the New York Rangers sustained a devastating blow when starting netminder Igor Shesterkin sustained a season-ending injury. As Grewal noted, Shesterkin likely suffered a torn ACL in his right knee, leading to a premature end to his year.
That could be the worst-case scenario for Cooley. While his injury differs from that of Shesterkin’s, a torn knee ligament could pretty much end his season.
If that were the case, it would be a massive shame, considering how well he and the Flames had begun playing recently. Wednesday night’s 4-0 loss to the Oilers was a major thud, but it was only a blip on the radar amid a recent winning streak.
In Cooley’s absence, Dustin Wolf will have an opportunity to reclaim the starting goaltender role he held last season.
Flames’ Season Could Hang in the Balance
As for what losing Cooley potentially for the season could mean, well, it’s no bueno for the Flames. The burden of responsibility will fall back on Wolf’s shoulders. However, his struggles this season have led to Cooley getting increased playing time.
If Wolf can’t turn things around and spur the Flames forward, the organization might see the need for a depth goalie move, just to keep things afloat.
The Flames have Kirill Zarubin and Arseni Sergeyev in the pipeline. It’s likely one of Zarubin or Sergeyev will get a call-up if Cooley actually goes on injured reserve.
Well, this part of the discussion is speculation at this point. The Flames will likely announce a move on Friday ahead of their clash with the Seattle Kraken.
Here’s hoping that Cooley and the club suffered nothing more than an awful injury scare.
Flames Have Reason to Worry About Devin Cooley Injury