Less than 24 hours after the Switzerland-Canada tilt on Friday, a new Kevin Fiala injury update emerges. The news is exactly what the Swiss national side and the LA Kings had feared.
According to a report by Mark Lazerus in The Athletic, Fiala had surgery, effectively ending his season.
At this point, the precise nature of the surgery is not clear. It was evident that Fiala sustained a lower-body injury, specifically to the lower portion of a leg. But what the exact injury was and what surgery was necessary remains a bit of a mystery.
More details are emerging on the matter. Unfortunately, this Fiala injury update will not sit well with the LA Kings. The club is looking to get back into the Western Conference playoff race, but will have to do so without a key member.
The 29-year-old has 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games. The already offensively-challenged Kings will have to deal without one of their top scorers. While the addition of Artemi Panarin should help, losing Fiala will be a massive blow to the team.
Kings fans will be expecting another Fiala injury update soon to determine the precise cause of the surgery.
Wilson Had No Intention of Hurting Fiala
The unfortunate situation befalling Fiala is one of those things that just happen in contact sports. The physical nature of hockey always opens the door for these sorts of situations.
Swiss forward and New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier echoed the fact that Wilson did not intend to hurt Fiala in any way.
“There was no intention, for sure.”
The Athletic quoted Hischier, who expressed his regret at the awful Fiala injury update.
“Very hard. Stuff like that is hard to watch. Kevin’s a big part of our group. In hockey, stuff like that happens. But it’s tough to watch and didn’t look great. I hope it’s better than it looked.”
The hope is that Fiala’s injury won’t be nearly as bad, though he’ll miss the remainder of the season. Perhaps he might return to the ice during the postseason, if the Kings play long enough.
Fiala Injury Update Will Likely Alter Kings’ Plans
There’s no question that the Kings’ plans will now significantly change. The team will need to figure out how to replace Fiala’s production in their lineup.
While Panarin’s addition will offset much of that, the fact remains that the Kings will be bereft of the offensive punch that Fiala provided. That situation could have thrown a gigantic monkey wrench into the team’s plans for the remainder of this season.
But then again, this Fiala injury update could be something that helps the Kings rally. There are situations in which a devastating loss helps a club come together and find that next step.
It remains unclear what the path forward will be for the Kings. More information should be forthcoming, allowing fans to get a better sense of what the NHL trade deadline might have in store for Los Angeles.
Fiala Injury Update: Kings Star to Miss Rest of Season