Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden was at the team’s practice facility after leaving Thursday’s game against the Nashville Predators on a stretcher. He went head-first into the boards following a check by Filip Forsberg.
Head coach Peter DeBoer said that the forward was released from the hospital and was sore but nothing was broken. The team expects Howden to be out long-term.
The 23-year-old forward was battling for the puck with Forsberg before losing his balance and getting what appeared to be inadvertently shoved into the boards headfirst. Medical personnel brought a stretcher onto the ice and tended to Howden, who appeared responsive and raised one of his arms as he was taken off the playing surface after a nine-minute delay.
There was no penalty on the play.
“I thought liberty was taken. He was in a vulnerable position and I thought he got driven into the boards from behind in a dangerous spot,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said after the game. “My initial concern was obviously about our player. It was a really dangerous hit, and anytime you see someone get stretchered off your concern is there.”
Max Pacioretty also suffered a setback in his recovery from an undisclosed injury and won’t be available in the near future as goes to get testing. The 33-year-old was considered a game-time decision for Thursday’s game against the Predators but left the morning skate with an injury.
It’s been a tough season for the veteran forward, who has only appeared in just 29 games where he has 15 goals and 29 points.