The Olympics are a chance for the best of the best to come together, represent their countries, and take a shot at an Olympic medal. Unfortunately for Switzerland’s Kevin Fiala, that dream will be cut drastically short.
According to Elliotte Friedman, Fiala is set to have surgery this morning in Italy:
There hasn’t been clarity on the injury itself, but the news is that it will end his season. It is a huge blow not only for Fiala but also for the Los Angeles Kings, who recently made a big splash by acquiring forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers.
Fiala Injured vs. Canada
The play happened late in the Swiss game against Canada on Friday. Fiala was retrieving a puck when he turned to avoid a hit from Canada’s Tom Wilson. The two collided and went down awkwardly, but only Wilson was able to return to his feet.
Fiala could not get back onto his feet, and the injury was bad enough that he had to be stretchered off the ice on his stomach rather than on his back. There are no official diagnoses as of yet, but the expectation is that it could be knee and hip injuries.
A Huge Blow for Fiala and the Kings
Entering Olympic play, the Kings stand just outside of the playoff picture. They trail the Anaheim Ducks by three points in the Wild Card race, and Fiala figured heavily into their offensive plans.
In 56 games with the Kings, the undersized forward scored 18 goals and 40 points. Her is coming off a season in which he notched a career-best 35 goals as well. The injury will end his season, leaving the Kings with a gaping hole in their top-six forward group.
One of the primary concerns for NHL teams when it comes to sending their best to the Olympics is the chance for injury. This is not the first time a prominent NHLer has been injured, reinforcing the concerns of the teams.
We will have more as more comes out about the extent of Fiala’s injury.
