'Canes shelve Gleason again

There is some conjecture surrounding the injury Carolina Hurricanes' defenseman Tim Gleason that, if coach Kirk Muller's time table for his return is accurate, would cause Gleason to miss three more games.

The oft-injured alternate captain has been forced to the shelf three different times this season, limiting Gleason to just seven games played - missing ten games after getting jacked up in a fight with Montreal Canadiens forward Jarred Tinordi and suffering a concussion, and then another four games with an upper body injury.

There is mystery surrounding exactly when the current malady - a lower body issue - occurred, but it was either in the Hurricanes' overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday or perhaps in practice in the days following, the curious thing being that he was listed as a healthy scratch before Carolina hosted the Ottawa Senators the following evening.

Gleason did not make the trip with his team for the Hurricanes' win over the Devils in New Jersey Wednesday night and is expected to be out of action for a week.

The nine-year veteran has been the focus of trade rumors throughout the season, as the team has openly expressed their want for a puck-moving defenseman, and the secrecy and ambiguity surrounding Gleason's latest landing on the skids has helped to add fire to the speculation.

Gleason has been durable and consistent in recent seasons, so this season's injury plague has to be a disappointment for both player and management, not to mention the Hurricanes' fan base.

http://sportsinjuryalert.com/canes-shelve-gleason-again/

Jarred Tinordi