Blake Wheeler had his 2023-24 regular-season cut short after suffering a devastating right knee injury in a 7-4 New York Rangers win over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.
The 37-year-old — who came to the Big Apple with a goal of winning a Stanley Cup — may not be an option for the team in the 2024 postseason, either. And his teammates realize the enormity of the loss.
“As much as these guys are teammates, we lost a friend. He's obviously going through something that no one wants to go through, so there's more to it than just the impact on the team,” Blueshirts captain Jacob Trouba explained, per ESPN's Greg Wyshynski.
“We all care a lot about the hockey and our jobs, but we're also humans and friends and have families outside the rink. I'm not saying this is true, but maybe he played his last hockey game [last night]. That's something that you see as a player and as a friend. It's emotional. It's something you think about so that you don't take things for granted here. And for me it's a little extra tough. He's a guy I looked up to, and he's helped me a lot in my career.”
Rangers must adjust to life without Blake Wheeler
It's very possible that Wheeler's career could be over, especially considering the gravity of the ailment. Trouba and Wheeler played six seasons together for the Winnipeg Jets.
“It's tough to see a teammate go down like that,” echoed Jimmy Vesey, who replaced Wheeler on the top line along with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. “Pretty awful to see him not be able to off the ice on his own. Especially a veteran guy that has been in the league so long. He's not going to stay down unless he's hurt. It's brutal see a friend go down like that.”
Wheeler's right leg seemed to bend awkwardly after he was hit by Habs defenseman Jayden Struble, and he was unable to put any weight on it. The former Atlanta Thrashers legend finished his first regular-season in New York by scoring 21 points in 54 games. It was his first campaign with the squad after being bought out by the Jets.
The hope is that the veteran will potentially be able to return if the Rangers go far enough in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Regardless, it's an awful blow for both player and club.
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