With less than three weeks remaining until the men’s hockey tournament kicks off at the Olympics in Milan, several top contenders are dealing with notable injury concerns. One such concern seemed to have been resolved on Friday as Bo Horvat from Canada returned to practice after missing a significant portion of the New York Islanders’ recent games due to a lower-body injury. Horvat, who had been sidelined for nine consecutive games, was on track to recover by February.
Horvat had been performing impressively throughout the season and secured a forward spot on the roster by the December 31 deadline. Despite not participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off last year, the 30-year-old center’s consistent performance caught the attention of Hockey Canada’s general manager, Doug Armstrong. Horvat expressed gratitude for the support from Islanders GM Mathieu Darche and his team, ensuring that he would be ready for the Olympics.
In a similar fashion, goaltender Darcy Kuemper also made a swift recovery from an injury scare ahead of schedule. However, there are uncertainties surrounding Brayden Point, a key playmaker for Canada, who has been sidelined since sustaining a leg injury during a game on January 12. Point’s status remains week to week, and his availability for the Olympics could come down to the wire.
Meanwhile, the U.S. team faced a setback when Seth Jones was replaced on the Olympic roster due to an injury. Jackson LaCombe was announced as his replacement, with teammates praising LaCombe’s skills and hockey intelligence. Sweden, on the other hand, will be without key players Carlsson and Brodin due to long-term injuries, adding to the team’s challenges leading up to the Olympics.
The tournament is set to commence on February 11, with teams finalizing their rosters and making necessary adjustments to cope with the ongoing injury concerns.