NHL fans often hate when players are ruled out with terms like “lower-body injury.”
But sometimes, it’s better when coaches are cagey about what ails the player in question.
In the case of Radek Faksa, we think that a little bit of vagueness might’ve gone a long way in keeping fans comfortable.
It turns out that the St. Louis Blues forward missed Thursday’s game after an errant skate got a little too close for comfort during his previous outing.
Apparently, Faksa almost had an impromptu on-ice circumcision at the hands, er, skate of Canucks forward Danton Heinen.
“I’m not a doctor, but it was real close to his privates,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery told reporter Jeremy Rutherford.
Stating the obvious, Montgomery added: “It could have been much worse.”
The injury occurred towards the end of Tuesday night’s overtime win against the Canucks in Vancouver.
During a battle for the puck along the boards, Faksa shoved Heinen from behind to the ice. As the Canucks forward fell, he kicked up his leg, catching Faksa around the groin.
After continuing to fight for the puck for a few seconds, Faksa, began skating towards the bench holding his groin. He then took off towards the locker room and did not return to the ice.
“He’s doing all right. He got cut by a skate. He took some stitches, but thankfully, no damage,” Montgomery said, but did not provide a timeline for Faksa’s return to the lineup.
Faksa sat out Thursday’s game against the Sharks at home and is questionable for Saturday’s matchup in Dallas against the Stars, the team that drafted him 13th overall in 2012.
The Czech is playing in his 10th NHL season and has two goals and five assists in 29 points so far this campaign. He is primarily known for his defensive skills and is a noted penalty-killer.