NHL Injury Update: Carolina Hurricanes’ Charles-Alexis Legault out after surgery, Shayne Gostisbehere expected return

Defenseman Charles-Alexis Legault from the Carolina Hurricanes has had a surgical procedure on his right hand, while Shayne Gostisbehere is almost back in the lineup. The Hurricanes’ defense has had to deal with a couple of injuries at the beginning of the season, but the return of Gostisbehere gives optimism to the team as they hope to stay strong in the Metropolitan Division race.The club stated that Legault had surgery to fix the multi-extensor tendons in his right hand that were torn due to a skate cut that happened during the match against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday. Walt Ruff has reported that the 22-year-old rookie will be away for three to four months. Legault was gaining good experience in his first NHL season; he had already scored once and assisted once in the eight games. Now his absence creates a slot for Gostisbehere, who is most probably going to be off the IR and available for tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals.

Can Shayne Gostisbehere’s comeback stabilize Carolina’s defense after Charles-Alexis Legault’s setback?

According to Lahm Ruff, the team reporter, Gostisbehere “is likely to come back” after being sidelined for six matches due to injuries in the lower part of the body and the abdomen. Despite the fact that he has only played a few games, the 32-year-old blue-liner has already garnered seven points in six appearances, showing his worth as a talented puck mover and a power-play expert. His presence is very important for the Hurricanes' defense, which is already short of some key players like Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, and Jalen Chatfield.

It is rumored that Gostisbehere will be playing alongside first-year player Alexander Nikishin and will reclaim his position as the premier power-play quarterback of the team. Even though Legault’s injury is a drawback, his excellent performance at the start of the season has demonstrated that he has the capacity to grow into an independent NHL defenseman once he recovers.While the Hurricanes have to do without Charles-Alexis Legault for a few months, at the same time, the return of Shayne Gostisbehere serves as a guarantee for the defensive structure of the team to remain stable during their journey to the top of the Eastern Conference.More coverage on NHL NHL Injury Update: Dougie Hamilton out, Zach Hyman nearing return, Filip Hallander sidelinedColorado Avalanche locks in rising star Gavin Brindley with two-year contract extensionNHL Trade Rumors: Elliotte Friedman reveals Philadelphia Flyers eyeing $17-25M extension for Trevor Zegras