Devils Lose Brodeur for 3-4 Months After Elbow Surgery

The New Jersey Devils learned on Tuesday that goaltender Martin Brodeur will miss the next 3-4 months after elbow surgery to repair torn bicep tendons. Brodeur sustained the injury over the weekend in what the team was originally calling a bruised elbow. He is expected to return by the end of the regular season. Backup goaltender Kevin Weekes is expected to see the majority of the starts in Brodeur's absence. Scott Clemmensen was recalled by the Devils to backup Weekes. Brodeur was poised to rewrite the NHL record book this season in the all-time wins and shutouts column. He needs seven victories to tie Patrick Roy's record of 551 wins and also needs five shutouts to tie Terry Sawchuk's record of 103. This is a serious blow to the Devils, as Brodeur played the majority of the games in goal for the team. While Weekes is a more than capable goaltender, he has seen little action over the past few seasons. Clemmensen has seen even less NHL action over the same time period. If Weekes and Clemmensen falter in net for the Devils over the coming months, the team may be forced to make a trade to avoid missing the playoffs.

Stars Place Zubov on Injured Reserve

The Dallas Stars announced on Tuesday that they have placed veteran defenseman Sergei Zubov on injured reserve. Zubov is out indefinitely while he recovers from hip surgery. Last season, Zubov saw limited play due to injuries, playing in only 46 games and scoring four goals and 31 assists for 35 points. The loss of Zubov is a serious blow to the Stars' defense, as he provides lots of offense and veteran depth to the blueline. The Stars could look to within to replace Zubov, as they did that last season when he was injured.

Walker Out Six Weeks After Hand Surgery

The Carolina Hurricanes learned on Monday that they will be without forward Scott Walker for six weeks after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left hand. The Hurricanes are already without forward Justin Williams for at least three months after tearing the Achilles tendon in his right foot. The Hurricanes will lose some toughness and veteran depth with the injury to Walker and some scoring with Williams out. It's possible the Hurricanes could look to the trade market to replace those players or even some of the remaining veteran forward free agents. If the team is looking for replacements for Walker and Williams, it might be better for them to look to the waiver wire over the coming days for help as teams trim down their rosters for the start of the regular season, as it would not cost the Hurricanes a roster player. They could also look to their minor league prospects to replace the injured players.

Chelios and Finger Out With Injuries

The Detroit Red Wings learned on Thursday that defenseman Chris Chelios will miss the next six weeks with a fractured bone in his leg. Chelios sustained the injury when he blocked a shot during the Red Wings' 2-1 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on September 29. The Red Wings signed Chelios to a one-year contract in September with the understanding that he will play a limited role on defense this season. The Red Wings lose some veteran experience and toughness with Chelios out of the lineup, but he could easily be replaced with Kyle Quincey or even Derek Meech.

Also, the Toronto Maple Leafs have learned that defenseman Jeff Finger could miss the first week of the regular season with a foot injury. Finger sustained the injury in Toronto's opening preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres, and the injury is taking longer to heal than expected. Finger signed a four-year contract with the Maple Leafs during the first week of free agency this past summer. With an opening on Toronto's blueline, there is speculation that 2008 first round pick Luke Schenn could start the season with the team. Schenn has had a good preseason and training camp thus far, making him a good choice to replace Finger. The Maple Leafs will lose a bit of toughness and experience with the absence of Finger, but it will not be for long. Schenn will be an adequate replacement until Finger returns.

Injuries Starting to Pile-up in NHL

With the NHL's 2008-09 season set to begin on October 4, a few teams are dealing with some long-term injuries to some star players. Here's a look at some of the players who will be sidelined for some time with injury:

Buffalo Sabres forward Paul Gaustad will be sidelined 3-4 four weeks after having thumb surgery on September 29. The Sabres will miss Gaustad's physical play and toughness, as well as his offensive depth, but will likely replace him with minor league talent until he returns from injury.

The Pittsburgh Penguins learned on Monday that Sergei Gonchar will miss 4-6 months after having surgery on his dislocated shoulder. The injury to Gonchar is a huge loss to the Penguins. Gonchar brings lots of offensive skills, veteran depth, and leadership to the team, especially on defense and the power play. The Penguins could be forced to find a defenseman on the trade market to replace Gonchar's skills. However, the Penguins could also elevate one of their existing defensemen to fill Gonchar's spot. Kris Letang is one possibility, as he has promising offensive skills.

The Columbus Blue Jackets lost forward Raffi Torres on Monday to a separated shoulder for the next six weeks. Torres injured his shoulder in a preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks after he fell to the ice during a fight with Ben Eager. The injury to Torres is a costly one for the rebuilding Blue Jackets, as Torres brings lots of toughness, offensive depth, and goal-scoring talent to the team. The Blue Jackets could look to their minor league ranks to replace Torres, as he will miss a little over a month of hockey. If Torres ends up missing more than six weeks, the Blue Jackets could look to make a trade.

The St. Louis Blues have suffered another injury to their defense, as Jeff Woywitka is expected to miss one month with a broken foot. Woywitka suffered the injury after blocking a shot in a preseason game against the Atlanta Thrashers last Friday. The Blues are already without Erik Johnson, who suffered a possible season ending knee injury while golfing. The injury to Woywitka is not as costly to the Blues as the injury to Johnson, but the team will miss the defensive depth that Woywitka brings to the team. With two significant injuries to their defensive corps, the Blues could be forced to look to the remaining defensemen on the free agent market, or possibly the trade market, to add depth to their blueline. However, management's commitment to rebuild the team through youth could likely mean the Blues will replace Johnson and Woywitka with their own minor league talent.

Penguins' Gonchar Out Indefinitely with Shoulder Injury

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Wednesday that defenseman Sergei Gonchar will be out indefinitely with a dislocated shoulder. Gonchar suffered the injury on September 20 in the Pittsburgh Penguins' preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gonchar scored 12 goals and added 53 assists for 65 points in 78 games last season with the Penguins. He scored one goal and added 13 assists for 14 points in 20 games during the 2008 playoffs. The injury to Gonchar is a serious blow to the Penguins' defense, as he averaged nearly 26 minutes of ice time per game last season and is a large contributor to the team's power play. The Penguins could likely elevate one of their young defensemen, such as Kris Letang or possibly Alex Goligoski, to fill Gonchar's place. The Penguins could also look to the remaining available free agents or the trade market for depth until Gonchar returns from injury.

Blues' Johnson Likely Sidelined for Season with Knee Injury

The St. Louis Blues got a bit of bad news on Tuesday about young defenseman Erik Johnson. He will likely be sidelined for the entire 2008-09 season with a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. Right now, the Blues are saying he is sidelined indefinitely. Initially it was believed that Johnson would miss just training camp. Johnson injured his knee as he climbed out of a golf cart to take a shot. He jammed his right foot between the accelerator and brake pedals and felt pain in his right knee. He is expected to have surgery within the next three to four weeks. Last season, his first in the NHL, Johnson scored five goals and added 28 assists for 33 points in 69 games with the Blues. Johnson's injury come as a huge blow to the Blues' defense, as they will miss his physical presence and defensive talent on the blueline. The injury has brought about rumors in recent days about the Blues now having interest in Mathieu Schneider, whom Anaheim is still trying to trade. Schneider would be a welcome addition to the Blues' defense, as he would provide lots of offensive experience, veteran depth, and leadership to a young Blues team.