Worcester Sharks defenseman and NHL prospect Taylor Doherty will be sidelined for a minimum of six weeks after having surgery on a sliced Achilles tendon, a Sharks source confirmed to CSNCalifornia.com on Monday.
The 6-7, 235-pound Doherty, a second round pick by the Sharks in 2009, is expected to make a full recovery. In 14 games this season, the 21-year-old blueliner has a goal and two assists for three points and six penalty minutes.
Injuries have decimated Worcester’s blue line of late. On Sunday, the club was able to dress just five defensemen according to the Worcester Telegram, as Matt Irwin (upper body), Nick Petrecki (hand), Danny Groulx (concussion) and Sena Acolatse (undisclosed) were all out. Excluding Doherty, none of the defensemen are expected to be out long term and all are expected back within a few weeks, according to a Worcester spokesman.
Doherty, who is considered a good skater to go along with his massive frame, is in his second full year with Worcester. He has one goal and eight assists for nine points and 82 penalty minutes in 80 games over parts of three seasons.
On the organizational depth chart, Irwin and Doherty are the closest the Sharks have to NHL-ready defensemen in Worcester, according to a scout not affiliated with the club.
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Logan Couture will suit up for “Team Subban” for a charity game on Wednesday, as the NHLPA released its rosters for the event at Toronto’s Mattamy Athletic Center.
Team Subban, of course, refers to Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban, while the opposition will call itself “Team Stamkos,” named for the Tampa Bay Lightning star.
More than 30 NHL players will partake in the game, including Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul from the Maple Leafs, Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall, Pittsburgh’s James Neal and Steve Ott of the Buffalo Sabres. Former Sharks forward Daniel Winnik, who signed with Anaheim in the offseason, will be a teammate of Couture.
According to the press release, all proceeds from the game will benefit grassroots hockey causes through the NHLPA Goals & Dreams Fund and the RBC Play Hockey program.
Couture recently returned to North America after playing in Switzerland for approximately three months.
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