Matt Read left last night’s game against the Nashville Predators in the first period after taking what appeared to be a cross-check to the gut.
He showed some severe discomfort on the bench after the hit, and after heading to the locker room, he did not return for the remainder of the game. I thought it was something with the ribs when I saw it, since he took a hockey stick across his ribs and all. But as it turns out, he has a meat injury and could miss time here.
Matt Read has an oblique muscle pull
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) December 5, 2016
There’s no timetable — nor even an official announcement from the Flyers yet — on Read’s injury, so we really don’t know how serious or how long he could be out.
For reference, however, Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein missed 11 games last December with an oblique strain, and Denis Savard of the Blue Jackets missed four weeks with an oblique strain in January.
We’ll see what happens with Read, and if anybody is called up from Lehigh Valley to replace him. Taylor Leier could be an option if that’s needed.
