One of the defensemen for the Edmonton Oilers will be out of action due to an injury sustained during a fight. According to OilersNation’s Baggedmilk, defenseman Vincent Desharnais broke his finger while fighting with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson during their game on Saturday night.
The incident occurred during a scuffle that broke out in the last minute of the second period. According to the report, Desharnais and Manson exchanged a few punches, leading to the 27-year-old defenseman heading to the locker room.
Following the game, which the Oilers lost 3-2 in overtime, head coach Kris Knoblauch informed the media that Desharnais was sidelined due to a suspected injury. The defenseman, originally from Laval, Quebec, spent the first three seasons of his professional career exclusively in the minor leagues. He made his NHL debut in January 2023 with the Edmonton Oilers and became a regular in the lineup, playing all the way through the second round of the playoffs.
Desharnais has only sat out two games this season and has been a consistent presence on Edmonton’s third defensive pairing. In 63 games, the 2016 seventh-round pick has tallied nine points and holds a plus-six rating. He scored his first NHL goal in Edmonton’s 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Oct. 29.
While the length of Desharnais’ absence due to the injury remains uncertain, the Oilers have bolstered their defensive depth by acquiring Troy Stetcher from the Arizona Coyotes just before the trade deadline.
Throughout his 99-game career, Desharnais has recorded a goal and 13 assists with a plus-21 rating. He is in the final year of a two-year contract with a $762,500 AAV and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The Oilers, currently 40-21-4, are preparing to face the Montreal Canadiens at home on Tuesday night. Edmonton is positioned second in the Pacific Division, trailing the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Canucks by eight points.
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