Islanders Johnny Boychuk injury update: 90 stitches

Johnny Boychuk took a skate to the face on Tuesday and needed 90 stitches to close the cut. He’s out indefinitely, so what does that mean for the New York Islanders?

It was a scary sight on Tuesday as the New York Islanders faced the Montreal Canadiens for anyone who follows hockey. Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk took a skate blade right to the face and ran off the ice immediately to seek medical attention.

The incident occurred when he and Montreal Canadiens forward Artturi Lehkonen went towards the Islanders net. As Lehkonen received a shove from Boychuk he’s also got his skate wrapped up in Varlamov’s stick, causing Lehkonen’s skates to fly up and catching Boychuk right across the face.

It didn’t look good in real-time and looks even worse when you’ve seen it after the fact. Thankfully, we’re told that Johnny Boychuk’s eyesight was not compromised and that the

skate caught the eyelid

but he needed an astonishing

90 stitches

to close the gash.

Now What

Obviously, Johnny Boychuk will miss significant time. The 13 year NHL veteran was having a solid season playing on the Islanders third pair.

Before the injury, Boychuk was on pace to play 81 games a career-high for the 2011 Stanley Cup winner. His eleven points in 64 games had him on pace to hit a respectable 14 points. The Islanders have clearly been managing Boychuk’s minutes this season and it’s helped him be more effective and to stay on the ice, where they need him.

Now he’ll take time to heal and mend what is likely a significant cut to his eye area.

For the Islanders, the season goes on.

Noah Dobson will step into the lineup and take Johnny Boychuk’s spot on the right side next to Nick Leddy on the third pair. Thomas Hickey, who is back from injury himself, could be an emergency call up if the Islanders need him.

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Lou Lamoriello indicated that a few defensemen aren’t 100 percent, so if they need another blueliner the veteran of 449 NHL games will be the first name he calls up.