St. Louis Blues forward Pavel Buchnevich will "probably not" play Thursday against the New York Rangers, his coach Craig Berube said. Buchnevich was placed in concussion protocol Tuesday after a hit by Senators forward Austin Watson.
The play occurred in the third period of the game, a 4-1 Senators victory. Buchnevich left the contest with 4:43 remaining.
When asked how the 26-year-old Buchnevich was feeling Wednesday, Berube replied, “not very good.”
Watson was not penalized for the hit, which Berube believed was “a little high.”
“I don't make those calls, but to me it's a head shot. But I don't make those calls," Berube said.
Buchnevich is in his first season with the Blues and has 46 points in 50 games while averaging 17:57 of ice time per contest. St. Louis is in second place in the Central Division at 32-17-7 and 71 points.
(Photo: Rich Graessle / Getty Images)
How much time could Buchnevich miss?
Jeremy Rutherford, Blues beat writer: It's unknown at this time. Berube said Buchnevich felt fine on the bench after the hit, but was then ordered to the Blues' locker room by the in-house concussion spotter for further evaluation. He didn't return to the game, and when Buchnevich wasn't on the ice for Wednesday's practice, Berube said he probably wouldn't play in Thursday's game. That's all we know at this point. If indeed it's a concussion, we've seen players come back in a couple of days and some have taken many months to return. So at this point, it's wait and see.
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What do the Blues lose without Buchnevich in their lineup?
Rutherford: Well for starters, the Blues are losing a player who is tied for second on the team with 19 goals and third in points with 46. He has been a major contributor since coming over in the trade from the New York Rangers last summer. He's been part of arguably the Blues' most dynamic line with Robert Thomas and Vladimir Tarasenko this season. Not only does Buchnevich bring scoring and playmaking potential, but he also brings a physical presence that the Blues are lacking up front. He'll leave a sizeable hole in the lineup if he's out.