Hitchcock claims the time was right for Berglund injury
The Blues received some bad news last week before their season could even start, as the team announced center Patrik Berglund will miss at least four months due to shoulder surgery. But St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said the timing of the injury actually works out well for the club.
"You never want to see a guy get hurt but it couldn't come at a better time because it allows us to have preparation for finding his replacement," Hitchcock said in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It gives us time to look at guys in training camp. We've brought in some NHL players to take a look at, bona fide NHL players, so we've got lots of time to see how it works.
"If this happens during the season or even during exhibition season, it's a different story, but we've got a lot of time to figure it out and we're going to get a good player back when we need him the most."
Berglund has never missed this much time with an injury, so he will likely face some learning moments during his rehab. He also has plenty of time to think about how to improve his production on ice, as Berglund posted just 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 77 games last season.
His absence gives the team a chance to take a closer look at 19-year-old center Robby Fabbri, a first-round draft pick from the 2014 NHL Draft. Fabbri spent last season back in juniors, where he tallied 25 goals in 30 games with the Guelph Storm.
(h/t St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
