SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25:Andre Burakovsky #95 of the Seattle Kraken skates on the ice during the first period of a game against the Vancouver Canucks at Climate Pledge Arena on January 25, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Christopher M …
The Seattle Kraken placed forward André Burakovsky on injured reserve on Thursday due to a lower body injury sustained in Tuesday night's loss to the New York Islanders.
Burakovsky played just 21 seconds before exiting the contest on Tuesday. He was making a turn near center ice and was noticeably affected as he headed to the bench hunched over at the waist.
"He’s going to be out at least week to week for now," general manager Ron Francis said, via Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times. "If we can get him back sooner that would be great, but it will depend on how he responds to treatment. For now, it looks like it be a while."
Burakovsky, who turned 28 on Thursday, leads the Kraken with 39 points this season on 13 goals and 26 assists. However, he had just four points on two goals and two assists in the month of January as his scoring touch slowed down.
The Kraken recalled forward John Hayden from AHL Coachella Valley to provide some additional forward depth for Seattle. Hayden has one goal in three games played for the Kraken this season.
Daniel Sprong – who was a healthy scratch against the Islanders – is likely to take Burakovsky's spot in the lineup Thursday night against the New Jersey Devils.
Additionally, defenseman Justin Schultz was activated from injured reserve after missing the last six games due to injury. Schultz was injured in a game against the Edmonton Oilers on January 17 in a collision with Derek Ryan.
Schultz has 24 points on five goals and 19 assists in 42 games played for Seattle this season.
