Columbus Blue Jackets star rookie Adam Fantilli was forced to exit Sunday’s game against the Seattle Kraken with a lower-body injury after throwing a hit on Kraken forward Jared McCann in the second period, the team announced.
It’s unclear what exactly caused the injury, but after the hit, Fantilli immediately lifted up his left skate and tried to avoid putting any weight on it as he headed to the team’s locker room.
He registered one hit and one blocked shot in 7:30 of ice time before being forced to leave.
After the game, Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent said the team still didn’t have an update on the severity of Fantilli’s injury.
“We don’t know yet,” Vincent told reporters. “Questionable for the next game, but I don’t have a full report.”
Fantilli, the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL draft, has been one of the lone bright spots for the struggling Blue Jackets this season.
Coming into Sunday’s action, Fantilli had 12 goals and 15 assists in 48 games. He currently sits fourth in points and third in goals amongst rookie skaters.
