Brendan Gallagher fractures hand after being hit with Shea Weber slapshot
Shea Weber can shoot the puck extremely hard. He's won the NHL's Hardest Shot competition at the All-Star Game festivities two years in a row, with his most impressive shot being clocked at 108.1 MPH. So, it's safe to say you don't want to get in the way of his clapper.
Unfortunately, Weber's Canadiens teammate Brendan Gallagher found himself in such a position on Wednesday night in Dallas. A third period power play blast from Weber struck Gallagher in the hand and clearly did some damage. Gallagher quickly dropped his glove and skated off the ice to receive treatment.
Here's what the hand looked like in the immediate aftermath on the bench:
After the game, updates from the team indicated that the injury might be quite serious.
https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/816862058272661504
On Friday, the team announced that Gallagher needed surgery to repair a fractured bone in his left hand. As a result, he is expected to be out of the Habs' lineup for a minimum of eight weeks.
That's a huge blow for the Canadiens, who will miss one of their key pieces and most talented offensive players. Through 38 games this season, the winger has six goals and 18 points for a Montreal team that leads the Atlantic Division. Luckily, the Habs have a bit of cushion in the division (10 points over the Bruins and Senators) and should get Gallagher back in time for the stretch run.
It's the second straight season in which Gallagher has dealt with hand injuries, as he fractured two fingers on the same hand last year. Those fingers were apparently unaffected by this latest injury.
