The Kings on Tuesday assigned defensemen Jeff Schultz and Nick Ebert to the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League, which was an odd move since they never joined the big club after their recall Monday. Schultz and Ebert practiced with the Reign on Tuesday and stayed put. The Kings are hunkered down at a resort outside of Montreal while awaiting Thursday’s game against the Canadiens.
The Kings also placed defenseman Matt Greene (shoulder surgery) on long-term IR.
Kings defenseman Matt Greene will undergo shoulder surgery Thursday and will be sidelined indefinitely, the team announced Tuesday afternoon. Greene played in only three games this season, going scoreless with eight penalty minutes. He had been working out with teammates during their morning skates and also on his own, but there was no timetable for his return to the lineup from what had only been termed an upper-body injury.
The Kings on Friday placed defenseman Matt Greene on IR with an upper-body injury (retroactive to Oct. 13). He’s eligible to return to the active roster to join the team for it’s trip to play the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. But it might be a little while before he’s sound enough to play.
“He’s skating, but until he has full contact … ,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “IR’s no big deal. Technically, he could play (Friday). If he was on (IR earlier), he could have been activated. You go on the road and it frees a spot up. That’s all that does.”
The Kings really, really, really don’t like to talk about injuries or injured players. Here’s a Monday update, however:
Defensemen Matt Greene and Jake Muzzin suffered unspecified upper-body injuries during the Kings’ shootout victory Sunday over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver. Neither finished the game and coach Darryl Sutter said Monday each was considered day-to-day.
It’s uncertain whether they can play in Tuesday’s home exhibition against the Ducks.
Sutter played only four defenseman for most of the final two periods plus overtime of a 2-1 victory, which resulted in 30 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time for Christian Ehrhoff and 27:52 for Drew Doughty. Sutter joked that he might try four defenseman again against the Ducks.