Vancouver Giants star Samuel Honzek stays on sidelines with no timeline for return from damage

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Vancouver Giants common supervisor Barclay Parneta says the workforce can have a clearer image in per week on when injured star Samuel Honzek would possibly return to motion.

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Honzek was harm in a preseason recreation final Wednesday with the Calgary Flames, the workforce that chosen the Slovak ahead with the No. 16 choose on this summer season’s NHL Draft.

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The Flames re-assigned Honzek, 18, to the Giants on Thursday. The Calgary Solar reported then that it was “not believed to be a severe damage” that Honzek had suffered.

Neither the Flames nor the Giants are saying what precisely Honzek is battling, although. He has remained in Calgary, underneath the care of Flames medical employees. Parneta says that the ailment would require extra testing in a couple of days. That implies they’re ready for the damage to settle, similar to one thing like swelling to subside. 

The Flames hadn’t responded to requests for a Honzek replace as of Wednesday afternoon. The longer with no timeline, the longer Honzek, who’s the Giants’ greatest participant, will probably be lacking from their lineup.

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Vancouver has performed one of many lighter early schedules within the WHL’s Western Convention. That’s lower into the video games missed for Honzek. The Giants (2-2-0-0) host the Swift Present Broncos (2-3-1-0) on Friday on the Langley Occasions Centre; the Prince George Cougars (6-2-0-0) have been set to play Swift Present on Wednesday evening.

Vancouver went into this season anticipating Honzek to overlook video games halfway by means of the season due to world junior commitments with the Slovaks. He performed for them finally yr’s match, and, oddly sufficient, was harm there, struggling a gash on the again of his leg after he was stepped on by an opponent throughout a recreation. He missed 20 Vancouver video games due to that. He wound up with 23 objectives and 56 factors in 43 common season video games with the Giants. 

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“We do not know when he’ll be again. We’re simply doing what we’re doing every single day. You simply transfer ahead,” mentioned Giants coach Manny Viveiros. “You misplaced your greatest participant, however we haven’t had him but this yr both. It will be completely different if he had been right here for 3 weeks or a month after which obtained harm. We didn’t have that luxurious. 

“There’s nothing we are able to do about it. It’s an unlucky a part of the sport. Hopefully it’s not long run.” 

The Giants have been involved sufficient about Honzek being out a long term that they picked up Czech ahead Patrik Kral, 17, when he was positioned on waivers by the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday to provide them the utmost two import gamers. Kral joins Czech ahead Adam Titlbach, 17, on Vancouver’s lively roster.

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Groups can solely hold two imports on their lively roster. As soon as Honzek is deemed wholesome, the Giants can have two weeks to determine which of the three Euros they need to hold.

Honzek being out of the lineup opens up large enjoying time. The WHL doesn’t publish ice time stats just like the NHL does, however there have been nights final yr the place it felt like Honzek was enjoying effectively over 20 minutes. He was utilized in all conditions by coach Michael Dyck, and Viveiros, who signed on with Vancouver this summer season after Dyck took an assistant’s job with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, has pledged to do the identical.

Honzek was an alternate captain down the stretch final season with Vancouver, too. With out him, in addition to veteran defenceman Carson Haynes, who was waived Tuesday in order that Vancouver may get all the way down to the three 20-year-old roster most, the Giants’ management group is altering.

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The Giants have but to call a captain for this yr to interchange Ty Thorpe, who graduated from the league on the shut of the marketing campaign. Viveiros had mentioned that they have been ready for Honzek to return and the roster to be finalized earlier than doing so. Honzek and centre Jaden Lipinski, 18, who wore an “A” final yr as effectively, have been essentially the most logical candidates to tackle the “C”.

“It’s going to place an onus on some gamers who haven’t performed it earlier than who’re going to should now,” Viveiros mentioned of these management duties. “We’re going to have to assist different gamers change into leaders.”

Defenceman Damian Palmieri characterised the workforce as “very tight … everybody’s getting alongside, zero drama between the blokes.”

“Daily you come to the rink and also you’re excited to see all people. I feel it’s an excellent group that we’ve got,” he mentioned.

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