Shane Prince suffered suffered a high ankle sprain near the end of the 2016-17 season. He continued to play during rehab for the remainder of the season. That explains his being in and out of the lineup during last season.
Prince has undergone extensive rehabilitation which failed to relieve the pain. His specialists suggest that it is in his best interest to undergo surgery to promote healing at this time. The Islanders will surely miss the depth that Prince provides in the role of center. It is a position in which the Islanders do not have a lot of depth. It also opens the competition in that position for Joshua Ho-Sang and Matthew Barzal as they try to make the NHL Roster. That could prove to be crucial if the John Tavares contract situation extends into the upcoming season.
Bad news regarding Shane Prince
The New York Islanders released the following statement regarding Shane Prince, via Twitter:
“At the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, Prince returned home and continued the rehabilitation of his high ankle sprain injury. During the later stages of his rehabilitation he began to have increasing discomfort that deterred his training process for the upcoming 2017-18 season. After notifying our medical staff he was referred to specialists, who after trying more conservative measures determined that it was in Shane’s best interest to have surgery. He has since had the surgery, is doing well and is expected to return to full activity in 4-6 months.”
#Isles Injury Update: Shane Prince out 4-6 months. Details: https://t.co/36UHNhf5zz pic.twitter.com/Mm7Rn8E6S0
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 14, 2017
Prince responded to the announcement via Twitter. Letting the fans know his feelings and intentions:
Did my best to play through it last season and also let it heal this off season but surgery was needed. I will be back healthy asap! #Isleshttps://t.co/AezhruGhA8
— Shane Prince (@ShanePrince18)
The Islanders acquired the high scoring wing in a mid-season trade with the Ottawa Senators in 2016. He has developed a name for himself as a depth player. Fans remember him for scoring two goals in the first period of the 2016 second round playoff game vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. It marked the first time that an Islander had scored two first period playoff goals in 34 years. The Islanders added three more goals to win that game 5-3, but lost the series.
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