The Montreal Canadiens along with the Kalpa Kuopio Hockey Club has announced that prospect Joni Ikonen underwent surgery on his right knee. The recovery time is expected to be 6 months.
Joni Ikonen Injured
Joni Ikonen was injured during an on May 28th during an on-ice practice with his team in Kuopio, Finland. The knee surgery was performed in Finland at the Kuopio University Hospital by Dr Hannu Miettinen.
Ikonen was selected 58th overall by the Canadiens in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. The pick originally came from the Washington Capitals in a trade that sent centre Lars Eller to the Capitals. In 52 games with Kalpa Kuopio this season, Ikonen scored 4 goals and 10 assists for 14 points. He also registered one assist in 6 playoff games. Ikonen also represented Team Finland at this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships. He scored one goal and one assist in five games in the tournament.
The Habs were thought to have one of the steals of the draft when they selected Ikonen with the 58th pick. He made a surprising decision to return home to Finland after playing 10 games with Frolunda in the SHL the previous season. While he didn’t have the most productive season in his first year with the club, he’s still a very skilled player. There is no reason to believe he won’t bounce back next season.
Ikonen to Miss Canadiens Training Camp
The recovery time is expected to be 6 months. This means Ikonen won’t be ready to return to action until sometime in December. This also means Ikonen will miss the Habs training camp in September. Joni Ikonen is expected to head to Montreal at the end of June to resume part of his rehabilitation program with the club.
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