PHT Morning Skate: Top 12 surprises on NHL protection lists

You never want to see something like this happen. The Nashville Predators rookie Kevin Fiala had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher after an ugly crash into the boards during Wednesday night’s playoff game against the St. Louis Blues. The Nashville forward crashed awkwardly into the boards after a hit from the Blues Robert Bortuzzo. In obvious pain, medical staff rushed to his side as the stunned St. Louis crowd watched in silence. Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. While there are no specifics on Fiala’s injury, the Predators tweeted that he remains alert and stable.

When Rod Brind’Amour watched pregame shows during the regular season, he didn’t think much thought was put into analyzing his Carolina Hurricanes. “They’d look at the stat sheet and they’ll say: ‘Oh, Sebastian Aho is a good player. Watch for him,’ â€� Brind’Amour said recently