The Adirondack Thunder have been missing key players over the last few weeks, including Brendan Less, Zach Walker, and Patrick Grasso. All three players are unlikely to play next week, but according to Head Coach Pete MacArthur, they are all trending in a positive direction.
“I don’t believe so, maybe Grasso, I think we’re past the long-term, it’s about doing right by the athlete they’ve been out for awhile they’re important to our hockey club and we don’t wanna thrust them back in the lineup when they aren’t fully ready. They need to get a couple of good practices in each whether it be together or separately. They need to be ready at this time of year so that they don’t put themselves in a compromising situation. So they’re close but still day-to-day still.
Adirondack Thunder Head Coach Pete MacArthur on the team’s injuries
Patrick Grasso seems the closest to return to the lineup as the Thunder captain hasn’t played since January 26th vs Newfoundland. In 39 games this season, Adirondack’s captain has 21 goals and 12 assists for 33 points, and when he initially got hurt, he was leading the team in goals.
Zach Walker has had a rough year as he missed the beginning of the season with a head injury, and after leaving the February 23rd game vs Reading early, he has yet to return to the Thunder lineup as the team has previously mentioned that they are being cautious with him knowing his history. Walker has three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 23 games for the Thunder but his physicality and work ethic are the things the Thunder miss most with not having him in the lineup.
Brendan Less was injured in the March 1st game vs Reading and has yet to return to the lineup. Less was playing well prior to his injury recording his only two goals of the season along with two assists in his previous 10 games. Adirondack is currently very thin on the blue line with Colin Felix up in Utica.
