Geese winger Brock McGinn underwent profitable ACL reconstruction surgical procedure in Los Angeles final week, the crew introduced. McGinn has a seven-to-nine-month restoration window consequently, ending his 2024-25 marketing campaign and placing his availability for the beginning of the 2025-26 common season in jeopardy.
McGinn, a pending unrestricted free agent, final performed on Dec. 23 towards the Golden Knights. The 30-year-old left that sport within the first interval after awkwardly twisting his knee whereas trying to throw a test. It didn’t seem he’d miss an excessive amount of time after skating off below his personal energy and initially being termed day-to-day by the membership, however he’ll now end the season harm for the third time in his three seasons in Anaheim.
A second-round choose of the Hurricanes again in 2012, McGinn’s tenure in Southern California has been riddled by accidents. He first missed the ultimate 4 regular-season video games of the 2022-23 marketing campaign with an upper-body problem after being acquired from the Penguins on the commerce deadline in change for defenseman Dmitry Kulikov. McGinn then missed over half of the 2023-24 season on account of numerous accidents, together with season-ending again surgical procedure in March.
The 6-foot, 187-pound ahead additionally missed seven video games earlier this season with a lower-body problem. It’s unclear if the 2 are associated or if a cumulative/re-aggravated knee problem led to such a serious process being required.
Understandably, the as soon as productive backside six piece’s manufacturing has taken a success in Anaheim on account of his well being and the crew’s underwhelming roster. He’s managed solely seven targets and 14 factors in 65 appearances as a Duck because the 2023 commerce, averaging 11:38 per sport. His eight factors in 26 video games this yr was on tempo to be his greatest offensive displaying since posting 22 factors in 64 video games with Pittsburgh in 2021-22, nonetheless.
Whereas McGinn was already going to want to take a pay lower on his expiring $2.75M AAV on the open market this summer season, the harm probably locks him in as a candidate for a PTO in September. He probably received’t be cleared to renew contact till round then, so any groups will probably be cautious of giving him a assured contract earlier in the summertime.
For the Geese, McGinn’s continued absence leaves a everlasting gap within the backside six. That opening ought to imply extra enjoying time for fringe children like Sam Colangelo and Nikita Nesterenko along with veteran AHL call-ups like Jansen Harkins.
