On Tuesday, the Colorado Avalanche announced that forward Andre Burakovsky underwent successful surgery to repair a lower-body injury. The team said that he is expected to miss two to three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Burakovsky, 25, was injured in the Avalanche’s first-round series against the St. Louis Blues. He had been playing well in the series, scoring two goals and adding an assist in four games. He had been a key contributor to the Avalanche’s success this season, recording 25 goals and 38 points in 66 regular-season games.
The Avalanche are already without their leading scorer, Mikko Rantanen, who is out with an upper-body injury. While Burakovsky’s absence will be felt, the Avalanche have plenty of depth up front and should be able to cope with his absence.
The Avalanche have been one of the most successful teams in the NHL this season, and they have a good chance of making a deep run in the playoffs. However, Burakovsky’s absence could be a factor in how far they go. He was an important part of their offense, and his absence could hurt their chances of advancing.
Burakovsky is expected to make a full recovery and return to action next season. In the meantime, the Avalanche will have to make do without him and hope that their depth can help them make a deep playoff run.
