The Carolina Hurricanes may be without one of their key depth contributors for a while, as winger Eric Robinson is expected to miss extended time following an upper-body injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour indicated that Robinson could be sidelined until after the Winter Olympics break, which runs through February 26.
Robinson was injured early in Monday’s win over the Buffalo Sabres after a collision with Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin sent him awkwardly to the ice. He left the game favoring his left shoulder and has since been seen at practice with that arm in a sling-a telling sign that this won’t be a short-term absence.
While Robinson isn’t a top-line name, his presence in Carolina’s bottom six has been quietly impactful. He’s carved out a reliable utility role, one built on energy, responsible two-way play, and timely scoring.
Through 44 games this season, he’s tallied 10 goals and 15 points, along with a team-best plus-seven rating. Those numbers are right on pace with the career highs he posted last season in his first year with the Hurricanes-14 goals, 32 points, and a plus-14 rating.
For a 30-year-old winger playing limited minutes, that kind of consistency is exactly what coaches love to see.
With Robinson out, the Hurricanes turned back to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who had recently been a healthy scratch. Kotkaniemi made the most of his opportunity in Thursday’s shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, notching an assist, firing two shots on goal, and throwing three hits. It was a solid all-around effort and one that could keep him in the lineup for the foreseeable future-especially if Robinson remains out through the Olympic break.
There’s also the possibility that Carolina dips into its prospect pool to fill the gap. The AHL’s Chicago Wolves, the Canes’ affiliate, have several intriguing options who could be in line for a short-term call-up.
Justin Robidas, Bradly Nadeau, and Felix Unger-Sorum are leading the Wolves in scoring and have each shown flashes of NHL potential. If Robinson is officially moved to injured reserve, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of them get a look.
For now, the Hurricanes will look to maintain their depth and balance without Robinson, who’s quietly been one of their more dependable bottom-six contributors. It’s a tough blow, but Carolina has options-and a chance to test their organizational depth as they push toward the postseason.