Paetsch is Injured (Updated)

Update (10-20-2017): The official word on Paetsch is that he’s week to week with a lower body injury, but Amerks Extra has learned that the injury may be more serious than the official report might suggest. Apparently Paetsch suffered a hairline fracture to his lower right leg/ankle and will be out for 4-6 weeks. If accurate, that would push Paetsch’s return to late November. I’ll keep this post updated as we learn more about his condition.

The Amerks were trailing by two with only a few minutes remaining in the second period when Nathan Paetsch blocked a shot with his skate. It was immediately evident that the injury was something more than the sting of a shot by the way he skated to the bench. Once on the bench he sat slightly contorted, visibly in pain. He missed his next shift while talking with the Amerks trainer. The next whistle sparked a media time-out during which Paetsch took a quick spin on the ice in front of the bench. He couldn’t bear much weight on his foot and returned to the bench for the remainder of the period. Paetsch limped to the locker room after the second period expired and did not return for the third period.

Following the game, Paetsch left wearing a protective boot on his foot and walking on crutches. If the boot was precautionary and the injury is just bruising/swelling, he could return as soon as next weekend. If the boot was because of a broken foot or ankle it’s unlikely he’d return before the new year. I’ve reached out to the Amerks for more info and will update as soon as possible.

Chris Schiffner is the man behind the Amerks Extra Twitter feed and the chief editor of AmerksExtra.com. Chris founded Amerks Extra in order to provide fans with a voice during one of the most tumultuous periods in the organization's history. Amerks Extra has evolved into a leading source for Amerks news and discussion. When not covering Amerks Hockey, Chris is on the ice playing the game himself.