Canadiens’ Kotkaniemi out for season with spleen injury, won’t need surgery

NHL-hockey-Canadiens-Kotkaniemi-skating

Montreal Canadiens centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi. (Graham Hughes/CP)

Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to a spleen injury.

A representative from the team confirmed to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels that Kotkaniemi will not require surgery for the injury and is out for an undetermined amount of time.

Kotkaniemi suffered the injury in Friday’s game for AHL Laval and had to stay overnight in a Cleveland hospital as a result. He was released on Saturday.

Before the injury, Kotkaniemi was playing well in the AHL, collecting 13 points in 13 games after his demotion on Feb. 1. By comparison, he had only eight points in 36 NHL games.

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