Hurricanes' Hamilton suffers broken fibula, out for extended period

Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Dougie Hamilton took an awful looking tumble into the boards Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the day-after diagnosis suggests he’ll be out of action for an extended period of time.

Hamilton suffered a broken fibula on the play according to Sirius XM’s Nick Kypreos, a massive injury that will likely mean Hamilton is out of action for a long time. Hamilton appeared to mention that he thought he broke his leg while being helped off the ice on Thursday, and that immediate reaction was apparently right on the money.

Hamilton had proven to be a key part of the Hurricanes’ lineup this year, leading the team in ice time while collecting 40 points in 46 games, fourth most among all NHL defensemen. The Canes currently sit in an Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot, tied with the Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers with 56 points.

Along with needing to find a replacement for Hamilton on the Carolina depth chart, Hamilton will also be replaced as the team’s representative at NHL All-Star Weekend. The team announced that fellow Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin will take Hamilton’s spot at the festivities in St. Louis next weekend.

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