Kings' Blake Out 6-8 weeks
The injury-riddled Los Angeles Kings got more bad news Friday when they learned defenseman Rob Blake has a broken foot that will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
Blake, winner of the Norris Trophy last year as the NHL's top defenseman, was injured Oct. 30 in a 3-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning when a puck hit his right foot.
X-rays after the game were negative, and Blake played in a 3-0 loss to Phoenix last Sunday night and a 2-2 tie with St. Louis Thursday night.
Experiencing persistent pain, he underwent an MRI exam Friday that revealed the injury.
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Blake will be fitted for a cast and is expected to be on crutches a minimum of six weeks, Kings spokesman Mike Altieri said.
Blake, 28, signed a three-year, $15.2 million contract shortly before the season started. He has two goals and five assists in 12 games this season for the Kings, who have a 4-5-3 record.
The Kings' injury list also includes leading scorer Jozef Stumpel, goalies Stephane Fiset and Jamie Storr, defenseman Doug Bodger and left wing Steve McKenna.
Blake led all NHL defenseman last year with 23 goals. He also had 27 assists.
Lightning's Samuelsson out 4-6 weeks
TAMPA, Florida -- The improved Tampa Bay Lightning will be without veteran defenseman Kjell Samuelsson for four to six weeks after he suffered a broken right foot in Friday night's 2-2 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks.The 40-year-old Samuelsson was held without a point in his first eight games this season before Friday night, when he scored his first goal since Jan. 7, 1997, when he was with the Philadelphia Flyers. He had spent the last three seasons with the Flyers, recording only three assists with 28 penalty minutes over 49 games in 1997-98.
The 6-6 Samuelsson has 69 goals and 166 assists with 1,383 penalty minutes in 902 NHL games over parts of 14 seasons with the Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers and Lightning. His best season came in 1987-88, when he totaled six goals and a career-high 24 assists over 74 games for Philadelphia.
A native of Sweden, Samuelsson has appeared in 126 playoff games, recording four goals and 20 assists with 188 penalty minutes. He helped the Flyers reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996-97 after winning a championship with Pittsburgh in 1991-92.
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