Brent Burns sounds like he’s going to miss a game with one of the hockey-est injuries in a long time.
The San Jose Sharks forward is expected to miss Monday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings after taking a puck to the mouth on Saturday against the Calgary Flames. A puck to the face is nothing new for hockey players, and it usually means a lost tooth or two.
That wasn’t the case with Burns, though. He’s already lost a handful of teeth, especially up top in the front of his mouth. So it’s not like he’s missing the game to allow some dental work to settle. He’ll miss Monday’s game because his gums are bothering him.
“Brent won’t play [Monday]. He got hit in the teeth — well, he doesn’t have teeth, I guess in the gums — the other night, and they are bothering him right now,” San Jose head coach Todd McLellan told CSN Bay Area. “He’ll be out tonight, and hopefully he’s ready to go when we get to Boston.”
It’s a tough break for Burns and the Sharks. He’s been one of the team’s best players so far this season, scoring four goals and adding four assists in the team’s eight games.
The Sharks are slated to play the Bruins in Boston on Thursday.
