Kamloops Blazers defenceman will miss remainder of Memorial Cup

Kamloops Blazers' Kyle Masters is taken off the ice on a stretcher after a collision with Peterborough Petes' Brennan Othmann during third period Memorial Cup hockey action, in Kamloops, B.C., on Sunday, May 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Kamloops Blazers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston says defenceman Kyle Masters has been released from hospital and will miss the rest of the Memorial Cup with a lower-body injury.

Clouston updated Masters's status a day after the 20-year-old Edmonton native was taken off the ice on a stretcher during the Blazers' 10-2 win over the Peterborough Petes.

“It's not an upper-body injury. So from a personal standpoint, the human standpoint, it's awesome news,” Clouston told reporters Monday.

“For Kyle and the team, it's really unfortunate that he's going to miss the remainder.”

Masters was hit by Petes forward Brennan Othmann and fell backward into the corner boards with less than seven minutes remaining.

Othmann did not receive a penalty on the play, but Clouston called it a “dangerous hit.”

“I thought there was emotion in it,” Clouston said. “I don't think it was just 'Hey, I'm going to go finish a check.”'

Clouston said the NHL's department of player safety supported the decision not to penalize Othmann.

“The NHL had it as a non-call,” Clouston said. “To me the standards might be a bit different to what we're used to.”

Clouston said Masters was released from hospital Sunday night after undergoing tests and made an appearance at the Blazers' practice on Monday.

“Maybe he was putting on a good face for the rest of the group because he felt that's what the group needed, but he appeared to be in good spirits,” Clouston said.

Kamloops, which plays in the Western Hockey League and is the host team at this year's Memorial Cup, takes a 1-1 record into its final round-robin game Wednesday against Seattle. The 10-day, four-team tournament concludes on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023.