Top draft prospect Cayden Lindstrom to miss 4-to-6 weeks
Cayden Lindstrom will not get the opportunity to showcase his skills at the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game next week.
Lindstrom, a standout with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, will miss the next four-to-six weeks following surgery to repair an upper-body injury sustained in December.
“It’s like anything in life, it’s what you do with what happens, not what happens, it’s what you do with it,” Medicine Hat coach WIllie Desjardins told James Tubb of the Medicine Hat News on Tuesday. “He’s got a chance to get healthy, get rested up and come back while the rest of the league is tired. He can come back fresh. So he’s got to use it and make sure he’s ready when he comes back.”
The 17-year-old forward, who has been limited to 32 games this season, has 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) this season. He had been named to Team Red for the Top Prospects Game in Moncton, NB on Wednesday, January 24.
Lindstrom, who last played Dec. 16., was originally given a ‘B’ grade in FCHockey’s Preliminary ranking for the 2024 NHL Draft, but has vaulted his status into a potential top-15 candidate.
“He’s still raw but I see the appeal for sure,” FCHockey scout Donesh Mazloum said. “He’s big, has room to fill out, skilled, and possesses nice goal scoring instincts. Heminds me of Juraj Slafkovsky a bit in both the good and bad ways. HIs effort and off puck IQ not always consistent, and I think he’s a mid-to-late first-round talent, but can see the scenario where he’s going to go much higher.”