Freak injury sidelines JT Barnett for season

Tips winger JT Barnett is done for the season after suffering a torn lateral collateral ligament in his knee.

It was freakish circumstances that led to the injury. Barnett was stretching prior to Everett's game Saturday in Kamloops when he felt a pop in his knee. The pain quickly went away and he played that night, registering a goal and an assist. However, the knee swelled up afterward, and a subsequent MRI revealed the tear.

Everett coach Mark Ferner said Barnett had two possible paths to recovery, either rehabilitation or surgery. Either path will require four to five months.

This is a significant blow for the Tips. Barnett was the player Everett brought in to replace the offense lost when Tyler Maxwell requested a trade. He had four goals and eight assists in 20 games after joining the Tips and was a fixture on one of Everett's top two lines.

Here's hoping everything goes well with Barnett's recovery, and that he's ready to go when next season begins.