More on McGrath, injury updates

Published 5:32 pm Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Get a good look at D.Jay McGrath during tomorrow’s game against Vancouver. It may be the last time you’ll see him before training camp. The 16-year-old call-up forward will be in the lineup tomorrow, but may return home after that. His midget team, the Saskatoon Contacts of the SMAAAHL, is still jockeying for seeding in the playoffs, and if the Contacts don’t clinch their spot early this week they’ll want McGrath back for their final games.

If McGrath does end up going home before Friday’s game, it means the Tips will have to dress eight defensemen for the following four games, with two skating as forwards, as neither Paul Van de Velde nor Dale Hunt is expected to play during the upcoming stretch of five games in seven nights. Van de Velde is skating in practice again, but his shoulder is still needs time before it’s 100 percent. Meanwhile, Hunt is making slow progress with his concussion.

There is some hope on the injury front. All may not be lost for Daniel Bartek. There’s still no knowing when the overage forward will be able to return from his broken hand. But if he uses a playing cast it’s possible he’ll be back earlier than initially anticipated.