What’s the deal with Mathew Barzal?

The Seattle Thunderbirds’ star center did not play during the team’s just-completed six-game road swing through the WHL’s East Division, and there’s speculation Barzal could be sidelined for a lengthy period.

Barzal is the glamour member of Seattle’s forward corps. The 17-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C., was the first-overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft, and the gifted playmaker is considered a strong candidate to be selected in the top 10 of the 2015 NHL draft. He had been leading Seattle in scoring with seven goals and 11 assists in 16 games.

However, Barzal has not played since Seattle’s 3-2 shootout victory over Red Deer at home on Nov. 4, the T-birds’ last game before heading east.

As to what’s wrong with Barzal, it’s largely a mystery. The WHL’s weekly report listed Barzal as out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. As of Monday afternoon there was no definitive word from the T-birds or the media that covers the team about what kind of injury Barzal has, when or how it happened, or how long he’s expected to be out.

However, there were hints mentioned during Seattle’s road trip. Cody Nickolet of Future Considerations Hockey tweeted that Barzal was on crutches during Seattle’s game at Saskatoon on Nov. 8. The T-birds’ game at Moose Jaw last Wednesday was televised by Shaw in Canada, and during the broadcast it was suggested Barzal could be out for two months. Then the Regina Leader-Post listed Barzal as out of Saturday’s game against the Pats because of a knee injury.

But however long Barzal is out it’s a significant blow for Seattle. The T-birds have been one of the lowest-scoring teams in the WHL, managing just 55 goals in 22 games for an average of 2.5 per game, and the T-birds are thin in impact offensive performers. Seattle was buoyed on the trip by the return of star defenseman Shea Theodore from the elbow injury picked up while attending training camp with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. But without Barzal Seattle ended up going 2-4 on its trip through the East Division, which was two fewer wins than U.S. Division rivals Tri-City and Portland picked up during their trips through the East.

No doubt the T-birds are hoping Barzal is back sooner rather than later.

Around the WHL

The WHL dropped both its games against the touring Russian team in the Canada-Russia Super Series, falling 3-2 in both contests. The WHL, made up of players eligible to play for Canada at this winter’s World Junior Hockey Championships, outshot Russia by at least 16 shots in both games, but dropped the first game in Saskatoon in an 11-round shootout before falling in regulation the next night in Brandon. … A piece of WHL history was made when Spokane won 4-2 at Kamloops last Friday as it was the first time coaches with 600 WHL victories squared off. Kamloops’ Don Hay is second all-time in career victories with 618, while Spokane’s Don Nachbaur is third with 607. … Seattle defenseman Evan Wardley received his second lengthy suspension of the season when he was tagged for five games by the league for his checking-from-behind major penalty against Saskatoon. He was suspended seven games for a checking-to-the-head major against Portland earlier this season. … Kootenay’s Sam Reinhart was named the WHL Player of the Week. The 19-year-old forward had one goal and six assists as the Ice went 2-0.

Leaders

Points — Nick Merkley (Kelowna) 39; goals — Rourke Chartier (Kelowna) 23; assists — Merkley 33; penalty minutes — Braden Christoffer (Regina) 61; wins — Jackson Whistle (Kelowna) 16; goals against average — Tristan Jarry (Edmonton) 2.15; save percentage — Landon Bow (Swift Current) .933.

Check out Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.