DAN RIEDLHUBER
Edmonton Oilers rookie forward Taylor Hall will miss the remainder of the NHL season with an ankle injury suffered while fighting an opponent during a recent game, the team said on Friday.
Hall, the first overall pick in last year's NHL Draft, fell awkwardly to the ice at the end of a fight with Columbus Blue Jackets winger Derek Dorsett on Thursday.
"Taylor Hall has a left high ankle sprain which requires eight weeks to heal, therefore he will be sidelined for the remainder of the season," the Oilers said.
The 19-year-old winger, third in rookie scoring with 42 points, scored 22 goals and added 20 assists in 65 games for the last-place Oilers.
Hall had a goal and an assist in Edmonton's 4-2 win over Columbus before leaving the game limping in the second period but had no regrets and said he felt he needed to take a stand.
"It's bad luck that I had to leave the game, but I would probably do it again if I had to," Hall said after the game.
"There comes a time when you have to. There's nothing wrong with stepping up and trying to defend yourself because eventually if you keep getting hit and people keep coming in for you, it's not a great feeling to be the guy that keeps on being rescued."