Blake Wheeler ruptured a testicle after being struck by a
Josh Morrissey shot against Nashville on Dec. 15 and finished the game. The next day, upon learning that his situation required a medical procedure, Wheeler received the attention he required and was given the prognosis, relayed to media via Rick Bowness, of «probably at least four weeks.»
That was three weeks ago.
Now, a much-fast-than-expected recovery gives Wheeler the opportunity to join
Nikolaj Ehlers,
Cole Perfetti and
Nate Schmidt in the march from Winnipeg's recovery room to its active roster. It's a stunning turn of good news, given Wheeler's on-ice impact this season, and an astonishing turn of events: A bruise is painful enough to imagine, while the word «rupture» conveys an entirely different universe of pain.