Blues’ Radek Faska out vs. Sharks with lower-body injury

St. Louis Blues’ forward Radek Faksa will not play Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks, according to Blues’ Head Coach Jim Montgomery.

“I’m not a doctor, but it was real close to his privates,” Montgomery told The Athletic Blues’ reporter Jeremy Rutherford. “It could have been much worse.”

The injury occurred near the end of the Blues’ 4-3 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks Wednesday night. In a battle along the boards, the skate of Canucks’ forward Danton Heinen made contact near Faksa’s groin, resulting in Faksa immediately skating to the bench and heading towards the locker room.

Faksa, now in his 10th NHL season, has two goals and five assists for seven points in 29 games with the Blues this year. The 30-year-old native of Vitkov, Czechia, spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Dallas Stars, who took him No. 13 overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

The 6-foot-3 center spent parts of four seasons with the Stars’ AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, where he helped the club with a Calder Cup in 2013-14. Before turning pro, Faksa spent parts of three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Kitchener Rangers and Sudbury Wolves.

The Blues are 14-13-2 with 30 points. They are fifth in the Central Division and three points out of a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.