Edmonton Oilers’ Vincent Desharnais suffers broken finger from fight

One of the blueliners on the Edmonton Oilers will be missing time after getting hurt during a fight.

Per OilersNation’s Baggedmilk, defenseman Vincent Desharnais suffered a broken finger after engaging in fisticuffs with Colorado Avalanche D-man Josh Manson during their matchup on Saturday night.

The incident occurred during a scrum that broke out in the final minute of the second period. According to the report, Desharnais and Manson only threw a few punches, but it was enough to send the 27-year-old to the locker room.

After the game, in which the Oilers lost 3-2 in overtime, head coach Kris Knoblauch told the media that Desharnais did not play because of a suspected ailment to the Laval, Quebec native.

After spending the first three seasons of his professional career strictly in the minor leagues, Desharnais made his NHL in January 2023 with Edmonton, and ended up becoming a mainstay in the Oilers’ lineup all the way through the second round of the playoffs.

Desharnais has only missed two games so far this season, and has been a consistent member of Edmonton’s third pair. In 63 games, the 2016 seventh-round pick has scored nine points and has a plus-six rating. He scored his first NHL goal in Edmonton’s 5-2 win over the rival Calgary Flames on Oct. 29.

While it is still unknown how long the injury will keep Desharnais out of the lineup, it is reassuring for the Oilers, as they added some depth to their d-core when they acquired Troy Stetcher from the Arizona Coyotes the day before the trade deadline.

In 99 career appearances, Desharnais has registered a goal and 13 assists with a plus-21 rating. He is in the final year of a two-year contract with a $762,500 AAV, and is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Oilers (40-21-4) are set to host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. Edmonton is second in the Pacific Division, eight points back of the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Canucks.