Michigan, ranked No. 7 in the latest USCHO.com poll, has lost forward Jed Ortmeyer for the remainder of the season after he was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his right knee.
The sophomore, who is tied for fifth on the team in scoring with 10 goals and 21 points in 27 games, suffered the injury in Tuesday’s game against Notre Dame, which the Wolverines won, 9-0.
“It was an innocent collision on the ice, it wasn’t a big hit or anything,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said to the Michigan Daily. “He just got locked in and got all his weight on his right foot — he got hit in the side, and somehow, it tore itself.”
At the time, it didn’t appear to be a serious injury, but an MRI taken Thursday found out otherwise.
“The things Jed brought to the team were a lot of hustle and hard work — a physical presence and defensive responsibilities,” Berenson said, in noting how much his team will miss Ortmeyer. “Those were the bread and butter of his game and he could also kick in some goals and good plays.”
Ortmeyer is expected to have reconstructive surgery some time next week, with an eye towards returning during next season.
