Patrick Eaves injury: forward out 2-4 weeks with sprained MCL

The Detroit Red Wings will be down a depth forward to start the 2013-14 National Hockey League season, and one who’s had his share of injury troubles over the past couple of seasons.

Red Wings General Manager and Executive Vice President Ken Holland announced on Friday that forward Patrick Eaves will miss two to four weeks with a sprained MCL. The injury was suffered when Eaves took a fall during practice on Thursday at Joe Louis Arena. He was taken to the hospital for testing.

This continues a run of bad luck for Eaves, who’s spent the last nine seasons in the NHL, the last four with Detroit. In November of 2011, Eaves suffered a concussion, that kept him away from hockey for a year. He was literally cleared to play just prior to the shortened 2013-14 season.

After scoring 20 goals in just 58 games in the 2005-06 season, Eaves has made his name as more of a grinding forward with Detroit, after stints in Ottawa and Carolina. Last season, he put up two goals and eight points in 32 games. He had three points in 13 playoff games for the Wings.

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