Injury Updates: Dano, Sharp, Faulk, Letang, Maatta

The Winnipeg Jets have placed left winger Marko Dano on injured reserve with a lower body injury, the team announced.  Taking his place on the roster will be center Andrew Copp, who has been recalled from their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose.

Dano suffered the injury in Thursday’s loss to Columbus and following the game, head coach Paul Maurice wasn’t too optimistic about the situation, notes Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press:

“I’ll be surprised if we come back on a short term injury here. We’re talking about weeks, easily.”

Dano, who was acquired by Winnipeg back in February as part of the Andrew Ladd trade, has played in 28 games with the Jets this season after being cut in training camp.  He has three goals and seven assists in that span.

As for Copp, he has been up with Winnipeg for the majority of this season but had been sent back to Manitoba when the roster freeze lifted on Wednesday.  In 25 games with the Jets this year, he has three goals and four assists.

More injury updates from around the league:

• Stars left winger Patrick Sharp has been given the green light to return to game action, Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge reports (Twitter link). He’s expected to be in the lineup tomorrow night as they host Florida. Sharp has been out of the lineup since December 1st and has played in just 11 games this year due to multiple concussions, picking up just a goal and an assist in that span.
• The Hurricanes are quite pleased with how defenseman Justin Faulk is progressing in his rehab from a lower body injury, writes Chip Alexander of the News & Observer. While he could be back earlier than expected, it’s unlikely that he will be back before Tuesday against the Devils and even being available for that game may be a stretch.  Faulk has 16 points (7-9-16) in 30 games to lead all Carolina blueliners in scoring this season.
• The Penguins could have defensemen Kris Letang and Olli Maatta back in the lineup tomorrow when they host Montreal, reports Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Letang, who has two goals and 17 assists in 25 games this year, has been out since December 14th with a lower body injury while Maatta has missed the last two games with an illness.