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Hudler suffers abdominal injury, released from KHL team

hudlergetty

James

Jiri Hudler’s time in the KHL has come to an abrupt end.

The Calgary Flames winger has been released by his temporary club, HC Lev Prague, after suffering an abdominal muscle injury.

RIA Novosti reports Hudler missed Lev’s last two games with the ailment and, after being examined by team doctors, was told he could miss up to a month.

“If I don’t treat it now it only gets worse,” Hudler said of the injury. “The pain isn’t unbearable but bothers me. Mainly limits mobility.”

Depending on who you believe, Lev either cut Hudler like a poor man’s cable or he asked to be freed from his contract so he could rest/recuperate and be ready for the start of the NHL season. (He did just sign a four-year, $16 million deal with Calgary, after all.)

The reality, as it often does, probably falls somewhere in the middle.

It served Praha no purpose to waste an “import” spot on a guy that could be out for a month (and then leave the team), and it served Hudler no purpose to stick around Prague when his priorities are in Calgary.

The news is certainly a downer for Lev, who had hoped to team Hudler and Flyers forward Jakub Voracek with yesterday’s big signing -- Boston Bruins captain and former Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara.