The 25 year old defenceman, signed in the summer from EPL side Peterborough, has had a solid, if unspectacular, start to the season, recording just two assists in 15 games, but his injury will put yet more strain on a creaking Stingrays side that is bereft of any kind of form.
Minus Gomenyuk and Hutchinson, the Rays blue line lacks strength and solidity, and although George Halkidis has been drafted in to give the team a bit more backbone in front of Tommy Sandahl, it will surely take a week or so for the Canadian to get used to Elite hockey after a year out of the game.
Injury wise, it isn't that much better upfront. Although Lee Mitchell, could conceivably return this weekend, and Jason Silverthorn, could return with a full faced visor next weekend, Jeff Glowa continues to feel the after effects of an early season hit from Cardiff's Tylor Michel, while coach Cloutier and Konstantin Kalmikov are both playing through niggling injuries.
Perhaps the only benefit of such an injury curse is that Cloutier is able to use injuries as a smokescreen to bring in new imports, that, casualties aside, could help the Stingrays turn their form around.
With Gomenyuk out for at least another four weeks, the Rays coach has plenty of time to consider his roster before yet more re-shuffles, although, eventually, financial constraints will surely limit his chances to change the side.
Cloutier spoke of his disbelief at the number of injuries sustained so far this term:
"It’s been non-stop, every week there seems to be something. In 15 years of pro hockey I have never seen it this bad. It is very frustrating but we just have to battle through it."
