Josh Anderson learned on Wednesday why his month-old back injury was showing no signs of improvement.
An MRI and X-ray exam in Vancouver revealed the 17-year-old Prince George Cougars defenceman has a cracked vertebra, which means his season in over.
"It's tough, but I just have to worry about getting healthier and worry about next year and being a better player next year," said Anderson Friday afternoon, prior to boarding his flight back to Prince George. "They found a bit of a spinal fracture and that takes about fours months of recovery. It's fractured but it's still stable."
Anderson got hurt in the Cougars' game in Vancouver Jan. 16. With two minutes left in the first period, Anderson went into the corner in the Cougars' end to lay a bodycheck on Giants forward Radovan Bondra. At the last second, Bondra turned away from the hit and Anderson fell chest-first into the boards.
"I went into the boards head-first and luckily I was able to protect my head and neck with my hands, but I hyper-extended my spine," said Anderson, who hasn't skated since he got hurt.
Anderson plans to remain in Prince George to watch his team play until their season ends. He has been fitted with a back brace, which he will wear for about five weeks, then will begin light physiotherapy.
In his second season in the WHL, Anderson has lived up to the hype as the Cougars' third-overall pick in the 2013 bantam draft. The six-foot-three, 210-pound native of Duncan has established a reputation as a tough, bruising defenceman who skates well and is good with the puck. That landed him on the radar of NHL Central Scouting. In January, he was ranked as the 62nd best North American skater available for the 2016 draft.
In 39 games Anderson has a goal and five assists with 86 penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating. He played 42 games for the Cats in his rookie season, picking up two goals and four points.
"Through the whole season I think I've made a pretty good name for myself," said Anderson. "We've had a good season from a team standpoint so that's going to help (his likelihood of getting drafted) a lot."
Anderson's sophomore success this season has had its share of disappointment. In August he was one of the final cuts from Canada's under-18 national team for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. He also missed six games in November with an eye injury.
"Unfortunately we've lost him for the rest of the year but it just gives other kids opportunities to step up and play," said Cougars general manager Todd Harkins. "We do have good depth on our back end so we're hoping kids will continue where Josh left off. We just want the kids to get better every time they step on the ice."
Harkins said Anderson's injury shouldn't affect his draft status. Scouts had more than half a season to watch him play and he stood out for the right reasons.
"I don't think it changes much, the guys have been out quite a bit to see him and they'll make their decisions based on that," said Harkins.
The Cougars have also been without their captain and top defenceman, Sam Ruopp, who stopped a shot with his neck Tuesday in Kennewick, Wash., and left the game against the Tri-City Americans in the first period.
Defenceman Shaun Dosanjh, who is recovering from a concussion and didn't go on the Cougars' four-game trip, should be ready to play Tuesday night at CN Centre, where they meet the Giants in the first of a two-game set.
The injuries gave Slovenian import Luka Zorko a chance to play regular shifts in the games in Spokane Wednesday and Friday.
The Cats have three other signed defencemen - Riley Mohr, Ryan Schoettler and Peter Kope - if they need to call anybody up.
