UPDATED: Matt Calvert ‘out indefinitely,’ absence related to concussion issues

UPDATED: When asked this morning if the injury to Matt Calvert was sustained in the game against Anaheim on Sunday or was concussion-related, head coach Jared Bednar confirmed to Colorado Hockey Now that it is, unfortunately, the latter.

“He’s had some concussion issues in the past, and I don’t know if he’s diagnosed that,” Bednar told CHN. “But he’s not feeling right at this point, so he’s taking a little bit of time to get healthy. That’s where we’re at with him.”

Following a scheduled day off on Monday, the Avalanche returned to the ice Tuesday morning.

Almost all the Avalanche, that is.

Aside from Pavel Francouz, who remains out indefinitely with a lower-body injury, there was one other Avs player who was mysteriously not on the ice for Tuesday’s morning skate. It was confirmed following the team’s practice that, indeed, forward Matt Calvert was missing in action.

“He is out day-to-day with an upper-body injury,” said Avs coach Jared Bednar on Tuesday afternoon.

He had just played 12 minutes a couple of days prior in Anaheim and didn’t appear to sustain an trauma that would suggest an injury, so his absence came as a bit of a surprise.

When asked for an update on the status of Matt Calvert after practice on Wednesday, Bednar told Colorado Hockey Now that the injury might keep him out a little longer than day-to-day.

“Yeah, Matt Calvert is out indefinitely right now with an upper-body injury,” he said to CHN. “I don’t really have a timeline on him.”

It’s hard not to fear the worst here. Given Calvert’s concussion history and his battle with post-concussive symptoms over the last few years, is it reasonable to assume that his “upper-body injury” is related to his head? It’s very possible. It’s also very possible that I’m drawing my own conclusions. And, to be fair, I am.

It’s hard to ignore the clues though. Just a couple of weeks ago, Matt Calvert confirmed his new stylish pink visor was not a fashion statement, but rather a necessary tool he uses to filter out the bright lights of hockey rinks — something that he needs due to light sensitivity issues that have stemmed from his post-concussion symptoms. He’s had to wear these darkened visors in the past, as well, while battling though concussion issues while a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It was also learned recently that these symptoms held him out of the playoffs last year too. After taking warm-ups in Game 1 of the Dallas series, Calvert mysteriously exited and never returned.

It’s obvious he’s had some recent flare-ups related to his past concussion issues (i.e., the pink visor). Now, the fact that he was downgraded from day-to-day to now out indefinitely doesn’t leave feelings of reassurance either.

Again, to be clear, this is 100% a jump to conclusions. But deductive reasoning would suggest Calvert’s most recent upper-body injury could very possibly be related to his post-concussion symptoms.

If this is the case, one has to wonder how much longer Matt Calvert can keep playing. Could his career be in jeopardy?

Long-term health will always outweigh the need to play. If it is indeed concussion issues once again, it could be time to seriously consider hanging them up.