NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Nashville Predators have confirmed center Ryan Johansen needed emergency surgery because of an acute compartment syndrome in his left thigh.
General manager David Poile detailed Johansen's condition in a statement Sunday, two days after Nashville announced the top scorer's season had been ended by a thigh injury after Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Poile said rapid diagnosis and treatment was critical to prevent complications.
Johansen's symptoms developed after finishing Game 4, a 3-2 overtime loss to Anaheim. He skated slowly to the bench and grimaced in pain after a check from Ducks defenseman Josh Manson, but it's still unclear whether the injury was caused by that innocuous hit.
The center had surgery within two hours of being diagnosed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
"As a result, he had no permanent injury to his muscle, nerves or blood vessels and we expect a full and complete recovery," Poile said.
Compartment syndrome involves excessive pressure building up inside a muscle, either from bleeding or swelling. High pressure restricts blood flow and can lead to permanent injury if not treated quickly.
Johansen led the Predators with 13 points in 14 playoff games and has tweeted a couple photos of himself from his hospital bed. He hadn't missed a game since joining the Predators in a trade with Columbus in January 2016. He shared the club scoring lead in the regular season with 61 points.