San Jose Sharks defensive prospect Jake Furlong is in San Jose, but it’s not good news. According to a news release issued by the Halifax Mooseheads on March 27, the defenseman will have season-ending shoulder surgery. Sadly, that means he will miss all of the QMJHL playoffs. Furlong is the captain of the Mooseheads, so this is a huge blow to the team.
“This is a major loss for our team. He is a leader for us both on and off the ice. This is a disappointing way for Jake to end his season, but his health is first and foremost for the future of his hockey career and we wish him all the best,” said Mooseheads General Manager Cam Russell in the news release.
Early results show that the Mooseheads miss Furlong a lot. The team trails its opening round playoff series with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan 0-2. Furlong was a key cog in Halifax’s 2023 playoff run. He had 11 points in 21 playoff games last season.
The Mooseheads say that Furlong was injured during the March 16 game in Moncton. He left the game in the first period and has not played since.
It is a disappointing end for Furlong, who took a step forward in his development this season. Not only was he named captain of the Mooseheads in the fall, but in the winter, Furlong was named to Team Canada’s World Junior Championship team. He was often relied upon to do the heavy lifting defensively for Team Canada and scored one of the team’s biggest goals of the tournament when he tied the quarterfinal game against Team Czechia.
This season, he had 30 points in 56 games for the Mooseheads.
Furlong was drafted in the fifth round, 140th overall, in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
There is no word yet on when Furlong will have his surgery.
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