Sports

Kelowna Rockets captain Colton Sissons arrived at Sunday's awards gathering with his left arm in a sling.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Rockets captain Colton Sissons is out eight to twelve weeks with an upper body injury

The news didn't get any better Monday.

After meeting with specialists Monday morning, the Rockets announced Sissons would be sidelined eight to twelve weeks with an upper body injury.

Best case scenario - Sissons is able to return in eight weeks (May 13), four days before the start of the Mastercard Memorial Cup in Saskatoon - should the Rockets advance that far.

Worst case scenario - Sissons is ready for the start of training camp at the end of August.

"We played without Colton for a number of games (December) and we only lost two games and we don't expect anything different now," says Rockets president and general manager, Bruce Hamilton.

"It's a tough loss but now we have to play long enough to get him back in the line-up."

Sissons missed ten games in December recovering from a concussion suffered Nov. 30 against Moose Jaw.

That injury forced Sissons to miss an opportunity to attend Canada's World Junior Training camp.

"It's a devastating injury again. I thought the worst time for an injury was around Christmas time but I think this one takes the cake because I just believe so much in our team and we have something special there that could go all the way," Sissons stated, following Sunday's awards ceremony.
   
"With that said we still have the guys to do that and still have a chance to make it."

Sissons says the latest injury happened during the second period of Friday's game in Vancouver.

He says there was nothing dirty about the play in which he was injured.

"We're (Sissons and Mason Geertsen) two pretty big guys, pretty strong guys and I took the worst of it."

Sissons is just the latest in a string of Rockets who have suffered through long term injuries.

Forward Carter Rigby (shoulder) plus defencemen Mitchell Wheaton (shoulder) and Mitchell Chapman (ankle) are all gone for the season.

Forward JT Barnett also missed thirty games due to various injuries.

The Rockets will have to rely on their depth to get them through in the post season.

"I trust everybody on our team and we're lucky to have that depth because it was challenged more than anybody had anticipated. We have great leadership beyond myself and they are going to take over and they are going to do a great job," says Sissons.

"Everyone is going to have to step their game up to another level. Everybody can do that - they have that opportunity."

Sissons says he hopes to still be part of the leadership group in the playoffs and will do whatever the coaching staff asks of him.

"I'm going to be around and be supportive of the guys."