Coyotes defenseman J.J. Moser out with upper-body injury, won’t play Wednesday
Arizona Coyotes defenseman J.J. Moser sustained an upper-body injury in the team’s 4–1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on December 23 and won’t play in Wednesday’s rematch with the Avs.
Coyotes head coach André Tourigny confirmed the news of Moser’s injury with reporters in Arizona after the team’s morning skate on Wednesday and indicated that he might not play again before the calendar flips over to 2024.
“He is out right now,” Tourigny said. “We don’t expect that to be long, but probably not today for sure and probably not the next one. He is doing good, so good news.”
Moser, 23, left the Coyotes’ final game before Christmas early in the second period after being on the receiving end of a high hit by Avalanche forward Miles Wood. He logged just 7:10 of ice time in the loss.
According to PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan, Juuso Välimäki will take Moser’s place in the lineup as the Coyotes host the Avalanche at Mullett Arena on Wednesday night.
Juuso Välimäki will replace JJ Moser in the lineup. https://t.co/744nTpWXqJ
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) December 27, 2023The Coyotes currently occupy the second and final wild card playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 17–14–2 record and 36 points in 33 games.
Moser has played an enormous role in Arizona’s success this season. The Biel, Switzerland product has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) while averaging 19:38 of ice time in 33 games with the Coyotes this year.
Arizona originally selected Moser in the second round (No. 60 overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft. An extremely rare triple-overage draft pick (having gone unselected in 2018, 2019, and 2020), Moser made an immediate impact with Arizona in 2021–22 and has been a fixture in the Coyotes’ lineup ever since.
Through 158 career games over parts of three NHL seasons with the Coyotes, Moser has racked up 14 goals and 61 points. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract and is set to become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2024.