A strange burns injury leaves Blues Star sidelined and fans curious.

Mystery surrounds St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko after he suffered burns on his legs in an accident at home. The 26-year-old is now on the injury list, and the team expects him to miss some time while he recovers.

Coach Jim Montgomery didn’t share any details when reporters asked what happened. He kept it brief and shut down the topic, saying, “I just know it was a home accident, so we’re going to leave it at that.” Toropchenko will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

The injury adds his name to a growing list of NHL players who have dealt with unusual off-ice mishaps in recent years. Everyone quickly noticed the trend and wondered how another unusual incident happened, already the league is dealing with quite a lot of game injuries too.

A Growing List Of Strange Injuries

St. Louis Blues right wing Alexey Toropchenko (Photo By Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)
New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes has already missed games this season because of a strange accident at a Chicago steakhouse. The team said he injured his finger during dinner and needed surgery on November 15. A photo later showed him eating with pop star Tate McRae, his right hand wrapped. Doctors expect him back in about two months. Hughes also dealt with a shoulder injury last season after a collision with Vegas forward Jack Eichel.

The Florida Panthers faced their own unusual situation when center Eetu Luostarinen was hurt in what coach Paul Maurice called a “barbequing mishap.” The team hasn’t given a clear return date and listed him as week-to-week.

Odd off-ice injuries happen in the NHL more often than fans think. During the league’s pandemic break in 2020, reports in Russia said Washington Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov crashed an ATV and injured his neck and back. More recently, he played in Toronto and Vegas before moving to the KHL.

The Bruins experienced a similar situation in 2019 when David Pastrnak fell and injured his thumb while walking to his car after a team dinner. He needed tendon surgery and missed more than a month before returning. And in 2012, former Kings forward Dustin Penner sustained injuries to his back while eating pancakes at home.

Right now, the Blues are waiting for Toropchenko to return, although there is no timeline.