Ylönen To Miss 4 Weeks With Broken Leg
[by Sean Broderick - 23 March, 1998]
(www.euroreport.com)


It could have been worse for Juha Ylönen, but not much.
Just one day after signing a one-year contract extension, Ylönen learned
on Friday that he could miss the rest of the regular season with a fractured
tibia.

Earlier this month, Ylönen was sidelined after being hit on the lower leg on
a shot by teammate Mike Gartner. X-rays did not reveal a broken bone,
and Ylönen sat out the next two games with what the team believed was a
badly bruised lower leg.

He returned on 16 March in Washington, taking regular shifts whenever
coach Jim Schoenfeld could work the rookie center into the flow of the
game.

In the team's next game, last Thursday against Colorado, Ylönen was
again forced out of action because of pain in the leg. The following day,
the club again took X-rays, this time revealing the broken tibia.

The Coyotes believe Ylönen will miss about four weeks, which means his
return date would nearly coincide with the 18 April regular season finale
vs. St. Louis.