Spokane Chiefs left winger Reed Jacobson out ‘a while’ with broken leg

Now is a good time for someone else to step up.

The Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs have a hole in their lineup following Reed Jacobson’s injury Saturday night. The third-year left winger became entangled with Tri-City Americans forward Drew Freer, fell to the ice and was taken to a Kennewick hospital with a broken leg.

Jacobson, a 19-year-old from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, will need surgery and is out for “a while,” said Chiefs General Manager Scott Carter, who was waiting Tuesday to hear from a specialist for a more definite timeline.

Jacobson was expected to be a 20-goal scorer this season. He had five goals and seven assists in the 2020-21 campaign, shortened to 21 games by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carter has his eyes open, looking for opportunities to bolster the lineup, but he said the Chiefs’ best bet is for another player to step up his game and move into Jacobson’s spot on the Bear Hughes-Erik Atchison line.

“You’re always trying to help your team,” Carter said. “But you need two teams willing to work together. Everyone is at the start of the season so we’re all in the playoff hunt. No one is really looking to move a top forward.”

Freer was dealt a match penalty for attempt to injure by game officials in the Chiefs’ 5-1 over the Americans. During its review of the play, however, the WHL disciplinary committee overturned the call and changed the match to a game misconduct. Freer was handed a one-game suspension.