John Tavares sympathizes with Kevin Fiala.<\/p>\n
Some 12 years after a left knee injury at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi<\/a>, Russia, ended his season, Tavares could relate to Fiala\u2019s similar fate at the 2026 Games in Milan, Italy.<\/p>\n Fiala, a key cog for Switzerland and the Los Angeles Kings, broke his left leg on Friday<\/a> in a game against Canada and will miss the rest of the regular season.<\/p>\n When Tavares was hurt while playing for Canada, he was third in National Hockey League scoring with the New York Islanders. His absence from what remained in the regular season ended any hopes the Isles had, as faint as they were, of making the playoffs.<\/p>\n Though Tavares has worn Canada\u2019s colours on numerous occasions, it was his lone participation in the Olympics that came to a premature end. He played in four games in Sochi and was hurt in a game against Latvia.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s disappointing on all fronts,\u201d Tavares said after the Maple Leafs practised on Tuesday. \u201cYou want to complete the tournament.<\/p>\n \u201cI was really grateful that I got the opportunity to play in the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I also didn\u2019t get to play in the biggest games. It was not ideal, but that\u2019s part of the sport. It\u2019s physical, it\u2019s fast, and unfortunately, injuries happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Solid recovery<\/p>\n Tavares recovered to play in all 82 games for the Islanders in 2014-15 and finished second in NHL scoring with 86 points, one behind Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars.<\/p>\n Fiala is second in scoring on a Kings team that is locked in a playoff battle in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can be frustrating and you certainly feel that in the moment going through it,\u201d Tavares said. \u201cBut you look forward to what you can do to come out of it, to be better, to learn from it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt gave me a unique opportunity. I had around seven months until my next game, so it was a lot of time to start from scratch in a way. I ended up coming out of that having a really good year afterward.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if there\u2019s much to be said (if he could talk to Fiala). I think it\u2019s just difficult all around. As players, you understand the circumstances. You try to come back from it as best as you can.\u201d<\/p>\n