Winnipeg Jets left-winger Evander Kane had to be helped from the ice at practice Wednesday, favouring his right leg.

Kane was injured toward the end of practice and putting little or no pressure on his leg.

The Jets said he would not return to practice and would not be available to the media today.

“He got a tweak in practice and it will be assessed sometime today,” Jets coach Claude Noel said.

“We just need more information and that’s it. It was one of his wheels. He’s got two good ones.”

The injury happened when Kane got tangled up with right-winger Anthony Peluso. Kane immediately grabbed for his right knee area and had to he helped from the ice.

He was spotted after practice and not walking easily.

Kane has three goals so far this season and has been the team’s most spirited player during a 3-4 start.

Noel said having players get injured during an up-tempo, physical practice is just part of the game.

“There’s no guarantee that players aren’t going to get hurt in a light practice,” he said. “You have to determine what the team needs first and if you’re afraid of injuries in practice, you’re not going to be able to practice the right way.

“We needed to do some stuff today, most relating to competing and early. I think it’s time the players get mad.”

Jets centre Bryan Little missed practice for what Noel called a maintenance day and centre Jim Slater left practice early, though he’s not believed to be injured.

“We’ve got some guys with nagging stuff that we knew would struggle a bit so it was just wise on our part to get them off the ice and get them looked at,” Noel said.

He also said forward Chris Thorburn, placed on injured reserve Tuesday, is “more than day-to-day, but he’s not too far off.”

The Jets, who lost 3-0 to Montreal on Tuesday and have dropped four of the last five games, practice again Thursday before facing the St. Louis Blues Friday night at MTS Centre.

ted.wyman@sunmedia.ca