听
The Canadian Football League returned to the nation鈥檚 capital for the first time since 2006 on Friday (July 19), but there was something big missing from the team.
Despite the first-ever win for the expansion Ottawa RedBlacks, Squamish鈥檚 Joe Eppele was absent from the lineup after re-injuring his left shoulder during the team鈥檚 training camp earlier this summer.
Eppele had surgery on the same left shoulder back in January, but then re-aggravated the injury, which forced him to proceed with a second operation. He missed both preseason games for the RedBlacks and has failed to suit up for his new team, which selected him from the Toronto Argonauts in the expansion draft last December.
He鈥檚 been officially moved to the six-game injured list, but it鈥檚 doubtful whether Eppele will be able to play for Ottawa this season because of the shoulder injury.听
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 had him since Day 1,鈥� Ottawa general manager Marcel Desjardins told the Ottawa Sun newspaper. 鈥淥bviously we would have liked to, but it hasn鈥檛 worked out that way.鈥�
The loss of Eppele hurts Ottawa because it also impacts the balance of imports and non-imports on the team鈥檚 roster. Canadian-born offensive linesmen with the size and skill of Eppele are not easy to find.
