Emmerson Boyce is expected to be out for the rest of the season after breaking a foot during training.
The defender has been a revelation since joining Palace on a free from Luton last summer, and has made the left-back position his own. His commanding performances at the back had just earned him a new three-year deal at Palace.
But Boyce will now have to watch the rest of relegation fight from the physio room.
"I have been lucky with injuries throughout my career so far - this is the first major one I've had," Boyce told the Croydon Advertiser.
"I was happy, with all my future sorted then I go home with a cracked foot."
The injury was picked up when Boyce and Mark Hudson got tangled up in a training game tackle.
"Tackles fly in. On another day I would have kicked the bottom of his foot and it would just be badly bruised - it is one of those things," he said.
"It could have been worse I suppose, but I think it has more or less ruled me out for the rest of the season."
The news leaves Iain Dowie with a defensive headache as Danny Butterfield, his other experienced left-back, is also crocked. Mikele Leigertwood may deputise at the back in the upcoming weeks.