Injury Update

[topshelfcookies]

WGR is reporting Thursday afternoon that Tim Connolly will not dress for Games 1 and 2 of the ECF. Apparently Connolly will not even travel to Raliegh with the team.

 

Adam Mair has been cleared for contact in practice.

 

Dmitri Kalinin is still out, though that's sort of old news.

[BetweenThePipes00]

This is not good news for Tim Connolly ... him not flying might indicate that he is still having headaches or dizziness or something ... forget the team, I just hope he is OK long-term.

[topshelfcookies]

Pipes, I think most of WNY completely agrees with you.

[Corp000085]

COnnolly was not allowed to fly to raleigh, which indicates he's still having symptoms... Nothing official, as its just my best bet, but don't look for him to be back till AT LEAST the stanley cup finals if we make it that far... Mair on the other hand could be good to go on saturday.

[blugold43]

y'know...you think at some point someone would go to the trouble to redesign these rinky-dink helmets that hockey players wear so that they actually protected your head. i understand that you can't totally eliminate concussions, and maybe even an offensive lineman's helmet might not have been enough to protect connolly from that hit, but it just seems to me that way to many players are sitting out from these things. i understand that some of it is just teams being more careful, which i think is great, but i you cannot tell me those helmets are truly substantial enough to do what needs done to protect hockey players.

[Taro T]

y'know...you think at some point someone would go to the trouble to redesign these rinky-dink helmets that hockey players wear so that they actually protected your head. i understand that you can't totally eliminate concussions, and maybe even an offensive lineman's helmet might not have been enough to protect connolly from that hit, but it just seems to me that way to many players are sitting out from these things. i understand that some of it is just teams being more careful, which i think is great, but i you cannot tell me those helmets are truly substantial enough to do what needs done to protect hockey players.

Yeah, cause football players in their space age, high tech, Darth Vader contraptions NEVER get concussions. <_<

 

I honestly don't think they can do much more to the helmets without requiring players to wear FULL shields AND mouth guards, not letting them get away with using one or the other or neither. Even with that, there will always be some concussions in hockey. It is an extremely fast sport with very hard surfaces (ice and boards) and weapons (hockey sticks); I don't see any way to eliminate concussions, but do agree that the league could take steps to try to limit them.

[hopeleslyobvious]

y'know...you think at some point someone would go to the trouble to redesign these rinky-dink helmets that hockey players wear so that they actually protected your head. i understand that you can't totally eliminate concussions, and maybe even an offensive lineman's helmet might not have been enough to protect connolly from that hit, but it just seems to me that way to many players are sitting out from these things. i understand that some of it is just teams being more careful, which i think is great, but i you cannot tell me those helmets are truly substantial enough to do what needs done to protect hockey players.

 

They must be good for something. According to Black Hawk Down, Delta Force Operators wear hockey helmets in combat. Not that they can stop a bullet, but if I remember right they work pretty good if some rubble falls on your head.

[Saber61]

They must be good for something. According to Black Hawk Down, Delta Force Operators wear hockey helmets in combat. Not that they can stop a bullet, but if I remember right they work pretty good if some rubble falls on your head.

 

i believe they wear skateboarding or helmets... hockey helmets would look kinda silly... the helmets they wear have holes cut out of the top.... they are different from the hockey ones.

[mphs mike]

This is not good news for Tim Connolly ... him not flying might indicate that he is still having headaches or dizziness or something ... forget the team, I just hope he is OK long-term.

 

Agreed. Assuming he's ok long term maybe he can use Mark Kelso's old helmet

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Yeah, cause football players in their space age, high tech, Darth Vader contraptions NEVER get concussions. <_<

 

I honestly don't think they can do much more to the helmets without requiring players to wear FULL shields AND mouth guards, not letting them get away with using one or the other or neither. Even with that, there will always be some concussions in hockey. It is an extremely fast sport with very hard surfaces (ice and boards) and weapons (hockey sticks); I don't see any way to eliminate concussions, but do agree that the league could take steps to try to limit them.

 

Most concussions are not due to the player's head hitting the ice; they are usually caused by the actual hit. Look at the Connolly hit. The impact of Schaeffer hitting in the chin is what caused the concussion. Same thing when Soupy rocked Umberger.

[hopeleslyobvious]

i believe they wear skateboarding or helmets... hockey helmets would look kinda silly... the helmets they wear have holes cut out of the top.... they are different from the hockey ones.

 

I have read skateboarding helmets too, so I very well could be wrong.

[Taro T]

Most concussions are not due to the player's head hitting the ice; they are usually caused by the actual hit. Look at the Connolly hit. The impact of Schaeffer hitting in the chin is what caused the concussion. Same think when Soupy rocked Umberger.

And again, making the player wear a full face shield that would deflect some of the direct impact away from the head MIGHT have helped in either case.

 

Another thing that would greatly reduce concussions and I believe the league will eventually implement it, but I have no idea how many seasons away it is, is for the league to simply ban hitting a guy in the head. Make it a 2 minute penalty for what currently is a clean hit, and make it a 5 (with or without game misconduct accompanying it) for what is currently illegal, such as an elbow to the head.

 

A lot of good current hits would become illegal, but players would just have to readjust their hits to make sure they get lower than a guy's head. I don't think it would take too long for players to get used to a rule like that.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I'm no doctor, but from what I know most concussions happen because the brain hits the INSIDE of the skull ... so I don't care what you have on the OUTSIDE of your head, if you are skating top speed and get hit, even in the chest, intertia is going to keep your head going forward for a moment and then when it stops (because it is attached to your torso still ... hopefully) your brain is still going top speed and smashes into the inside of your skull violently ...

I'm not saying they are totalyy inevitable so no changes should ever be made, but some of these things are going to happen when a sport is played at such a high speed.

[hopeleslyobvious]

And again, making the player wear a full face shield that would deflect some of the direct impact away from the head MIGHT have helped in either case.

 

Another thing that would greatly reduce concussions and I believe the league will eventually implement it, but I have no idea how many seasons away it is, is for the league to simply ban hitting a guy in the head. Make it a 2 minute penalty for what currently is a clean hit, and make it a 5 (with or without game misconduct accompanying it) for what is currently illegal, such as an elbow to the head.

 

A lot of good current hits would become illegal, but players would just have to readjust their hits to make sure they get lower than a guy's head. I don't think it would take too long for players to get used to a rule like that.

 

Good idea, but I can already hear the dinosaurs complaining! :lol:

[ExiledInIllinois]

And again, making the player wear a full face shield that would deflect some of the direct impact away from the head MIGHT have helped in either case.

 

Another thing that would greatly reduce concussions and I believe the league will eventually implement it, but I have no idea how many seasons away it is, is for the league to simply ban hitting a guy in the head. Make it a 2 minute penalty for what currently is a clean hit, and make it a 5 (with or without game misconduct accompanying it) for what is currently illegal, such as an elbow to the head.

 

A lot of good current hits would become illegal, but players would just have to readjust their hits to make sure they get lower than a guy's head. I don't think it would take too long for players to get used to a rule like that.

 

I agree.

 

Mouth guards are the key. What made his brain rattle and bruise like that? I don't think that the fall to ice caused it... The initial hit and the clenching of his mouth... That is what causes the concussion, right?... Not to mention he was going forward and came to an abrubt stop?

 

Don't get me wrong, it was a very devastating hit.... But, when the concussions (basically a bruise to the brain) keep coming... They come easier.

 

Notice the two black eyes when he got hit in the nose by the puck in warm-up... Not a good sign either... TC has taken some serious beating... All I hope is that he can get better....

[nfreeman]

It's also possible that there aren't any symptoms currently but the team is being very cautious with Timmy, since flying has been known to exacerbate concussions. who knows? Like everyone else, I just want him to be OK (although I would LOVE it if he came back for game 3 in HSBC).

 

I would also like to see blows to the head penalized severely -- ie any intentional blow to the head is a 5-minute major, with suspensions for repeat offenses. However, those measures wouldn't have prevented the hit in this case since Timmy turned into the middle at top speed and then kinda ducked into the hit.

 

Does anyone know whether (i) mouthguards are mandatory and (ii) whether Timmy uses one? I can't believe he wouldn't use one given his concussion history.

 

Get well, Timmy.

[RayFinkle]

y'know...you think at some point someone would go to the trouble to redesign these rinky-dink helmets that hockey players wear so that they actually protected your head. i understand that you can't totally eliminate concussions, and maybe even an offensive lineman's helmet might not have been enough to protect connolly from that hit, but it just seems to me that way to many players are sitting out from these things. i understand that some of it is just teams being more careful, which i think is great, but i you cannot tell me those helmets are truly substantial enough to do what needs done to protect hockey players.

 

Helmet isn't going to do squat when you take an elbow to the chin. Mouthguards are proven to be more beneficial at preventing concusions that even a football helmet. Problem is, I think Timmy wore a mouth guard all year.

[SDS]

Look, if he has had that serious of an injury that he can't play, then he shouldn't come back at all for the playoffs. Bruising your brain is serious and just waiting the minimum amount of time for symptoms to clear is a foolish lack of self-preservation.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Look, if he has had that serious of an injury that he can't play, then he shouldn't come back at all for the playoffs. Bruising your brain is serious and just waiting the minimum amount of time for symptoms to clear is a foolish lack of self-preservation.

 

It's just a bruise!!! I have one on my arm right now, I think I should go home from work immediately and rest. :D

 

You're right though, it is serious stuff. Forget being a hockey player and remember these guys are human beings. Post concussion syndrome can ruin your life. Some guys never recover... constant headaches, loss of short-term memory, and dizziness. I can't imagine having to live my life that way.

 

Winning a Stanley Cup would help you feel better though!