JD: Blackburn close to playing in a game

[Patty Ice]

And if anyone can overcome this nerve damage thing, it's definitely him.

Yet you are willing to throw in the towel for Michalek, whom has, IMO, the same level of maturity and mental sharpness as a guy like Blackburn. There is a reason why both these guys were playing in the NHL at 18 when both New York and San Jose did not have a glaring need to rush them immediately onto their respected clubs. It just strikes me as odd that you would say something like this consider your past comments on Michalek's situation especially considering Blackburn's injury is much more severe considering what position both players play.

 

[Patty Ice]

That says it all for the switching hand theory

Its not unheard of of athletes learning to use their off-hand to overcome an injury to their main hand. Billy Wagner, I believe, learned to throw left handed after his right arm just gave out and still has relative success at the Major League level. I mean, its not something Blackburn will be able to master overnight but its a definite solution should his nerve never heal properly.

 

[Jacob]

Yet you are willing to throw in the towel for Michalek, whom has, IMO, the same level of maturity and mental sharpness as a guy like Blackburn. There is a reason why both these guys were playing in the NHL at 18 when both New York and San Jose did not have a glaring need to rush them immediately onto their respected clubs. It just strikes me as odd that you would say something like this consider your past comments on Michalek's situation especially considering Blackburn's injury is much more severe considering what position both players play.

I write them both off. My remark speaks for itself, Blackburn is strong mentally. Michalek, I have no idea.

Either way, neither will likely make it in the NHL. Not at least to their potential.

 

[MagnusJondus]

Could someone fill me in on the extent of Michaleks injury? I knew he missed the season, but knew nothing of its long term effects.

Nathan Horton may be another great prospect heading down this path after reinjuring that shoulder. The way he plays the game it will be difficult to overcome.

 

[Patty Ice]

Either way, neither will likely make it in the NHL. Not at least to their potential.

I think I can definitely agree with you on the bold part. I think so highly of both these guys, given their current situations, that I can't see anything short of some NHL success no matter what type of impact that may be.

EDIT: I just noticed that in my first post...last sentence...I used consider 3 times...meant to use it 4 times

 

[Frank Drebin]

can you write a 500 word essay with the opposite hand you write with?

So, which is a goalies dominant hand? I think for some it's the glove and for some it's the blocker..

 

[Patty Ice]

Could someone fill me in on the extent of Michaleks injury? I knew he missed the season, but knew nothing of its long term effects.

Nathan Horton may be another great prospect heading down this path after reinjuring that shoulder. The way he plays the game it will be difficult to overcome.

He's had 3 surgeries on the same knee...one after the initial accident, the second after he was rushed, IMO, back onto the ice (though it did seem his knee was looking back to strength), and a third to replace the ACL with hamstring (instead of a cadaver ligament). Last I've seen reported, his knee is the strongest its been since the initial tear but one can't really gauge how well it is until we see him on the ice again which will mostly likely be sometime next summer, if the training camp is open. Remote possiblity that he plays for the Barons late this season but I'd rather they give it more time to heal.

 

[CrossCheck]

(instead of a cadaver ligament)

:lol

Sorry man, but they don't take cadaver ligament for surgeries!!! They probably took a synthetic one the first time which is stronger, sooner...

 

[Patty Ice]

:lol

Sorry man, but they don't take cadaver ligament for surgeries!!! They probably took a synthetic one the first time which is stronger, sooner...

Tell that to the surgeons

HF post with SJSHARKS.com article (unfortunately, the link to the article cannot be found on the server now but an excerpt is given)

and

Both operations involved the grafting of a ligament from a cadaver. Problems with some infections after the second procedure have stalled his progress and prompted the discussion of a third operation, which would not use a cadaver's ligament.

source: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/hockey/nhl/san_jose_sharks/9737925.htm?1c

 

[Greg7]

Catching with your off hand is extremely easy, requires no effort to learn, and is not at all like throwing or writing or any other dominant hand activities. There is little doubt that he could learn to switch his glove hand under normal circumstances, but there is an enormous catch in his situation: if he can't use a glove on one of his hands, he probably can't grip a stick effectively either.

 

[God Bless Canada]

Great to hear he's coming back, I was a big fan of the kid two years before he was drafted. I really hope the recovery goes well and he can become the franchise goalie I thought he'd be, but I don't think he will. Very, very players under the age of 21 or 22 have missed a full season of playing and developing and come close to their potential. I could provide a long list of young players who suffered injury problems before they were 21 and never materialized, or became fringe NHLers. To miss most of the next season will hinder him even more.

Like I said before, I hope I'm wrong with this one, because I think the kid was on track to be a Vezina Trophy candidate, even though he was brought up too early.

And don't blame the Rangers rushing his development on this. Blackburn would have wrecked his shoulder, with or without spending the two years in the NHL.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Hopefully he comes back. Whether it be with two blockers or a different catching hand(which sounds very difficult to teach, but really isn't), I hope he could come back. Definetely would be a good inspiration story.

 

[bruins4777*]

I don't think this "switch glove" thing is such a bad idea. I play right handed for offense and defense, but left handed goal tender. I started playing hockey 2 years ago, when i was right handed, my right handed glove got lost, so i had to always use my friends left handed glove, it was an adjustment...I went through some bizarre stages where i felt better without a stick, i would unconciously hold the stick with my left handed glove, and so forth, but now i don't have that "feeling" or "first instinct" to use the right hand as my glove, instead i have an that "instinct" for my left hand. It might be weird to understand, but i think goaltenders would understand.

It took a while and I don't think i gained that sense for about a year, and i didn't fully have that feeling till about 5 months ago, but its not something totally impossible for blackburn...

I write right handed, and i can't do it left handed. The only thing i do left handed is catch, i can play the puck left handed with a goalie stick better than right handed, but i can't shoot normal with a left handed stick...its weird.

 

[Habdominal]

Yes but we're not talking Little League here we're talking NHL Hockey. Being a goalie myself I'll tell you that it's a totally different vision and body coordination. Can it be done ...hum possibly, but I doubt he'd ever be close to what he was before at least 4 to 5 years.

It not just one limb we're talking here but th whole body coordination. And even if so, if he can't use the glove, then I assume he can't handle the stick with that hand effectively neither.

Don't get me wrong I hope he makes it... but personnaly I think his best option is trying to get back in game shape as a Right handed goalie and maybe with time get enough strenght back in the harm to use the glove on again

 

[dBoon]

I'm remineded of former Angels pitcher Jim Abbott, who had a stump for his right arm, and figured out how to deliver a pitch, then put his glove on his pitching hand in the blink of an eye. If there's a will, there's a way.

 

[bleedgreen]

I'm remineded of former Angels pitcher Jim Abbott, who had a stump for his right arm, and figured out how to deliver a pitch, then put his glove on his pitching hand in the blink of an eye. If there's a will, there's a way.

i like what your saying, but seeing a guy play goalie in the nhl - a starting goalie we all have hoped - with another blocker on his hand....i just dont see it. im hoping for him though. question - if he cant lift his glove hand fast enough to get to the corner, how can having a blocker there speed up the process? or is it that he cant close the glove properly, and is better off deflecting instead of catching?

 

[Jacob]

Switching gloves doesn't sound like a bad idea.

If you've ever played baseball, you learn to catch with your non-dominant hand, even though for me it's alot easier to catch with my left hand. Blackburn could easily make the switch.

And as for puckhandling, he could just turn the stick over a la Cujo.

 

[bruins4777*]

Switching gloves doesn't sound like a bad idea.

If you've ever played baseball, you learn to catch with your non-dominant hand, even though for me it's alot easier to catch with my left hand. Blackburn could easily make the switch.

And as for puckhandling, he could just turn the stick over a la Cujo.

Cujo has horribly inconsistent puckhandling, he can fire it down the ice with a backhander, but he can play it right to another player and give them a breakaway....but meh. Cujo's great.

Anyways, like i said about the switching gloves. Its hard no doubt, but after a while you get that "feel". It took me over a year. I'd say about a year and a half or so? I don't know if blackburn has that much time...

 

[Le Golie]

He's a story that should put this in perspective for you guys.

I starting playing goal at age 11. For the first two years I was forced to use a left handed catching glove because that's what the team provided and my parents weren't sure if I was going to stay in net so they didn't want to buy me my own set yet. I never felt comfortable at all, it effected every aspect of my game. My stance (because of the stick positioning), my muscle memory, my reaction time - everything was screwed up and uncomfortable.

Finally I convinced my parent's that I'd stop sucking (I was terrible, even for house league) if I just got the damn equipment I needed so they got me a right handed set. Two years later I was playing AAA and went on to tier II junior.

Then last season the other goalie on my team couldn't make it to a practice so one of the players who played goal growing up decided to put on his equipment. However, by some freak coincidence he was also right handed so he wanted to use my glove and blocker. I obliged and let him use mine while I used the other goalie's mitts. I was awful. Everything felt totally screwed up so I took my own gloves back.

In time, Blackburn might be able to adapt. He might even get pretty comfortable and enjoy some success - but it will take a lot of work and in the end he will never be as good as he was with his dominant hand.

Also of note - I am a pretty decent natural athlete and I catch with my left hand just as good as with my right. In baseball I catch with my left, in hockey with my right. So it's not like the simple act of catching the puck will make him better. There is so much more to it than that. Every part of your game is affected.

I'm praying for the guy. I'm a big fan, but from my experience it's going to be impossible to switch hands and be what he used to be.

 

[NYR469]

switching glove hands isn't going to solve anything if he doesn't get the strength back in his arm...all switching hands would do is going from not being able to use his glove to not being able to use his stick. you aren't solving the problem just changing it.

a goalie stick is heavier than a glove, so if he can't lift the glove he can't lift the stick.

 

[bruins4777*]

He's a story that should put this in perspective for you guys.

I starting playing goal at age 11. For the first two years I was forced to use a left handed catching glove because that's what the team provided and my parents weren't sure if I was going to stay in net so they didn't want to buy me my own set yet. I never felt comfortable at all, it effected every aspect of my game. My stance (because of the stick positioning), my muscle memory, my reaction time - everything was screwed up and uncomfortable.

Finally I convinced my parent's that I'd stop sucking (I was terrible, even for house league) if I just got the damn equipment I needed so they got me a right handed set. Two years later I was playing AAA and went on to tier II junior.

Then last season the other goalie on my team couldn't make it to a practice so one of the players who played goal growing up decided to put on his equipment. However, by some freak coincidence he was also right handed so he wanted to use my glove and blocker. I obliged and let him use mine while I used the other goalie's mitts. I was awful. Everything felt totally screwed up so I took my own gloves back.

In time, Blackburn might be able to adapt. He might even get pretty comfortable and enjoy some success - but it will take a lot of work and in the end he will never be as good as he was with his dominant hand.

Also of note - I am a pretty decent natural athlete and I catch with my left hand just as good as with my right. In baseball I catch with my left, in hockey with my right. So it's not like the simple act of catching the puck will make him better. There is so much more to it than that. Every part of your game is affected.

I'm praying for the guy. I'm a big fan, but from my experience it's going to be impossible to switch hands and be what he used to be.

Very interesting, i'm quite the opposite. I went from being a horrible right hander as my nature, to a fairly good left hander...