Injury Report: Mikko "Kaptain" Koivu (Jan 6: Ankle Surgery, Out At Least One Month)

[mezcal]

http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=699187

Minnesota practices in Los Angeles this afternoon and will have a further update on Koivu's status after the skate. He suffered a lower-body injury in the Wild’s 5-3 win over Washington on Saturday. The captain has 35 points (8-27=35) in 44 games this season. He leads Minnesota in points and assists and ranks third in time on ice per game amongst NHL forwards at 21:32.

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[difcog]

This team....

 

[ThatGuy22]

Well ****

 

[Wild33]

So Granlund/Haula/Coyle as the top 3 centers against the Kings who are the top possession team in the league. Backstrom might see 50 shots tomorrow....

EDIT: Hopefully Parise can start skating soon as it has been about 2 weeks since he was placed on IR. We really need one of Koivu/Parise to get back very soon. Also wonder if this will change the mind of any players to wear the shot blockers although they might feel a bit uncomfortable. Parise, Koivu, Spurgeon are all out because of blocked shots. I know Spurgeon wore them for a bit last year after he had the same injury.

 

[BigT2002]

This is what happens when you have your top scoring players out there to do defensive situations game in game out. Only a matter of time they'll get hurt.

 

[Minnewildsota]

So Granlund/Haula/Coyle as the top 3 centers against the Kings who are the top possession team in the league. Backstrom might see 50 shots tomorrow....

EDIT: Hopefully Parise can start skating soon as it has been about 2 weeks since he was placed on IR. We really need one of Koivu/Parise to get back very soon. Also wonder if this will change the mind of any players to wear the shot blockers although they might feel a bit uncomfortable. Parise, Koivu, Spurgeon are all out because of blocked shots. I know Spurgeon wore them for a bit last year after he had the same injury.

This is what I was wondering. Apparently they don't add much weight, just a feeling thing to get use to. I think Calgary made them mandatory?

 

[Wild33]

This is what happens when you have your top scoring players out there to do defensive situations game in game out. Only a matter of time they'll get hurt.

 

[DeuceMN]

And Yeo is quoted by Russo for praising young Granlund for throwing his body in the way of shots as well.

Can we please start playing just a little differently now!!

I think all the players should t-up at Yeo and he should stand in front of each one and take it, smiling, without foot protection, and ask for another ****ing shot.

Maybe his MMA practice has just prepared him better than his ***** players.

We all know what happens when our ****** Kaptain goes down, let's see if this will be any different.

He's so bad I'm sure we'll barely notice

This better not be a free pass for the season now.

 

[Wild33]

And Yeo is quoted by Russo for praising young Granlund for throwing his body in the way of shots as well.

Can we please start playing just a little differently now!!

I think all the players should t-up at Yeo and he should stand in front of each one and take it, smiling, without foot protection, and ask for another ****ing shot.

Maybe his MMA practice has just prepared him better than his ***** players.

We all know what happens when our ****** Kaptain goes down, let's see if this will be any different.

He's so bad I'm sure we'll barely notice

This better not be a free pass for the season now.

Yes, a random dump in is now the coaches fault for how the team plays. You MUST block shots if you want to succeed.

 

[DeuceMN]

Yes, a random dump in is now the coaches fault for how the team plays. You MUST block shots if you want to succeed.

It wasn't a dump in. Backstrom decided to shoot and was probably looking for a deflection.

And three players out with the exact same injury is not random dumb luck.

There truly is a strong correlation between the way our guys are encouraged to play and the injuries (and amount of injuries) they sustain.

That is on the coach.

 

[J22*]

This is what happens when you have your top scoring players out there to do defensive situations game in game out. Only a matter of time they'll get hurt.

Says the guy who is upset that Koivu isnt being used as a 3rd liner in a shutdown role?

 

[DeuceMN]

**** happens, I get it.

This team just more often than not is constantly facing some type of adversity.

I watch and see other teams face it and overcome it, yet we continue to just tread water. Every year it's something as well. It's tiring and there has to be a reason for it, and the only conclusion I can reasonably come to is that it's the way our team is encouraged to play.

Then when adversity does strike, it's the same result every time - they always fall. Some other teams can make do and succeed, but not this team. Again, this is why I look to the coach, the originator of all the plans and tactics; the players are ultimately nothing more than pawns on the board. It is ultimately up to the coach how players play and don't play, and what happens to them because of they way they play.

 

[Lapa]

Time to panic.

 

[Wild33]

**** happens, I get it.

This team just more often than not is constantly facing some type of adversity.

I watch and see other teams face it and overcome it, yet we continue to just tread water. Every year it's something as well. It's tiring and there has to be a reason for it, and the only conclusion I can reasonably come to is that it's the way our team is encouraged to play.

Then when adversity does strike, it's the same result every time - they always fall. Some other teams can make do and succeed, but not this team. Again, this is why I look to the coach, the originator of all the plans and tactics; the players are ultimately nothing more than pawns on the board. It is ultimately up to the coach how players play and don't play, and what happens to them because of they way they play.

Couldn't agree more that when adversity strikes this team has failed miserably. This will be their first real test of adversity this year on this 2 game trip. I don't count having one or two guys out as adversity because every team is dealing with that every night but now having Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon and Harding on the shelf this will be a test. Let's just hope they find a way to pick up 2 points on the trip.

Days like today really make you think back to this summer and how much it sucks losing some of our depth because we couldn't buyout Heatley.

 

[BigT2002]

Says the guy who is upset that Koivu isnt being used as a 3rd liner in a shutdown role?

Only been an advocate of it when Parise is playing.

 

[llamapalooza]

Out of curiosity, is there any sort of equipment (that's legal in the rulebook) that would add a harder shell to the outer sides of the skate boot? And if so, why the **** hasn't management mandated it if we're going to play this style?

Edit: Yes, there are. They are these and the Wild should order 23 ****ing pairs of them right this second.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Out of curiosity, is there any sort of equipment (that's legal in the rulebook) that would add a harder shell to the outer sides of the skate boot? And if so, why the **** hasn't management mandated it if we're going to play this style?

Edit: Yes, there are. They are these and the Wild should order 23 ****ing pairs of them right this second.

Any mandated equipment has to go through the NHLPA. Which means it won't happen until Crosby breaks his foot blocking a shot.

 

[llamapalooza]

Any mandated equipment has to go through the NHLPA. Which means it won't happen until Crosby breaks his foot blocking a shot.

OK, fine, then just order a pair for each player, leave one in each locker stall, and give them a very stern recommendation. If they can get away with it, then mention that players who choose not to wear them will likely see reduced ice time because they can't be confident in their ability to block shots safely.

Point is, there's a relatively painless solution that very likely could have kept our star forwards and our #3 Dman in the lineup. If management is going to make people play this style, they should take steps to protect the players.

 

[00xtremeninja]

you can't decrease playing time to a guy who chooses not to wear option equipment. that'd be like cutting a guys ice time if he chooses to not wear a visor. or a goalie not wearing the neck guard.

 

[J22*]

OK, fine, then just order a pair for each player, leave one in each locker stall, and give them a very stern recommendation. If they can get away with it, then mention that players who choose not to wear them will likely see reduced ice time because they can't be confident in their ability to block shots safely.

Point is, there's a relatively painless solution that very likely could have kept our star forwards and our #3 Dman in the lineup. If management is going to make people play this style, they should take steps to protect the players.

Do you really believe that the players aren't/haven't been made aware of Skate fenders?

I agree that there's zero reason not to wear them, but you cant really blame the organization for it.

 

[DeuceMN]

Couldn't agree more that when adversity strikes this team has failed miserably. This will be their first real test of adversity this year on this 2 game trip. I don't count having one or two guys out as adversity because every team is dealing with that every night but now having Koivu, Parise, Spurgeon and Harding on the shelf this will be a test. Let's just hope they find a way to pick up 2 points on the trip.

Days like today really make you think back to this summer and how much it sucks losing some of our depth because we couldn't buyout Heatley.

I couldn't agree more... THAT was truly dumb luck. I've never even seen Heatley get chippy before with anyone really, then the one time he does, he ****ing hurts himself so bad that he avoids getting bought out... WTF. MN sport gods are cruel mother's....

 

[TheFeistyFinn]

i missed it but what happened to koivu? did he block shot and got hurt?
edit: mkay after reading comments, apperently that's what happened ;p

 

[DeuceMN]

i missed it but what happened to koivu? did he block shot and got hurt?

Yup.

 

[Jarick]

Not really blocking a shot, the guy dumped the puck into the zone and Koivu was in the way.

Well, here's where we see how much Koivu means to the team. In the past, he was out during the collapse, and the collapse has already begun. I think with Granlund and Haula, if Haula can play up to snuff, we won't notice it quite as much.

I would much rather see this team go after a veteran center right now than put Granlund-Haula-Coyle as the centers. I just don't think Coyle is right for the job. He hasn't shown enough and I'd rather see him develop more.

I'd like to see:

Nino - Granlund - Pominville
Zucker - Haula - Fontaine
Cooke - Brodziak - Bulmer
Veilleux - Dowell - Mitchell

With so many people out, not much you can do now. Run two young scoring lines and two veteran checking lines.

 

[Wild33]

Not really blocking a shot, the guy dumped the puck into the zone and Koivu was in the way.

Well, here's where we see how much Koivu means to the team. In the past, he was out during the collapse, and the collapse has already begun. I think with Granlund and Haula, if Haula can play up to snuff, we won't notice it quite as much.

I would much rather see this team go after a veteran center right now than put Granlund-Haula-Coyle as the centers. I just don't think Coyle is right for the job. He hasn't shown enough and I'd rather see him develop more.

I'd like to see:

Nino - Granlund - Pominville
Zucker - Haula - Fontaine
Cooke - Brodziak - Bulmer
Veilleux - Dowell - Mitchell

With so many people out, not much you can do now. Run two young scoring lines and two veteran checking lines.

Heatley has been playing the best hockey he has all year. He'll be in the line up as will Coyle. Coyle > Dowell, Veilleux, Bulmer and Fontaine.