WC: 2011: SUI F Kevin Lötscher in intensive care after car accident | 2014: Retires

[Belenos]

The special clinic for patients with head injuries at the Hospital said that despite the progress of Kevin Lötscher no further predictions can be made ​​on the further course of recovery, but several months of rehabilitation must be expected.
Lötscher still needs a lot of rest. He is absolving several hours of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and neuropsychology per day.

If he can live as he lived before the accident, i'm already happy.
Swiss Alpine Skier Daniel Albrecht was also in hospital for several months, but even years after his accident he can't reach the same level as before. (Had his first race last season.) For this reason i just hope Lötscher gets well in the months to come and maybe as a little "extra" some minutes in the Swiss League in 2-3 years.

 

[jonas2244]

Kevin is progressing slowly. He can speak, but not walk yet. Several months have been erased from his memory.

There will pass much more time until he can think about playing hockey again. All the best Kevin.

 

[Klaus]

Wow, that's terrible. Get well Kevin.

 

[jonas2244]

It's looking better. Kevin will leave the hospital in about a month and has already started working on his fitness and strength again so he can play ice-hockey again sometime.

 

[Belenos]

Kevin left the hospital today, but his way back will be long, very long...still good news!!!

 

[duga]

Loetscher just gave his comeback in a preparation-game with the SCB, (he even had a helper for the second goal).... he got a special-licence for the swiss jr. league for the first few months of season, that he can get used to contact again and see how it affects his body.... it's a first step, what a fighter!

http://www.hockeyfans.ch/news/meldung/31640 (in german)

 

[torero]

Loetscher just gave his comeback in a preparation-game with the SCB, (he even had a helper for the second goal).... he got a special-licence for the swiss jr. league for the first few months of season, that he can get used to contact again and see how it affects his body.... it's a first step, what a fighter!

http://www.hockeyfans.ch/news/meldung/31640 (in german)

That is really great.

what a fighter !

he'll come back ... no doubt !
Der Kevin wirds mache.

 

[Dream Big]

Loetscher just gave his comeback in a preparation-game with the SCB, (he even had a helper for the second goal).... he got a special-licence for the swiss jr. league for the first few months of season, that he can get used to contact again and see how it affects his body.... it's a first step, what a fighter!

http://www.hockeyfans.ch/news/meldung/31640 (in german)

Wonderful news that Loetscher is so improved. Often these things do not have such a good outcome. His family must be so thankful that he is even alive. All the best to Loetscher in overcoming the future challenges of a head injury.

 

[DethOfDragnz]

This is terrible news I hope he makes a full recovery.

 

[The Noot]

Lötscher will play in some testing games for the NLB (Swiss 2nd tier league) club Sierre for at least 3 weeks (Already had an assist in his first game). They'll see how to proceed after this short stay.

Link to hockeyfans.ch over Google Translate

Here the original link (German)

Simply amazing how well he recovers.

 

[vsk92]

Great news and hopefully he impresses so he can restart his career

 

[The Noot]

It seems like Kevin Lötscher returns to the NLA after playing in the NLB this season.
Kevin Schläpfer, the coach of EHC Biel (where Lötscher had his breakthrough), said, that the club owes Kevin Lötscher the chance to play in the NLA again.

I seriously doubt that he's able to compete at this level, as he only had 3 goals and 11 assists in 47 games in the NLB. But it's a great move by Kevin Schläpfer, nonetheless.

 

[Pajicz]

It seems like Kevin Lötscher returns to the NLA after playing in the NLB this season.
Kevin Schläpfer, the coach of EHC Biel (where Lötscher had his breakthrough), said, that the club owes Kevin Lötscher the chance to play in the NLA again.

I seriously doubt that he's able to compete at this level, as he only had 3 goals and 11 assists in 47 games in the NLB. But it's a great move by Kevin Schläpfer, nonetheless.

Any idea if there has there been any permanent effects for him from the accident?

 

[jonas2244]

After spending the whole summer with the EHC Biel I just read that Kevin Loetscher will play tonight his first game in the NLA. Gool luck, Kevin, it would be great if we could see you for some more years at this level.
That's a huge achievement after such an injury.

 

[chokei]

I don't follow Biel very closely but I wonder how much of this is Lötscher deserving a chance and how much is the club wanting to give him a chance?

Good for Lötscher, I hope he can improve even more, but I don't count on him ever being a gamebreaking forward again. That's why I find it strange that he doesn't seem to have bad feelings against the woman who injured him.

On a brighter side, prospect Luca Fazzini from Lugano is playing very well again after he suffered a cervical injury in December 2012 after a check by Lukas Haas.

 

[Belenos]

Lötscher retired today. So sad for him...

 

[jonas2244]

But the right decision. I hope he can move on.

 

[Tritsche]

http://sochi2014.iihf.com/men/news/lotscher-retires/

http://sochi2014.iihf.com/men/news/lotscher-retires/

Swiss forward Kevin Lotscher scored two goals in his last game before the traffic accident, against Team USA at the 2011 IIHF World Championship. Photo: Jukka Rautio / HHOF-IIHF Images Former Swiss national team forward Kevin Lotscher ends his career as a 25-year-old following a horrible traffic accident in 2011.
Lotscher was a player on the rise and had a strong showing in the 2011 IIHF World Championship in Slovakia but was involved in a traffic accident a few days after returning home when he was struck at the roadside by a car, driven by an intoxicated driver.

...

 

[29dryden29]

Hope they throw the girl in prison I hate drunk drivers. Hope he recovers enough to have a normal life even if he can't play hockey.