Injury Report: 2013-2014 Injury Update Thread II

[The Merchant]

This. He is helping out with the Star-Tribune's coverage for the series. He is a great follow for Avs news (the Post should hire him to replace Dater... he is already doing a better job ).

No kidding. He has some excellent quotes on his feed, but I was personally most fond of this one: "Roy: 'Am I nervous? I say no. I’m more anxious to see the puck drop. When you’re well prepared you’re not nervous, you’re anxious.'"

 

[henchman21]

What was the suspected nature of Hejda's injury, I don't recall. Was it a wrist?

A bit concerned with that given his role on the top pairing. He'll need strength in that wrist to battle opposing forwards, and help EJ in moving the puck up ice. Kind of a tough little injury for defenseman to deal with.

Defensemen deal with hand injuries all the time. I wouldn't worry about it... plus it isn't like he handles the puck much anyway.

 

[Foppa2118]

Puck to the hand, wasn't it?

That sounds about right. I thought it was something around that area. Wonder if he's playing with a broken bone. Something players can play through, but can hamper their game, especially defenseman.

Hopefully it's just a bad bruise and he plays ok. The Avs need him big time.

 

[Foppa2118]

Defensemen deal with hand injuries all the time. I wouldn't worry about it... plus it isn't like he handles the puck much anyway.

They deal with it, but you're downplaying both how much it can affect them given the lack of strength, and in terms of how much he handles the puck. He helps EJ in this regard a lot.

 

[henchman21]

They deal with it, but you're downplaying both how much it can affect them given the lack of strength, and in terms of how much he handles the puck. He helps EJ in this regard a lot.

I'm really not... He will be perfectly fine.

 

[freeboy]

Have seen him pop up on Twitter the last few days. Who is he? He hardly has any followers but has been tweeting good avs stuff the last few days.

Avs secret agent

 

[Foppa2118]

I'm really not... He will be perfectly fine.

I can play that silly unnecessary game too, and say yes you really are. It's been proven time and time again over the years how hand and especially wrist injuries affect defenseman. You just like to fight me on every little detail for some reason.

But I do think he will be fine given he's playing the first game.

 

[Tralfamadore]

So Hejda is good. Barrie is good. Duchene is skating lightly. Is Mcleod set to play in game 1? He's going to be a good player to have from the get go.

 

[TheStranger]

This. He is helping out with the Star-Tribune's coverage for the series. He is a great follow for Avs news (the Post should hire him to replace Dater... he is already doing a better job ).

Thats what we need is another false Avs fan

 

[Foppa2118]

So Hejda is good. Barrie is good. Duchene is skating lightly. Is Mcleod set to play in game 1? He's going to be a good player to have from the get go.

Certanly seems like it. McLeod wanted to play right after the injury, and Roy always seemed confident he'd be back.

High ankle sprains can take forever to heal though. Just like with wrist injuries, sometimes they're not too bad, sometimes they are.

Cody still seemed to be walking like he was trying not to show a limp during fan appreciation night. I remember being a bit worried at that, but if there's anyone that can fight through it it's him. Has about as high a pain threshold as anyone.

 

[The Kingslayer]

He can practice with a broken hand. But can he play?

Confirmed he has a broken hand?

 

[henchman21]

Confirmed he has a broken hand?

Nothing has... or probably will be confirmed (at least until after the season). The playoffs are almost always upper/lower body injury with no further details.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I think it's a leap to say Hejda has a broken hand. He could but we just don't know. So since we have no idea it's the best assumption we have to say he'll be fine. At this point there is something wrong with everyone one way or another.

Barrie said his injury was more whiplash than a concussion.

The part about Duchene skating from yesterday is false btw. I wish it was true but let's nip that one.

From what I can tell that Mike Kelly lives in Denver and is more of an AP reporter. So he's not exactly doing Wild coverage, he's just working for them for now because they contracted him.

 

[the_fan]

I don't think Hejda could play game 1 with broken hand. Only 3 or 4 days gone by since the injury.

Even if it's his upper hand, still not enough time gone by where he could grip the stick in any way if it was broken

 

[Foppa2118]

I don't think Hejda could play game 1 with broken hand. Only 3 or 4 days gone by since the injury.

Even if it's his upper hand, still not enough time gone by where he could grip the stick in any way if it was broken

That's my hunch as well. Probably not broken, and hopefully will be ok. If he had missed a game or two, I'd be a bit more worried.

 

[Avs71]

Hejda barely even passes. I said it another thread, he always gives it back to EJ, or hammers a shot/pass up the boards. He barely ever makes a direct pass to a forward. As long as he can still drop it back to EJ, then he will be fine with the puck.

No idea how it will hold up in terms of playing physically though. Hopefully it is not the wrist at all, and he can still push his hand into forwards.

 

[Foppa2118]

Hejda barely even passes. I said it another thread, he always gives it back to EJ, or hammers a shot/pass up the boards. He barely ever makes a direct pass to a forward. As long as he can still drop it back to EJ, then he will be fine with the puck.

No idea how it will hold up in terms of playing physically though. Hopefully it is not the wrist at all, and he can still push his hand into forwards.

Hejda passes and handles the puck as much as anyone not named EJ or Barrie. Maybe a little less than Holden, but easily as much as Benoit who usually just dumps it in, or makes short passes to the forwards in the D zone. He's not a stay at home D man for EJ, he supports him a fair amount on the rush.

 

[Avs71]

Hejda passes and handles the puck as much as anyone not named EJ or Barrie. Maybe a little less than Holden, but easily as much as Benoit who usually just dumps it in, or makes short passes to the forwards in the D zone. He's not a stay at home D man for EJ, he supports him a fair amount on the rush.

He does have the puck quite a bit, but he never really passes it on the breakout, and he also doesn't hold onto it very long. It's not like puck skills are a big part of his game.

My guess would be that if his hand was really bad, I don't think he would have practiced today. He most likely would have been a game time decision for tomorrow.

 

[Foppa2118]

He does have the puck quite a bit, but he never really passes it on the breakout, and he also doesn't hold onto it very long. It's not like puck skills are a big part of his game.

My guess would be that if his hand was really bad, I don't think he would have practiced today. He most likely would have been a game time decision for tomorrow.

He's not an offensive defenseman or a stretch passer, and he does defer to EJ a lot of the time, but he also supports him and carries the puck up ice himself to make plays. He doesn't just dump the puck in, he's making smart plays with the puck that require some decent puck skills.

This is what separates him from the more defensive guys that don't handle the puck that much. IMO it's undervaluing what he brings to the top pairing by saying that about him, and why he and EJ are successful with each other. EJ has always played his best with a solid two way guy that can help him in transition, and that's the case with Hejda as well.

 

[Foppa2118]

So Hejda is good. Barrie is good. Duchene is skating lightly. Is Mcleod set to play in game 1? He's going to be a good player to have from the get go.

Didn't see this mentioned, but just more good news that Cody should be ready to go. This is from yesterday's practice.

Michael Kelly ‏@berge19 Apr 15
Avalanche LW Cody McLeod on the ice and looking fine. Showing no ill-effects of high ankle sprain suffered last week.

Michael Kelly ‏@berge19 Apr 15
McLeod-Cliché-Talbot skating on third line in practice. Bordeleau-Malone-Carey on fourth line. Full roster and Malone, Carey spectators.

 

[R S]

Didn't see this mentioned, but just more good news that Cody should be ready to go. This is from yesterday's practice.

Michael Kelly ‏@berge19 Apr 15
Avalanche LW Cody McLeod on the ice and looking fine. Showing no ill-effects of high ankle sprain suffered last week.

Michael Kelly ‏@berge19 Apr 15
McLeod-Cliché-Talbot skating on third line in practice. Bordeleau-Malone-Carey on fourth line. Full roster and Malone, Carey spectators.

I would feel much more comfortable with Mitchell on that 3rd line, but I guess that will have to do for the time being.

Avs need a nice performance from that trio in this series.

 

[Avsboy]

Michael Kelly ‏@berge19 Apr 15
McLeod-Cliché-Talbot skating on third line in practice. Bordeleau-Malone-Carey on fourth line. Full roster and Malone, Carey spectators.

Interesting how he put an accent on the e for cliche. Nice touch.

 

[Foppa2118]

I would feel much more comfortable with Mitchell on that 3rd line, but I guess that will have to do for the time being.

Avs need a nice performance from that trio in this series.

Absolutely. As much as I'd rather they parted ways with Mitchell in favor of someone else in the off season, there's a huge difference between him and Cliche on the 3rd line.

This sounds a little crazy but almost as big a loss, if not more so than Duchene because the Avs have guys that can hopefully find the back of the net, but not a lot of guys that can fill the role Mitchell was playing in the middle. The stability of the bottom six gets shaken up a lot more losing him, than the top six gets shaken up losing Dutchy.

I'm hoping for good things from Talbot though. Need some big greasy goals from him.

 

[Bubba Thudd]

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