Esche may actually play

[Dave Carlson]

Check the bottom.


Esche Has Successful Surgery

Flyers goaltender expected to make a complete recovery

Flyers goaltender Robert Esche had successful surgery on a torn labrum on Monday afternoon in Pittsburgh, PA. Below is a transcript of what Flyers team physician Dr. Peter DeLuca, as well as what Esche himself had to say about it.


DeLuca: "Robert Esche had his surgery done today at St. Margaret’s hospital in Pittsburgh by Dr. Mark Phillipone. It went extremely well. Dr. Phillipone found when he scoped his hip that he had a torn labrum, which is a rim of cartilage that surrounds the entire socket, and he was able to repair that and he feels that he’s going to be 100 percent when this season comes around."

How long did the surgery take?
DeLuca: "It took two and a half hours."

When can Robert start therapy?
DeLuca: "He is going to start in a few days. Right now he’s going to be on crutches with partial weight bearing for about a week or two. He’ll be able to go into a pool and start to run in a pool in about three or four days."

Who will be overseeing that?
DeLuca: "Jim McCrossin, the Athletic Trainer/Strength and Conditioning coach for the Flyers."

Have you talked to Robert?
DeLuca: "I have not personally, but Jim McCrossin accompanied him out to Pittsburgh and did speak with him about an hour ago. It’s currently about 7:30. He said he that has no pain and is very comfortable."


What was performed, and how is your left hip right now?
Esche: "Actually, I’m in no discomfort. We're driving back from Pittsburgh right now, and on the way going down before surgery I was really sore, and have been sore all season long it was achy and painful all year long. Since the surgery, I’m not even on any painkillers right now. The surgery was about four, five or six hours ago I guess and my hip feels great. There’s no pain, no discomfort, there's no nothing. Right now it feels great. They repaired a torn labrum, they stitched it together, they stitched a torn tendon together, and they also shaved down some of my bone so it wasn’t knocking off the cartilage and they cleaned it all out. It really feels great. The only soreness that I have is where the incisions were made on the outside of my leg."

When can you start therapy?
Esche: "Actually today right after surgery I rode the bike for 20 minutes there with the doctor, so I'm basically in the therapy stages right now. He told me that he didn’t see the World Cup as even being close to a problem. He thought that I’d reach that deadline with no problem and he also thought that I could be on the ice as early as the middle of July if I continue progressing."

Click to read more...

 

[ALF AmericanLionsFan]

I would like to see him there if he is healthy! Good news though

 

[Rabid Ranger]

This is great news if accurate.

 

[McThome]

much needed news for US - as Conks isn't up there with the Brodeurs and Khabibulins etc

 

[wilka91*]

It would be great to see him play!

 

[Rabid Ranger]

much needed news for US - as Conks isn't up there with the Brodeurs and Khabibulins etc

Well, he was clearly up there with Vokoun, himself a very good goaltender at the WC's, so I'm confident he could play well in a relatively short tournament.

 

[Gags1288]

Esche back in the World Cup

According to Doctors, the tair was not as severe at they had originally thought. He should be back on the ice in mid july and ready to go. So I guess that the U.S.A has their starting goaltender back. Here's the link

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=knight-surgeryoneschesuccessful&prov=knight&type=lgns

 

[arrbez]

personally, i would start conklin instead of seche if i were them. esche looked really good at some points in the playoffs, and really bad at other times with his rebounds and long shots (of course, i guess it could have had something to do with the injury, but they looked more like mental errors). I didn't get to see team USA play once at the world championships this year, but i hear conklin was pretty impressive

 

[Toonces]

personally, i would start conklin instead of seche if i were them. esche looked really good at some points in the playoffs, and really bad at other times with his rebounds and long shots. I didn't get to see team USA play once at the world championships this year, but i hear conklin was pretty impressive

Esche has one mediocre game and everybody was calling for his head.

Next to Primeau, Robert Esche WAS the MVP for the Flyers this past playoff run.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

personally, i would start conklin instead of seche if i were them. esche looked really good at some points in the playoffs, and really bad at other times with his rebounds and long shots (of course, i guess it could have had something to do with the injury, but they looked more like mental errors). I didn't get to see team USA play once at the world championships this year, but i hear conklin was pretty impressive

You could say the same about Khabibulin. That series could have easily gone either way. Esche was awesome in game 7, it wasn't his fault that his teammates didn't show up.

 

[arrbez]

from what i saw, he was having problems with rebounds from much of the playoffs. it doesnt matter how many of them were scored on. he just looks awkward in net sometimes, and because of this i would play conklin over him

same reason i wouldn't play cechmanek for the czechs. sure, he has the ability to shut teams out. but he also has the ability to implode during an important game. obviously esche is a milder case, but with goaltending i would always take a consistant solid goalie over a guy who could win or lose a game by himself

 

[Rabid Ranger]

from what i saw, he was having problems with rebounds from much of the playoffs. it doesnt matter how many of them were scored on. he just looks awkward in net sometimes, and because of this i would play conklin over him

same reason i wouldn't play cechmanek for the czechs. sure, he has the ability to shut teams out. but he also has the ability to implode during an important game. obviously esche is a milder case, but with goaltending i would always take a consistant solid goalie over a guy who could win or lose a game by himself

I don't think Esche was ever close to imploding. He let in some weak goals, but all goalies do that from time to time. There hasn't been a goalie this postseason that hasn't had a poor game, or games.

 

[Toonces]

from what i saw, he was having problems with rebounds from much of the playoffs. it doesnt matter how many of them were scored on. he just looks awkward in net sometimes, and because of this i would play conklin over him

same reason i wouldn't play cechmanek for the czechs. sure, he has the ability to shut teams out. but he also has the ability to implode during an important game. obviously esche is a milder case, but with goaltending i would always take a consistant solid goalie over a guy who could win or lose a game by himself

The mediocre game Esche had was a win. Khabibuiln also had a sub-par game that night.

You are correct about the rebounds he gives up, that's his primary weakness. Robert Esche DOES however have the ability to make that second save.

You can make the case for DiPetro starting over Esche, but Conklin is not the guy I would lean on if I was running team USA.

 

[RoyIsALegend*]

Well, he was clearly up there with Vokoun, himself a very good goaltender at the WC's, so I'm confident he could play well in a relatively short tournament.

The level of talent, intensity, and demand on performance is not nearly as high in the World Championships as it is in the World Cup, where every country will have it's best players(well, except Russia, but that's another story altogether).

Robert Esche has experienced six weeks of the NHL playoffs and is easily the most ready of the US goaltenders to face that pressure.

Downplay the significance of a two-week tournament all you want, but Ty Conklin is not the guy you want in net.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The level of talent, intensity, and demand on performance is not nearly as high in the World Championships as it is in the World Cup, where every country will have it's best players(well, except Russia, but that's another story altogether).

Robert Esche has experienced six weeks of the NHL playoffs and is easily the most ready of the US goaltenders to face that pressure.

Downplay the significance of a two-week tournament all you want, but Ty Conklin is not the guy you want in net.

Fair enough. I think you're underestimating the value European countries place on the World Championships, but point taken. No, I don't want Conklin as the number one, but I wouldn't be horrified if he was put in that situation.

 

[SChan*]

Johan Hedberg had a successful playoffs and then did medicore again

 

[paxtang]

Esche wasn't just good in the playoffs, though, he had a great regular season. Save for mabye 2 weeks, he was a huge part of the Flyers success all year long.

 

[McThome]

Fair enough. I think you're underestimating the value European countries place on the World Championships, but point taken. No, I don't want Conklin as the number one, but I wouldn't be horrified if he was put in that situation.

The value of the World Championships is like our Stanley Cup - most people know and accept that. Anyways - all the guy before was saying that the level that we saw in Prague won't be at the level we see at the World Cup. I do, however, agree that Conks is a capable goaile and WOULD give the States a solid chance - I DO know, however, from watching him all year that he isnt' the kinda guy that'll steal a tournament in all likelyhood - he just doesn't have that next level the greats do - but what he does have is consistency that is up there with the greats.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The value of the World Championships is like our Stanley Cup - most people know and accept that. Anyways - all the guy before was saying that the level that we saw in Prague won't be at the level we see at the World Cup. I do, however, agree that Conks is a capable goaile and WOULD give the States a solid chance - I DO know, however, from watching him all year that he isnt' the kinda guy that'll steal a tournament in all likelyhood - he just doesn't have that next level the greats do - but what he does have is consistency that is up there with the greats.

Fair points. I don't think Conklin is an "elite" goaltender by any means. But I think he could get the job done. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that, although I have misgivings saying that because he was so good at the WC's.

 

[GlueleG]

from what i saw, he was having problems with rebounds from much of the playoffs. it doesnt matter how many of them were scored on. he just looks awkward in net sometimes, and because of this i would play conklin over him

Please dont forget that Esche was playing hurt. Its not like it was a finger, or shoulder... he was playing with torn cartilage in his hip. I think that people (including myself) questioned some of the goals that he let in... but had he been 100%, at least half of them probably would not have gone in. I have a hard time seeing Conklin being chosen ahead of Esche.