Injury Report: Kronwall's knee

[Frk It]

Crap...

It is deeply troubling to the Wings that Kronwall may have the sort of bad knee that can’t be improved via surgery. He underwent a procedure on his left knee in mid-January that sidelined him 15 games (Kronwall also missed time in March after spraining his right knee). Doing any more surgery to the left knee was ruled out after the season ended, with Kronwall saying he’d have to find other ways to improve, such as maybe altering his workouts. The fact is, Kronwall has a lot of hard wear-and-tear on him and is long removed from the dominating, productive, big hitter he was in the late 2000s and into this decade. If he can come close to the form he had as late as 2014-15, however, it would be a huge improvement over last season.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/n...0/detroit-red-wings-niklas-kronwall/87778444/

Click to read more...

 

[HockeyinHD]

5.5 this year, 3.5 next year, 1.75 in his final year. Think he's going to play past this year? I'm beginning to doubt it. 100/60/1. Those are my percentages on whether he shows up for the seasons.

 

[Flowah]

Then what the hell is this?

http://kuklaskorner.com/tmr/comment...-summer?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

"Yes, it's starting to feel good right now," says Niklas to NHL.com/sv. A lot has happened in the last two weeks. I've made great progress. I can concretely say that I can do things that I couldn't before."

Ugh.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I do think he recently said it was doing a lot better. Problem is we are hoping it will hold up for 100 games, you know if we are to make a long run that is what it would need to do. Obviously we actually hope it holds up for longer given the time left on the contract.

My guess is they want to avoid the hardcore Switzerland (I think that is where he had it done but don't remember off the top of my head) based knee surgery Yzerman opted for. But it does sound like a cartilage issue from when he and they talk about it which is similar to the Captain. He just has a ton of wear and tear in it and the simple scope didn't clear the issue. I have a feeling that he is heading towards the Yzerman kind of surgery if his targeting of muscles around the knee all off-season doesn't have the impact he hopes. But it seems he was encouraged when he recently spoke on the subject.

Perhaps this is a team source downplaying his optimism. Though to be honest and I know a lot of people greeted that news with what do you expect him to say that isn't really Kronwall's style. Honestly not sure we have had a more accountable and honest player over the years, which really is saying something considering the class of some of the players over the year. I just hope it can hold up once the live bullets start firing. I would like him to pull out of the World Cup if this is the case, though I guess we will get to really see what is going on a month earlier and just how desperate we are to meet the prices on some defenders like Fowler on the eve of training camp if he stays committed to going.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Yeah i think a lot of his feeling better has to do with the fact that lounging around on a beach or hanging out with your kids doesn't require you to exert the same forces on your knees like playing 82 games in the NHL.

He will look good for the first 20-30 games, and then the bottom falls out.

 

[InjuredChoker]

at this point, i'd even take good 20-30 games. about the same as last season. i'm expecting worse than that. his minutes need to be limited.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Yeah i think a lot of his feeling better has to do with the fact that lounging around on a beach or hanging out with your kids doesn't require you to exert the same forces on your knees like playing 82 games in the NHL.

He will look good for the first 20-30 games, and then the bottom falls out.

What worries me is if he looks good at the World Cup they might count on it holding up longer than it is really going to. If he looks bad there we have an urgency to go acquire someone. I mean most of us hope the urgency is there regardless. But there might be the narrative of Kronwall has bounced back coming out of Toronto and really I think we need to limit his minutes going forward and count on him as depth. The longer we can get effective minutes out of him this season the better at some point I expect him to spend some time resting the knee for a couple weeks, problem there is we know he really cannot bounce back without the full off-season more than likely at this point. But even big minute reduction only helps so much in my opinion.

But I expect him to be good out of the blocks, at some point he will tweak it or wear down and then we have a problem. Degenerative health issues is the reason both Z and Datsyuk have looked so bad at the tail-end of years. I am not sure it is just the minutes, the grueling travel and everything else involved is not helpful when you have body parts that just don't stop hurting.

 

[InjuredChoker]

5.5 this year, 3.5 next year, 1.75 in his final year. Think he's going to play past this year? I'm beginning to doubt it. 100/60/1. Those are my percentages on whether he shows up for the seasons.

there's way more than 1% chance he plays on his final year.

even if he retires, wings are on the hook for 3M cap hit.

if he retires next year, 2.125 for next year and year after that.

 

[jkutswings]

Depends on the NHL rules for LTIR by then. Seems to be the go-to move for Holland these days.

 

[Ezekial]

We should've taken him out back years ago.


EDIT: Kronwall won't retire, he will be LTIR for 2 seasons with Mule and then Hank will take his place. No point for Kronner to retire he loses $$$$

 

[Run the Jewels]

Depends on the NHL rules for LTIR by then. Seems to be the go-to move for Holland these days.

Yep, sadly this is our go to move. Sign a guy to a long contract and put him on LTIR for the last couple years. Dead money on a dead puck hockey club. Hey hey Hockeytown!

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Has anyone tried the ltir trick with a non-concussion injury yet?

 

[InjuredChoker]

Has anyone tried the ltir trick with a non-concussion injury yet?

tampa with mattias ohlund. did it for 5 seasons.

though it wasn't really a trick. his knee(s) was done.

 

[Frk It]

tampa with mattias ohlund. did it for 5 seasons.

though it wasn't really a trick. his knee(s) was done.

Wasn't Horton on LTIR for his back mostly?

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Waney Horton on LTIR for his back mostly?

That's right. Good call.

 

[Winger98]

What worries me is if he looks good at the World Cup they might count on it holding up longer than it is really going to. If he looks bad there we have an urgency to go acquire someone. I mean most of us hope the urgency is there regardless. But there might be the narrative of Kronwall has bounced back coming out of Toronto and really I think we need to limit his minutes going forward and count on him as depth. The longer we can get effective minutes out of him this season the better at some point I expect him to spend some time resting the knee for a couple weeks, problem there is we know he really cannot bounce back without the full off-season more than likely at this point. But even big minute reduction only helps so much in my opinion.

But I expect him to be good out of the blocks, at some point he will tweak it or wear down and then we have a problem. Degenerative health issues is the reason both Z and Datsyuk have looked so bad at the tail-end of years. I am not sure it is just the minutes, the grueling travel and everything else involved is not helpful when you have body parts that just don't stop hurting.

An osteotomy? I keep thinking they basically drove a wedge into the knee to shift it over so it would ride on a different part of cartilage in the joint. Sounds awful as hell.

If it's to that point, I think the guy should just hang them up. I just can't imagine it being worth it to go through that for, maybe, one or two more good years of hockey. Plus whatever it might do to your leg long term.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

An osteotomy? I keep thinking they basically drove a wedge into the knee to shift it over so it would ride on a different part of cartilage in the joint. Sounds awful as hell.

If it's to that point, I think the guy should just hang them up. I just can't imagine it being worth it to go through that for, maybe, one or two more good years of hockey. Plus whatever it might do to your leg long term.

Well if you have ever met Stevie Y in person, the damage that has been done to his knee is apparent and he will live with that for the rest of his life.

I just get the feeling something similar is going on with Kronwall. They tried draining it and surgically scrapping away some of the scar tissue and other things. But it seems to be trending that same way in terms of something is just structurally wrong at this point from what we can gather. Reminds me of the process Yzerman went through in terms of what is being put out there. He will strengthen everything around it, but without a change surgically it is hard to think it won't default back at some point to a condition that is tough to play with.

 

[ProPAIN]

Has anyone tried the ltir trick with a non-concussion injury yet?

Toronto had Lupul, Robidas and Horton on LTIR.

 

[Heaton]

Very worrisome, hopefully Blashill will be able to utilize him properly this year.

 

[Frk It]

Actually another good reason to aggressively pursue a guy like Fowler.

If Kronwall breaks down... Our LD depth after Dekeyser is what...?

Would be a huge issue, IMO

 

[jolly roger]

What worries me is if he looks good at the World Cup they might count on it holding up longer than it is really going to. If he looks bad there we have an urgency to go acquire someone. I mean most of us hope the urgency is there regardless. But there might be the narrative of Kronwall has bounced back coming out of Toronto and really I think we need to limit his minutes going forward and count on him as depth. The longer we can get effective minutes out of him this season the better at some point I expect him to spend some time resting the knee for a couple weeks, problem there is we know he really cannot bounce back without the full off-season more than likely at this point. But even big minute reduction only helps so much in my opinion.

But I expect him to be good out of the blocks, at some point he will tweak it or wear down and then we have a problem. Degenerative health issues is the reason both Z and Datsyuk have looked so bad at the tail-end of years. I am not sure it is just the minutes, the grueling travel and everything else involved is not helpful when you have body parts that just don't stop hurting.

Why in the world would he waste games at the World Cup? Why would the Wings allow him to play? Surely the team controls that?

 

[InjuredChoker]

Toronto had Lupul, Robidas and Horton on LTIR.

i don't think they out robidas there on LTIR. he counted against the cap but was sitting at home.

 

[HockeyinHD]

there's way more than 1% chance he plays on his final year.

even if he retires, wings are on the hook for 3M cap hit.

if he retires next year, 2.125 for next year and year after that.

Well, his current cap number is 4.75.

He plays 3 years: 4.75, 4.75, 4.75
He plays 2 years: 4.75, 4.75, 3
He plays 1 year: 4.75, 2.125, 2.125.

Tell me again how, if he's done, playing only one more year is somehow the worst of those scenarios? Hell, it looks like the best of all three scenarios, cap wise.

If Kronwall retires after this year, with Smith also being a UFA, that would clear nearly a 5 mil cap slot for a dman replacement, or a 4+ spot with Russo (or whomever) up from GR on the cheap as a 6.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Well, his current cap number is 4.75.

He plays 3 years: 4.75, 4.75, 4.75
He plays 2 years: 4.75, 4.75, 3
He plays 1 year: 4.75, 2.125, 2.125.

Tell me again how, if he's done, playing only one more year is somehow the worst of those scenarios? Hell, it looks like the best of all three scenarios, cap wise.

If Kronwall retires after this year, with Smith also being a UFA, that would clear nearly a 5 mil cap slot for a dman replacement, or a 4+ spot with Russo (or whomever) up from GR on the cheap as a 6.

i'm not thinking which is the worst, i'm thinking which is most likely.

 

[Squirrel in the Hole]

What worries me is if he looks good at the World Cup they might count on it holding up longer than it is really going to. If he looks bad there we have an urgency to go acquire someone. I mean most of us hope the urgency is there regardless. But there might be the narrative of Kronwall has bounced back coming out of Toronto and really I think we need to limit his minutes going forward and count on him as depth. The longer we can get effective minutes out of him this season the better at some point I expect him to spend some time resting the knee for a couple weeks, problem there is we know he really cannot bounce back without the full off-season more than likely at this point. But even big minute reduction only helps so much in my opinion.

But I expect him to be good out of the blocks, at some point he will tweak it or wear down and then we have a problem. Degenerative health issues is the reason both Z and Datsyuk have looked so bad at the tail-end of years. I am not sure it is just the minutes, the grueling travel and everything else involved is not helpful when you have body parts that just don't stop hurting.

The urgency is here, now. Anyone that thinks he's going to get better at this point is kidding themselves. We need to be in a mode where we are carefully managing both his and Z's ice time.


We need a replacement.