LightningStrikes
Champa Bay Lightning
- Nov 24, 2009
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Full article: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/light...hlund-talks-if-his-playing-career-likely-overConsidering he hasn't even been on skates since November 2011 because of his bad knees, it has been assumed for a while the career of Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund likely is over.
But Ohlund on Sunday admitted the surgery on his left knee that was the last best chance for him to revive his career has not produced the results for which he had hoped, and he pretty much (but not quite) acknowledged he will not play again. Even going that far was a first for the big Swede.
"I'm not close to working out or even skating," Ohlund said. "Clearly, it's not going the way I thought or everybody wanted when I had my surgery done. My normal life is better, but I'm not close to where I want to be." (...)
As for a comeback, Ohlund, 36, said, "Clearly I have to be realistic. I haven't played for a year and a half. Nobody has told me it's impossible to ever play again but, clearly, the longer it goes the chances of that are getting tougher and tougher. ... Clearly, you have to be realistic that the chances are not great." (...)
It is expected Ohlund and general manager Steve Yzerman will chat at some point this season about Ohlund's future. He got a taste of post-player life last season when he as used as an eye-in-the-sky during games, but he bristled when the coaching staff referred to him as an ad-hoc assistant.
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