Injury Report: Playoff Injury Thread

[Alex Jones]

I just re-read Chambers article and found this tidbit at the end interesting. Maybe EJ won't have surgery?

Or maybe (this would be an interesting move) they think they can put it off and then do something at the end of next season, making it even more unlikely he gets claimed in expansion if he waives his NMC?

"Sakic anticipates all seven players to recover before next season — currently scheduled to begin Dec. 1."

Joe Sakic says Avalanche will stick with Philipp Grubauer, Pavel Francouz in goal, reveals latter was injured vs. Stars – The Denver Post

I don't believe this. Someone could be dead and the Avs would say this about them. Fully expect at least one of these guys to not be ready.

 

[VikingAv]

Landeskog-Calvert-Donskoi
Timmins-EJ

Grubauer
Francouz

That can be a 2nd line and a 2nd pair D, including both goalies out of the line up

Considering he just had surgery, I'd say Zadorov should be up there, too. Which makes his Dallas series even more impressive.

 

[Balthazar]

Considering he just had surgery, I'd say Zadorov should be up there, too. Which makes his Dallas series even more impressive.

It was all Mackinnon this season and all Mackinnon again in the playoffs. As long as he doesn't get injured we have a top team.

 

[Metallo]

So did Gru have survery yet?

He was in a hurry do ditch the team and leave the bubble...

 

[Grigowski]

"He tried. He battled. He just couldn’t do it anymore.”

Sorry, but why keep him in net through 4 games when he is done? This bullshit cost us the series and maybe even more.

If the injuries keep coming next season too, I want some heads rolling. This is unacceptable.

I think I remember Bednar saying in one of the pressers that Donskoi's injury was from the end of the regular season

That´s priceless. Our last regular season game was back in March! And 5 months later he is still not "healthy" enough? Give me a break! Something terrible went wrong in those 5 months (beside Covid-19).

 

[The Moops]

If the injuries keep coming next season too, I want some heads rolling. This is unacceptable.

This exactly. Too many times we've had crucial injuries when it hurts us the most. I know some of them are flukey, but look at Varly this year. The second he gets away from us his groin isn't made out of glass. We need to poach some strength and conditioning coaches, Mitch Korn, and maybe the special teams coaches out of Dallas for good measure...

 

[Manadu]

Don’t know where to put it but I thought a lot of you might be interested. I know there was a lot of speculation what happened to Francouz during playoffs. Today there is an interview on Czech news web and he explains it in quiet a detail. I tried to translated to the best of my knowledge, but there are couple of thinks I am not sure I got correct.
In addition to the longing, you were also bothered by an injury in the playoffs, which appeared at the worst possible moment.
Well, right! One imagines that there will be a time when you can help the team to get somewhere. Unfortunately, it didn't happen to me, but to Chudobin. Of course, I was happy for him to be able to take Dallas as far as he did as a backup, but let me be honest: I wanted to experience this.
Why it didn't work?
Maybe it all started with my left knee, where I had a swelling. I received an injection that relieved the pain a little, but I was probably relieving the knee while overloading my hip. Already in a group match, I was hit by an opposite player when I had my leg clenched while doing split. It stabbed me in the hip, the place hardened after the match.
That wasn't that bad yet.
No. There was one back to back match in the 1st round of the playoffs. We agreed whit the doctors they would prepare me so I was able to play one match in the series. I didn't train much, I just strengthened and I managed it.
What happened next?
After Arizona, we went to Dallas, where we wanted to follow the same plan. But in the middle of the first match, Gruby fell to the ice after one safe and I knew right away that it is bad.
That’s when it got worse?
I went into the gate cold, which didn't help my hip at all, and it took me. Inflammation developed that limited me. My game was not what I would have imagined.
Is it in the goalie’s head?
I tried not to think about it. You don't feel pain in enthusiasm, I've played a lot of matches with it. But what was worse, the joint lost momentum and I couldn't stretch or bounce properly. It was really a big mental test.
A terrible feeling?
More like helplessness. The matches went quickly and the injury worsened sharply. At the same time, I knew that no one else was behind me. I don't want it to sound bad on other goalkeepers, but I felt like we managed the whole season with me and Grubauer, but after his injury I was left alone.
Source: Je mu třicet, tělo se ozývá. Přesto si Francouz vychytal v NHL slibnou pozici - iDNES.cz

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

It was very obvious he was playing hurt. His lateral movement was noticeably slower and especially trying to make 2nd and 3rd saves he just didn't have it.

Sounds like it was something he was trying to play through the entire playoffs and they felt like he could for the odd game here or there if needed on b2b or whatever but when Gruby went down and the onus fell on him to play every game the injury and recovery plan just didn't work at all.

 

[Metallo]

Well if what Francouz says is real the coaching staff dropped the ball on the goalie selection. They should have went to Hutch much earlier.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Well if what Francouz says is real the coaching staff dropped the ball on the goalie selection. They should have went to Hutch much earlier.

I don’t blame them for their decision. I think they expected Hutchinson to be worse than he was when he played.

Looking back, yeah, Hutch should have been in earlier and maybe they win that series.

It does make me feel better about Francouz giving some quality starts next year, knowing he was injured for that entire Dallas series. Sounds like he was put in an awful situation.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

I don't blame them either for their decision to stay with Frankie. I'm sure they were all hoping he could play through it. Considering your next best option is Hutch at the very least you need to give Frankie a chance to play through it. At that time they were all thinking about the Cup after all.

 

[McMetal]

I don't blame the coaches for not expecting Hutch to be so solid. None of us expected him to play well, either.

I hope this finally puts to rest the idea that our goalies aren't good enough. They got hurt, that's that, getting an injury off a collision could happen to anybody and there's no reason to expect it to happen again.

 

[Foppa2118]

Is it in the goalie’s head?

I tried not to think about it. You don't feel pain in enthusiasm, I've played a lot of matches with it. But what was worse, the joint lost momentum and I couldn't stretch or bounce properly. It was really a big mental test.

Source: Je mu třicet, tělo se ozývá. Přesto si Francouz vychytal v NHL slibnou pozici - iDNES.cz

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

The bolded sounds like he may have had this type of injury in the past, even before the playoffs. Which is a bit concerning.

Can you double check the translation on this please? Does it sound in Czech like he's talking in the past tense, or more in the present tense referring to playing through the injury in this years playoffs?

 

[Avs_19]

That makes a lot of sense. He looked nothing like himself in the Stars series. I think one of his main weaknesses is his rebound control but this was on an entirely different level. There were times when he wouldn't even move after making the initial save. Hopefully he's good and will be healthy next season.

 

[tigervixxxen]

That matches something similar I read in a Czech article a month or so ago. I believe it was the Dallas round robin game he first got hurt in the hip. He wasn’t practicing, which they were supposed to tell us if someone missed since media wasn’t able to view practice. They agreed he’d only do back to back games, so like once per series but then Grubi went down and he was thrown into the fire and he kept going until it totally locked up.

 

[Islay1989]

The biggest takeaway from that is that neither he, or the team had any faith in Hutch. Which begs the question, why in the hell did they target him?

 

[Manadu]

Thanks for taking the time to do this.

The bolded sounds like he may have had this type of injury in the past, even before the playoffs. Which is a bit concerning.

Can you double check the translation on this please? Does it sound in Czech like he's talking in the past tense, or more in the present tense referring to playing through the injury in this years playoffs?

I believe he is talking about playing with pain in past (not just this playoffs). In the interview he states that he has had knee problems since he was 14 and he had surgery on both knees about two months ago. But is OK now and in full workout.
I am adding the whole interview but without the parts I already translated and this time it is only a google translation as I don’t have time to translate it all properly.
Is there an aging body?
We can feel him a little, but it's still not like I'm hacking in the morning (he smiles).
But after knee surgery, it was different, wasn't it?
I've been dealing with them since about fourteen. Lately, I have developed osteoarthritis on the cartilage under the lapwing, which we sometimes deal with with injections. When the time was left and the situation allowed, I made an appointment with Dr. Nepraš. He had operated on me several times, and now he suggested to me: If we go for it again, why don't we do the circulation all at once?
And you ended up in a wheelchair.
Everyone was laughing ahead as I left home. The next morning my father accepted for me, the nurses had to lend him a wheelchair to take me to the car. Pretty funny.
You looked like Schweik.
That's exactly what came to my mind when I slammed the hospital door open! (Laughs)
Do you already feel fit?
The operation was more than two months ago. It took about two weeks before I dropped the sticks. It's still a little uncomfortable to kneel while training, the scars on my knees hurt.
How many times a day do you kneel at work?
I was just thinking about it. Maybe I'll kneel a hundred times for training. Maybe more times.
Wear is logical.
Just. Probably to anyone who repeats a specific activity. It is likely that I also had some innate indisposition. My knees bend a little to the sides. The cup rubs more against the bone, everything is created. But the doctor said it was nothing tragic and I could function normally. I feel relief myself. I take it as maintenance and cleansing of the body.
Were you surprised you didn't have to complete it in America? As a rule, NHL clubs, important team members, operate the equipment with their own experts.
There are two things. There is not a good time to travel and Mr. Nepraš studied in America, was there on an internship and speaks perfect English. He called with our orthopedists, documented everything for them. At the club, he gained tremendous confidence in his care, for which I would also like to share.
Doesn't surgery make you catch a little differently?
I believe not. If I went for surgery with one leg, I would need a little relief with the other. One must not go to the gate with the feeling: Look, there is a problem, save a little.
But you changed your goalie style in America, didn't you?
Just look at your own shots from the KHL and NHL. I would find differences even if I compared the first season in Pilsen and Litvínov. Catching is a natural evolution. It's important to follow trends, discuss them, and while they might be useful to me, try to teach them not to miss the train. In Colorado, there is knowledge of the work of our patient coach. Jussi Parkkila taught me some things.
What kind?
For example, I focused on standing more even in situations where players shielded from me. When you have straight legs, you can look over the players, and not around them, as I did before. There are more little things, there are news about how to speed up or save energy.
Are you looking forward to catching up again?
I have two motives in my head. Taking all things around, I would mention uncertainty. It is not clear when, where and from when it will be played. But at the moment, this is actually normal, I'm not collapsing.
A ten-second theme?
I feel excited, purely sporty, maybe even excited. I see our team. The last season has been amazing and now it will develop once again, our managers have done an incredible job in the free market of players. I can't wait for the team to catch the team behind it.
Weren't you afraid that Avalanche would bring you a new competitor? There were a lot of great samples on the market.
Most of all, I was glad that I signed the contract before the covid. It turned out to be an advantage. Now the negotiating position was more complicated. And of course I watched the moves. I wonder what Lundqvist will do in Washington, Holtby in Vancouver or Markström in Calgary. Fortunately, they did not bring us a veteran or a well-paid goalkeeper.
Do you take it that the club expresses your trust in you?
Probably yes. Now it's up to me to prepare well and the team helped somehow. I am convinced that if we support Gruby (German goalkeeper Philippe Grubauer) as we did last season, it could work.
Are you more sure? Last season, you proved you can stand the NHL.
I wouldn't say anything is changing. I know I caught something there, but on a global scale, it's still nothing. Last season's performances are now expected to be minimal. I make great demands myself and I go into it with one humility as I did last year. I still don't take it for granted.
Nothing new. You can't get a more confident statement from you.
Probably not (smiles). I know it sounds like a cliché, but I want to do my best on the ice and it would be great if we could play some success with the team.
So otherwise - you won't fly to America as a number two, will you?
I'll say it a little differently too. When it starts, the program will be so crowded that there will be no two in the NHL. They will capture all the goalkeepers who will currently be in the teams. They will have to spin because it will be an unbelievable massacre.
Do you know anything else about the season?
Now I can play a man who prophesies from a crystal ball. I still believe that it will start in January and the season will be shorter, but even more intense.
Do you have at least a clearer idea when you will leave the Czech Republic?
Not yet. It's hard to buy tickets when you don't know anything. I am clinging to an opinion so that we can make arrangements. Two weeks ago, it was said that he would know more, but the negotiations somehow got stuck in a stalemate.
Salaries, contributions, length of the season are addressed. The only thing that is clear is that duels in temporary bubbles are waiting for you.
Probably a compromise at the moment. Lock us up for a while and then let us go home again so we can be with our family. We are already looking for housing in the distance in Denver, which is helped by our cousin Tomáš Hertl. But it's hard to rent a house when you don't know when.
So you're flying with your wife and daughter?
I'm planning it, but it will depend on the program of the season. I hope it goes well with family life. The bubble was enough for me in the summer and I don't want to experience it anymore. I haven't imagined this in my life.
What did the NHL teach you?
Until March, it was a huge experience that I dreamed of in my youth. Then the pandemic broke it a bit, everything has been weird ever since. But everyone is fighting it. Everyone is struggling with that. I try to look for the positives.
Maybe the break allows you to properly prepare for the next season?
Somehow. After a long time, I started ice skating. I'm looking forward, I'm full of strength. I'm moving everything to January 1st to be ready. I just hope it plays out.
Source: Je mu třicet, tělo se ozývá. Přesto si Francouz vychytal v NHL slibnou pozici - iDNES.cz

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

The biggest takeaway from that is that neither he, or the team had any faith in Hutch. Which begs the question, why in the hell did they target him?

No team has faith putting their 3rd string goalie in the playoffs. I’d argue that the Hutchinson not completely crumbling in the postseason justified the move.

 

[Foppa2118]

I believe he is talking about playing with pain in past (not just this playoffs). In the interview he states that he has had knee problems since he was 14 and he had surgery on both knees about two months ago. But is OK now and in full workout.
I am adding the whole interview but without the parts I already translated and this time it is only a google translation as I don’t have time to translate it all properly.
Is there an aging body?
We can feel him a little, but it's still not like I'm hacking in the morning (he smiles).
But after knee surgery, it was different, wasn't it?
I've been dealing with them since about fourteen. Lately, I have developed osteoarthritis on the cartilage under the lapwing, which we sometimes deal with with injections. When the time was left and the situation allowed, I made an appointment with Dr. Nepraš. He had operated on me several times, and now he suggested to me: If we go for it again, why don't we do the circulation all at once?
And you ended up in a wheelchair.
Everyone was laughing ahead as I left home. The next morning my father accepted for me, the nurses had to lend him a wheelchair to take me to the car. Pretty funny.
You looked like Schweik.
That's exactly what came to my mind when I slammed the hospital door open! (Laughs)
Do you already feel fit?
The operation was more than two months ago. It took about two weeks before I dropped the sticks. It's still a little uncomfortable to kneel while training, the scars on my knees hurt.
How many times a day do you kneel at work?
I was just thinking about it. Maybe I'll kneel a hundred times for training. Maybe more times.
Wear is logical.
Just. Probably to anyone who repeats a specific activity. It is likely that I also had some innate indisposition. My knees bend a little to the sides. The cup rubs more against the bone, everything is created. But the doctor said it was nothing tragic and I could function normally. I feel relief myself. I take it as maintenance and cleansing of the body.
Were you surprised you didn't have to complete it in America? As a rule, NHL clubs, important team members, operate the equipment with their own experts.
There are two things. There is not a good time to travel and Mr. Nepraš studied in America, was there on an internship and speaks perfect English. He called with our orthopedists, documented everything for them. At the club, he gained tremendous confidence in his care, for which I would also like to share.
Doesn't surgery make you catch a little differently?
I believe not. If I went for surgery with one leg, I would need a little relief with the other. One must not go to the gate with the feeling: Look, there is a problem, save a little.
But you changed your goalie style in America, didn't you?
Just look at your own shots from the KHL and NHL. I would find differences even if I compared the first season in Pilsen and Litvínov. Catching is a natural evolution. It's important to follow trends, discuss them, and while they might be useful to me, try to teach them not to miss the train. In Colorado, there is knowledge of the work of our patient coach. Jussi Parkkila taught me some things.
What kind?
For example, I focused on standing more even in situations where players shielded from me. When you have straight legs, you can look over the players, and not around them, as I did before. There are more little things, there are news about how to speed up or save energy.
Are you looking forward to catching up again?
I have two motives in my head. Taking all things around, I would mention uncertainty. It is not clear when, where and from when it will be played. But at the moment, this is actually normal, I'm not collapsing.
A ten-second theme?
I feel excited, purely sporty, maybe even excited. I see our team. The last season has been amazing and now it will develop once again, our managers have done an incredible job in the free market of players. I can't wait for the team to catch the team behind it.
Weren't you afraid that Avalanche would bring you a new competitor? There were a lot of great samples on the market.
Most of all, I was glad that I signed the contract before the covid. It turned out to be an advantage. Now the negotiating position was more complicated. And of course I watched the moves. I wonder what Lundqvist will do in Washington, Holtby in Vancouver or Markström in Calgary. Fortunately, they did not bring us a veteran or a well-paid goalkeeper.
Do you take it that the club expresses your trust in you?
Probably yes. Now it's up to me to prepare well and the team helped somehow. I am convinced that if we support Gruby (German goalkeeper Philippe Grubauer) as we did last season, it could work.
Are you more sure? Last season, you proved you can stand the NHL.
I wouldn't say anything is changing. I know I caught something there, but on a global scale, it's still nothing. Last season's performances are now expected to be minimal. I make great demands myself and I go into it with one humility as I did last year. I still don't take it for granted.
Nothing new. You can't get a more confident statement from you.
Probably not (smiles). I know it sounds like a cliché, but I want to do my best on the ice and it would be great if we could play some success with the team.
So otherwise - you won't fly to America as a number two, will you?
I'll say it a little differently too. When it starts, the program will be so crowded that there will be no two in the NHL. They will capture all the goalkeepers who will currently be in the teams. They will have to spin because it will be an unbelievable massacre.
Do you know anything else about the season?
Now I can play a man who prophesies from a crystal ball. I still believe that it will start in January and the season will be shorter, but even more intense.
Do you have at least a clearer idea when you will leave the Czech Republic?
Not yet. It's hard to buy tickets when you don't know anything. I am clinging to an opinion so that we can make arrangements. Two weeks ago, it was said that he would know more, but the negotiations somehow got stuck in a stalemate.
Salaries, contributions, length of the season are addressed. The only thing that is clear is that duels in temporary bubbles are waiting for you.
Probably a compromise at the moment. Lock us up for a while and then let us go home again so we can be with our family. We are already looking for housing in the distance in Denver, which is helped by our cousin Tomáš Hertl. But it's hard to rent a house when you don't know when.
So you're flying with your wife and daughter?
I'm planning it, but it will depend on the program of the season. I hope it goes well with family life. The bubble was enough for me in the summer and I don't want to experience it anymore. I haven't imagined this in my life.
What did the NHL teach you?
Until March, it was a huge experience that I dreamed of in my youth. Then the pandemic broke it a bit, everything has been weird ever since. But everyone is fighting it. Everyone is struggling with that. I try to look for the positives.
Maybe the break allows you to properly prepare for the next season?
Somehow. After a long time, I started ice skating. I'm looking forward, I'm full of strength. I'm moving everything to January 1st to be ready. I just hope it plays out.
Source: Je mu třicet, tělo se ozývá. Přesto si Francouz vychytal v NHL slibnou pozici - iDNES.cz

Thanks again for the translation.

Again this is concerning though that they let Varly go for Franky who's had problems with both knees since he was 14, and Grubauer who can't stay healthy himself.

They really need to find a reliable #3 that can step into the NHL and consistently play solid in net for more than a couple games. Decent chance they're going to need it again.

 

[Islay1989]

No team has faith putting their 3rd string goalie in the playoffs. I’d argue that the Hutchinson not completely crumbling in the postseason justified the move.

There's not being thrilled to play the backup, and then thete's not letting him play even when the backup can't even move laterally. It boggles the mind why they even bothered to get him, knowing they are getting a 3rd goalie because they wanted to ensure they aren't playing Werner in the playoffs.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I don’t think they have any interest in signing a 3 again, probably another deadline move. Annunen’s availability this spring might have them keep options open too.

Anyway, much appreciated on the translation.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

There's not being thrilled to play the backup, and then thete's not letting him play even when the backup can't even move laterally. It boggles the mind why they even bothered to get him, knowing they are getting a 3rd goalie because they wanted to ensure they aren't playing Werner in the playoffs.

It’s not the backup though, it’s the backup to the backup.

I’m not saying they’re above criticism, because looking back they made the wrong decision. I, personally don’t fault them because it’s the same thing pretty much every team would do.

 

[Islay1989]

It’s not the backup though, it’s the backup to the backup.

I’m not saying they’re above criticism, because looking back they made the wrong decision. I, personally don’t fault them because it’s the same thing pretty much every team would do.

It's perfectly obvious what I meant with the backup thing, I meant to write 3rd goalie. They made a trade that didn't do a damn thing. What's the point in that?

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

It's perfectly obvious what I meant with the backup thing, I meant to write 3rd goalie. They made a trade that didn't do a damn thing. What's the point in that?

Definitely wasn’t trying to be snarky, so apologies of it came off that way. I just wanted to emphasize that it was their 3rd string goalie.

I don’t think the Avs ever envisioned Hutchinson playing a playoff game when they acquired him. At the deadline they had a goalie tweaked if I remember correctly. Grubauer? They probably just wanted Hutchinson to get into a game, or two in the regular season, like that Detroit game.

I get what your saying though. I remember being furious in that playoff series that they kept putting Francouz in net when he was clearly losing the team the series.

 

[tigervixxxen]

They had to play the Hamburglar in the playoffs two years ago so they shouldn’t have been shocked that the same situation came up again. No team has a real quality number 3 unless it’s a waiver exempt NHL ready prospect, would any other realistic option have been better than Hutch at that point? I’m not sure why they refused to sign a proper number 3 over the summer and here we are again without one signed, they seem to be deathly afraid of that guy getting taken off waivers (thanks, Toronto!). So we’ll likely do the same dance again unless/until either Werner or Annunen get their confidence as a real number 3 or they’ll just trade for one again. And that guy still won’t be better than Hutch.