Hockey teams are notorious for not disclosing injuries to players. One of the greatest (and sometimes jaw-dropping-inducing) days is when the regular season ends, and then teams are eliminated from the playoffs, and they take part in the locker clean out day.
That’s often when we hear about things guys were playing through near the end. Everything from the ho-hum bruised foot to bigger injuries comes out.
During the season, though, teams generally do a good amount of public relations work to keep injuries under wraps. They use those clear as mud terminologies like “upper body injury”, “lower body injury” or my favorite “undisclosed injury”.
Yep, real clear.
So it probably didn’t go over well when the Boston Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk told the media that Boston Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton broke his ribs.
“Yeah,” Olynyk said, “but I remember two days ago I was texting (Bruins defenseman) Dougie Hamilton and he told me he broke his ribs and he was trying to come back before the playoffs. I was like, ‘Man, I can’t sit out. He’s going to rip me.’ “
Up until then, he was out with an undisclosed injury. I guess broken ribs fits the injury part. It makes sense why they wouldn’t want that to be disclosed to opponents that might try to take advantage of him if he tries to play through that.
At least he didn’t throw out his back eating pancakes.
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Mmm pancakes. That delicious breakfast food. These are not as drool-worthy as pancakes, but they’ll fill you right up just as much. Though they aren’t as yummy as bacon. Mmm bacon. Ok, try not to get distracted by the breakfast foods.
I really like this quote from Jason Spezza’s on Jamie Benn’s leadership style:
I think Jamie does a great job of being captain because he’s very levelheaded. He knows when to speak up, he knows when not to.
Filed under things we already knew: Loui Eriksson’s play is understated. [NESN]
Should the Dallas Stars hang on to Ales Hemsky? [WFAA]
Dustin Byfuglien was a very bad boy and now that very bad boy gets to pony up a nice chunk of cash for his very bad-ness. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
Patrick Kane is back practicing with the Chicago Blackhawks. Just in time for the playoffs, how fortuitous. [Daily Herald]
Five rookies who could make an impact in the playoffs. Really wish we could have seen John Klingberg on this list. [The Hockey News]
Alex Ovechkin takes the lead on the Washington Capitals leader boards with this nifty goal against the Montreal Canadiens (whom he told ESPN earlier today he’d play with if he wasn’t a Capital…seriously, you can’t write these kinds of things better). [ABC11]
Welcome to the AHL, San Jose Barracudas! [Silicon Valley Business Journal]
There’s a new National Women’s Hockey League, which is a boat load of winning in my book. [The Pink Puck]
Ah Russia, you are comedy gold.