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Inevitably, Kronwall Out For Rest Of Season
by IwoCPO on 03/31/07 at 03:07 PM ET
Comments (7)
Updated 1515 CST with Holland comments below.
Except for the part about staying healthy for an extended period of time, Nik Kronwall is supposed to be the second coming of Nicklas Lidstrom. And this one hurts maybe more than any of the multiple serious injuries he’s suffered.
Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall will be out six-to-eight weeks with a non-displaced fracture of his sacrum, general manager Ken Holland said Saturday.
Kronwall won’t need surgery but is likely done for the season unless the Wings reach the Stanley Cup finals.
Nicklas Lidstrom will miss Sunday’s game in Columbus due to lower back strain, but Holland said it’s nothing serious.
Tremendous loss for more reasons than just the absence of Kronwall. Andres Lilja is now guaranteed significant playoff minutes. And, as we know, that means significant emotional duress for you and your families.
Niklas Kronwall is a talented kid, someone an organ-I-zation would look to as a leader and catalyst for future success. But that’s impossible to do because, his fault or not, he just can’t stay healthy.
Ted Kulfan tracked down Ken Holland who discussed the injury to Kronwall and a lower back strain for, yes, Lidstrom.
“It’s a tough break for Niklas and our team,” said Wings general manager Ken Holland. “Dealing with adversity is part of the NHL playoffs. We still feel we have good depth on defense.”
Joining Kronwall off the ice—for one game, at least—will be Nicklas Lidstrom.
Lidstrom has a slight back sprain and will sit out Sunday’s game in Columbus. He is expected to return Tuesday, when the Wings play host to Columbus.
“Given what’s occurred over the last 24 hours, we’re not going to take any chances,” Holland said.
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Comments
I watched the replay several times, and I don’t think Hasek had anything to do about it. Kronwall (consistent poor judgement) started to pick up the puck and skate out the other side and decided to fake it and reverse to the right side of the half boards, moved into the check and left himself vulnerable.
As far as him being another Lidstrom: They said that about Erikson...anyone remember how that turned out?
Is Homer all right, according to the shift chart, he evaporated about halfway into the third period.
Posted by Gramps (hockeytowntodd) from HockeyTown on 03/31/07 at 05:20 PM ET
Man. Kronner and Lids both injured. This sucks. Hopefully Lidstrom’s back strain is not serious like Holland says.
Posted by Christy on 03/31/07 at 06:43 PM ET
Hopefully Lidstrom’s back strain is not serious like Holland says.
Not to be a Chicken Little or anything, but I remember when Holland (maybe it was Babcock—same thing when it comes to initially disclosing injuries) said Schneider would only miss a game or two with a “sore leg” and it turned out to be a MCL sprain, IIRC, and he missed, what, eight or so?
Seem to recall also that, initially, Samuelsson only had a “sore foot” after taking a puck off the skate while blocking a shot.
And then there was Zetterberg’s “back spasms” that would sideline him for a game or two…
Posted by O-Joe on 03/31/07 at 07:03 PM ET
That’s not chicken little speak, Joe. That’s realism. Whatever Holland/Babcock say we should automatically assume it’s 50 percent worse, especially now. I’d sit Lids the rest of the regular season if he’s feeling any pain at all.
Posted by IwoCPO from Washington, DC on 03/31/07 at 07:07 PM ET
I’d sit Lidstrom if his big toe felt a little tender. First, the guy has played roughly 59 minutes per game the last two weeks or so, what with Schneider or Markov or Chelios or whoever being hurt, and second… he hasn’t been that great. 3 goals, 3 assists and a -3 since the beginning of March (14 games). He’s been pretty clearly wearing down, and now that Kronwall is out he’s going to have to play 32+ in each and every playoff game.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 03/31/07 at 08:24 PM ET
As much as I hate Lilja, Kronwall has been a human giveaway for much of the season, and doesn’t have the offensive numbers (1 goal???) that a guy like Schneider has to make up for his mediocre D.
If the Wings can swing an Eriksson-like deal for Kronwall while he still has promise, but is wildly inconsistent and injury prone, I don’t know that I’d have a problem with that, considering the organization’s supposed depth at defenseman.
Posted by Nathan on 03/31/07 at 09:23 PM ET
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Poor situational awareness on Kroner’s part. Gotta know where the bad guys are at all times.
And if Haskek and/or Kronwall’s defense partner (whoever it was, don’t remember) didn’t give him the standard bogey shout-out, well, then, shame on them too.
Posted by O-Joe on 03/31/07 at 04:33 PM ET