Max and Syko Out

by FrankD on Mar 11, 2008 2:24 PM EDT in News

...for Wednesday's game at least.

Max Talbot is said ot have re-aggravated his high ankle sprain sustained earlier in the season. There's no word on how severe the injury/pain is, but word on the streets is he'll definitely be out for the Buffalo game.

Also listed on the potential/questionable scratches for Wednesday's game is Petr Sykora. Sykora, no doubt one of the best pick-ups of the Penguins in the offseason, is suffering from back spasms and will most likely miss the game against the Sabres.

Both are expected to hit the lines again on Sunday against the Flyers.

An interesting fact regarding the Pens this season: only Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal have played in all 70 games. Amazing when you consider a roster of 23-26 guys.

In efforts to fill the gaps from Max and Syko, the Pens have called up Ryan Stone along with the perpetual and almost routine call-up Connor James.

Perhaps the Penguins would fare best if James circled the skies of Pittsburgh in a plane and showed up in the second period. As you might recall, his first NHL goal game following the trade deadline and a late second period arrival in Long Island on an emergency call-up.

Hopefully Hossa's return is sooner than later.

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a nickname proposal for connor james

"squash", as in the sound he makes every time someone obliterates him with a body check. Heck, it happens often enough to qualify as a drinking game.

by killer93 on Mar 11, 2008 3:50 PM EDT reply actions

Haha

Squash is definitely a good one - or Filler, seeing as how they are both in correlation to his call-ups. Pens call him up as a filler player to get squashed on the ice.

If it were a drinking game you'd probably be wrecked by the second period. Granted, he barely sees 7 minutes of ice time a game so perhaps it'd just be a "buzz" more than anything else.

by FrankD on Mar 11, 2008 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I just

started writing this comment three times. I have nothing to say. I'm just sick of high ankle sprains.

I hope Connor James gets some sort of mileage allowance, because my god he's made that trip up and down a thousand times this year. (Actually, 4 or 5, although TSN is confusing me and I don't care enough to look it up somewhere else.)

by Dayna on Mar 11, 2008 6:15 PM EDT reply actions

Well Dayna

We'll go with more than 4, less than 10. That sounds like a decent window.

Perhaps instead of looking into neck-guards for players they should consider ways to better elasticize the ankle area in the skate. There is a bunch of talk about the stiffness of skates leading to these sprains. At the same time, the players need the support. Sid's ankle sprain was something entirely unique considering his crash into the boards. Even Fleury's buckled under his body weight (which surprised me that it wasn't torn ligaments/broken bone).

High ankle sprains are just a horrible thing to try and recover from. You can feel 100% till you step on the ice/field/court and take a few strides. One wrong step and you're off the line again for at least two weeks.

by FrankD on Mar 11, 2008 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions

skate solution

Two words: hover skates.

Get rid of the tension of weight on the ice.

by JDunman on Mar 12, 2008 8:03 AM EDT up reply actions

now that

would make for them very awkward and very painful body checks.

by FrankD on Mar 12, 2008 9:52 AM EDT up reply actions

Sigh

I know, those high ankle sprains are rough. Which is why I'm still surprised that Crosby was back so soon, because Talbot has had a really tough time with his ankle. I suppose his sprain may have been worse though. I'm just really hoping Crosby doesn't re-injure.

Doesn't it just seems like the Pens have had a never-ending string of them this season though? It has to be something of a record. Most games played missing at least one player to a high ankle sprain in one season.

You might have a better drinking game there... drink every time an announcer says "high ankle sprain" in relation to the Pens.

by Dayna on Mar 11, 2008 8:47 PM EDT reply actions

True

I've never heard or seen this many high ankle sprains in one season, let alone for just one team. I was thinking the same thing though - really hope Sid doesn't go re-injuring the ankle com playoff time. That is exactly why I wasn't all for him rushing back either.

Your drinking game would render everyone useless by the end of pregame. Then when they come to again in the third period, they'll be out again before the game ends.

You may be onto something...

by FrankD on Mar 11, 2008 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I want

to have confidence that Sid knows when to come back and wouldn't come back if he was risking re-injury, but he just doesn't seem to be the type who wants to hang out and rest. You know, because he doesn't give off that ultra competitive vibe at all. Still, I have to believe that he's being careful and whatnot, he obviously knows better than I do.

Just imagine how interesting the comments would be tomorrow if you were playing my drinking game... probably not a wise choice. So long as they avoided talk about Sid, Gary Roberts, MAF and Max we'd be completely fine. That's only 4 major players... it could happen, right?

by Dayna on Mar 11, 2008 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Something tells me

that Sid is just like any other athlete when it comes to injury - stubborn and anxious to play. Unlike most - let's say basketball players, he's not looking to milk the paycheck from the press box. He wants to be on the ice with the team, to be one of the biggest reasons for this team's success.

I'd also like to think the training staff knows when to say he's clear to play and when he's not. Stories written during his injury said he was doing everything by the books; from icing his ankle, eating healthy foods and exercising his way through it to remain in shape for his return.

Again, this week is a pretty light one for the Pens. It's a good chance for a lot of the guys to rest up. Staal's ribs, Sykora's back, Sid/MAF/Max's ankles and Gary Roberts's leg/ankle.

by FrankD on Mar 11, 2008 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions

For sure

he's being careful. I'm sure that Sid isn't going to risk re-injury before the playoffs by doing anything ridiculous. I think it's just hard for me to fully grasp this concept because I spend so much time with 20 y/o guys who don't always think ahead quite like that, or at all. I often forget that Crosby's not your average 20 year old.

Have we had any word on how the recovery is going for Adam Hall or Kris Beech. Beech is skating again, right? Is Hall expected back at all this season? Even in the playoffs?

by Dayna on Mar 12, 2008 9:44 AM EDT reply actions

Hall

is out with hernia surgery. This is, at this point in the season, season-ending surgery. Jason Williams from Chicago had similar surgery done back in November and didn't hit the lineup again until late February.

Beech is probably skating again, although I haven't heard anything. All things considered he probably could've started skating the day after, but holding a stick was entirely out of the question.

It looks like it late playoffs for him. Bryan McCabe in Toronto broke his wrist back in December and was out till the second week of February.

In other words, if our guys heal similar to these guys, this is what we're looking at.

by FrankD on Mar 12, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions