Concussions sideline top NHL players

Associated Press

Sidney Crosby and Claude Giroux should have been intertwined this season as two of the NHL’s brightest stars, competing for state supremacy, an MVP trophy and a Stanley Cup.

Yet, Crosby and Giroux were linked in back-to-back days this week for all the wrong reasons: Head injuries that have put their careers on hold.

Crosby, once the youthful face of the future of the NHL, is dealing with a recurrence of concussion-like symptoms.

Giroux, the Flyers’ star right winger who ascended to the points lead in Crosby’s absence, suffered a concussion after a blow to the head. Both are out.

Indefinitely.

In fact, when the Flyers visit Crosby’s Penguins on Dec. 29, one of the league’s signature rivalry games could be dulled by the absence of the All-Star duo.

But they might not be the only players on each team taking a seat. Philadelphia’s Chris Pronger, a former MVP, also is sidelined indefinitely with a concussion. Same with forward Brayden Schenn.

Pittsburgh defensemen Kris Letang, Zbynek Michalek and Robert Bortuzzo are also out while dealing with similar issues.

Take a whirl around the league — especially among the Eastern Conference contenders — and you’ll see key cogs missing time because of concussions. Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller, Los Angeles center Mike Richards, Boston center Marc Savard and Rangers defenseman Marc Staal have all missed chunks of time, if not the entire season, as they deal with the lingering effects of brutal blows to the head.

“It seems like someone is going down every single night now,” retired NHL standout Jeremy Roenick said. “It’s frustrating to watch. You don’t like having your top guys out.”

Even worse for the league, the injuries come after a devastating summer that saw the deaths of enforcers Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien.

The NHL has acted, taking steps with new policies and harsher punitive enforcement that was aimed at curtailing some of the violent hits that left the fine-tuned player complaining of dizzy spells. imPACT tests and quiet rooms have joined hat tricks and power plays among the league’s vernacular.

But despite all the hand-wringing over the head being used for target practice by some NHL players, the blows that knocked out Crosby and Giroux were mostly accidental.

Crosby’s return from a 10-month layoff was short-lived after he complained of a headache following a game last week.

Against Boston, Crosby collided with teammate Chris Kunitz and absorbed an elbow from Bruins forward David Krejci, both potential triggers that caused his symptoms to resurface.