Ballard Returns, Sedin Exits as Concussion Haunts Canucks

Concussion is the dark spectre that haunts modern day hockey. Frank Doyle reports.

The Vancouver Canucks’ Keith Ballard has returned to the ice after seven weeks on the injured reserve list. The defenseman took a double whammy of hits over two games, at Colorado on February 4th and then three days later at Nashville, that left him barely able to function as a civilian, to say nothing of playing hockey at the highest level.

Ballard’s return coincides with Daniel Sedin’s absence. Sedin was elbowed by the Blackhawks’ Duncan Keith in a 2-1 overtime loss at the Union Center last week. Sedin hasn’t played since and the Canucks’ organisation is remaining tight-lipped about when he’ll return. They’re hoping for the playoffs, but based on Ballard’s experience – who knows?

Ballard was out for seven weeks. He only began skating again at the start of this week, but nobody knows when he’ll be able to return to competitive action. As such, talk of Daniel Sedin being back on the ice in time for the playoffs could be extremely ambitious.

The very fact they’re describing the injury as “concussion” is interesting in itself. Chicago’s Jonathan Toews has missed eighteen days and counting due to “concussion-like injuries,” rather than “concussion” – does anyone know what exactly is the difference?

In all this, there is the shadow of Sidney Crosby. Crosby briefly left the ice last night when he was struck by the puck in the face in a game against the Islanders, and everybody must have thought: oh no. Not again.

The Penguins lost the game 5-3 but they would have happily lost it 53-0 if they knew Crosby was ok. For the game’s highest profile star to also be its most obvious victim of concussion is a situation that nobody wants and from which nobody benefits.

The League is doing everything it can protect players – Duncan Keith got a five game suspension for his hit on Sedin, and there are comprehensive rules that teams must obey in suspected cases of concussion. Hockey is a violent game and nobody really wants that to change. It’s in striking the balance between retaining the game’s soul and protecting its players that the real challenge lies.