Chicago Blackhawks in fresh hopes of captain Jonathan Toews’ return-NHL News
The Chicago Blackhawks have set new hopes on return of their captain and centre, Jonathan Toews, following his clearance for contact but the comeback might not happen in the regular season.
Blackhawks’ Saturday, March 31, 2012, game was Toews’ successive 19th miss of the season since suffering a concussion on February 19, 2012.
The player who had been skating on his own for about two weeks is said to have been cleared for contact for the first time, and the team hopes he might be able to play last game of the regular season, at least.
However, if he is unable to do that he will be certain for the playoffs. Blackhawks, courtesy of their 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators, have made it to the second round for fourth consecutive year.
The management hopes that the player is available sooner than later, as his presence in the squad is certainly going to keep the team pulled together in the playoffs.
Even though the centre was skating extensively and regularly for over past two weeks, the team refrained from speculating a timeline for his return.
It is for the first time that they have hoped he rejoins them during the last week of the regular season, playing at least a game. It could be possible given the fact that he has been cleared for contact. It remains to see how it goes through the phase.
One of the problems that the player can possibly face is reoccurrence of the concussion-like symptoms, which often happens during the contact phase of fitness-testing for the players.
So far, the player is said to have not experienced any such symptoms during past two weeks in spite of his extensive workout and long sessions of skating on the ice.
If he is able to pass the contact successfully, his comeback will be within sights. Some experts, however, have sounded a caution to the player.
They said that the player in an attempt to prove his fitness and toughness during the contact phase remains prone to reoccurrence of symptoms.
A regimen of recovery that stems from a light workout to extensive amount of activity is the better approach to come out of these injuries safely and with insignificant chances for return of symptoms, they said.
Toews is among few top players such as Pittsburgh Penguins’ centre, Sidney Crosby, who have been through the difficulty in recovering from concussion.
Unlucky for Toews, his injury was described to be an upper body injury and it took quite some time for the team to confirm it to be a concussion.
However, both the management and player are now hopeful of him remaining fit and healthy in the longer run, which will be crucial to the team’s performance and wins in the playoffs.
Tags: