Los Angeles Kings' Simon Gagne cleared for contact, return uncertain -NHL Playoffs Update
One of Los Angeles’ top notch forwards, Simon Gagne, has been cleared for contact by the team’s medical staff ever since suffering a concussion back in December of 2011, but it is still unclear whether he will be returning with the Kings for their postseason
run or not.
Unless Gagne is able to show some exceptional form if he takes part in training, Los Angeles Kings’ head coach, Darryl Sutter, has ruled out the possibility of him rejoining the team for the Western Conference Final series against Phoenix Coyotes.
"I mean, he hasn't played a game in five, six months. He hasn't practiced with the team literally since, when was it …," Sutter said. "Anything is highly unlikely really when you think about it. It's a head-issue injury.”
Referring to how Daniel Sedin was barely able to make an impact for Vancouver after rejoining Canucks in the playoff quarterfinals against Los Angeles, Gagne is said to be too out of the loop for him to return.
"We played Vancouver in that first round, (Daniel) Sedin had been out then for a month to the day, look how it affected him," Sutter continued. "This guy (Gagne) hasn't played in five months. He hasn't played in 2012."
Coach Sutter obviously wants a player like Gagne to be on the team but cannot take the risk of him disturbing the team chemistry at the moment. Seeing how Los Angeles has been performing these past few weeks, it does not seem like they need any extra firepower
on the squad at all.
Simon Gagne, a native of Ste. Foy, Quebec, Canada, was in his first season with Los Angeles Kings after signing on from a season with Tampa Bay Lightning. He managed to play just 34 games after suffering the season ending concussion on December 26, 2011,
and had 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) to his name.
It is not clear at the moment whether Los Angeles Kings will be training him for the first time in five months but there might be a chance that he may be able to join Kings if they make the Stanley Cup Finals and his presence is needed on the squad.
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