Hats off to the Ducks medical staff. We knew about the injuries to Patrick Eaves, Rickard Rakell, and John Gibson; but not the extent of those injuries. From the updated injury reports, it sounds like they were holding the team together with bailing wire and spit. Another half dozen players battled through difficult injuries.
Starting with the players we knew about; John Gibson has habitual groin and hamstring issues. They flared up again after Gibson was hit in the first period of game five. He may need surgery to correct the situation, but there is no word yet.
I have always been dubious about high ankle sprains. Who has played any type of competitive sports and never suffered an ankle sprain. After the Ducks announced that both Patrick Eaves and Rickard Rakell missed games with high ankle sprains, I did some more research. According to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, a high ankle sprain occurs when there is damage or tearing to the ligaments connecting the tibia to the fibula. They are rotational injuries, that occur much the same way as ankle fractures. In a sport like hockey, its almost impossible to skate effectively with that type of instability in the lower leg. If I had to draw a rough analogy, I'd say its the lower leg equivalent of the knee ligament injuries that sideline athletes for extended periods.
The injuries that weren't reported before elimination may cost the Ducks dearly in the upcoming months.
Nate Thompson took toughness to another level during the playoffs. He missed the first four plus months of the season with an Achilles tear. It turns out that he went through the playoffs with a hairline ankle fracture.
After sitting out nine games, Kevin Bieksa came back to play in the final three. I thought he looked a bit slower than usual after his first game. It turns out Bieksa was playing with a torn Medial Collateral Ligament.
Logan Shaw missed the end of round two and the Western Conference Finals with a torn groin muscle.
On to the most serious injuries. Hampus Lindholm will be out four to five months after shoulder surgery last week. Its a huge blow. Lindholm is the best all around defenseman Anaheim has and is the blueline cornerstone.
Sami Vatanen is also scheduled to go under the knife for shoulder surgery. No time table for his return has been announced.
The last two injured players, Lindholm and Vatanen, throw a huge monkey wrench into Ducks General Manager Bob Murray's offseason plans. First of all, Cam Fowler is about to get a big money contract extension. He is the best defender the team has and they will need him badly. The most recent scuttlebutt has the two parties close to a deal.
Before the surgery, a Fowler extension would have meant Vatanen was likely to be traded for a much needed scoring wing. His trade value is now greatly decreased. Additionally, even though Vatanen is injured, the Ducks have to protect him for the expansion draft because Las Vegas can afford to wait on him and have nothing to lose by selecting the 26 year old.
Is it worth it for Murray to take less for Vatanen in a trade in order to protect Josh Manson; or does he risk losing Manson because he doesn't get what he wants for Vatanen and is forced to protect him?
The good news for Murray is that it shouldn't be hard for him to convince Bieksa to waive his no movement clause for the expansion draft. Before his injury, Bieksa was iffy at best to be selected by Las Vegas. Now there is virtually no chance he gets drafted.
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