Burns still out, Gaborik back in

Brent Burns, one of the Minnesota Wild leaders on the blue-line, is still sidelined with what has been described as 'concussion like' symptoms. Now on it's surface, this would seem like a reasonable explaination to his absence, being that hockey is a sometimes violent game that showcases a fast-pace and is heavy with hits. But what has not been explained so far is what actually happened to cause this. There has been no 'incident' so to speak of, to reference from, that we could look back on as to how he was injured. There was no big hit, crash into the boards, or a vicious elbow to the head, as far as we know. Burns last played in the Wilds 4-3 OT victory against the Sharks back on March 5th, where he logged over 23 minutes of ice time, and that is the last we have heard from him. So far he has missed 9 games and counting, as it does not sound as if he is even close to returning.

The question I have is, when and how did he get hurt? I don't expect injury specifics from the team and am surprised we have been given as much as the 'concussion' phrase. But the lack of info coming from the broadcast as well as the print media have me scratching my head. The only logical explanations I can come to as to what has happened are that he either got hurt before or during the San Jose game and played through any discomfort he was having, he injured himself the following day during the 'light' practice session, or that he injured himself away from the rink. Now seeing how the Wild were in the middle of a road-trip, I find it hard to believe that this was caused by anything that happened on-ice. I say this because first off, there would have been something written or said about an 'incident' that would have had to occur to produce concussion symptoms. The games and practices were all covered by the broadcast crews as well as the beat writers. And secondly, as I said earlier, he not only played over 23 minutes against the Sharks, the last game he played in, but also logged as much ice-time in a game two days earlier against the Canucks.

For a group of reporters that brought us the info on a broken toe and a partially or fully torn ACL, there is not much coming out on Burns...and that has me worried. I guess until I hear different, I'm not buying what little we are being told.

Gaborik returns

After only appearing in 6 games, Minnesota Wild star forward finally returned to action today in the Wild's 3-0 victory over the Oilers. His impact was better than expected and we can see why he is referred to as an 'elite' player in this league, when healthy. He was obviously not up to speed, as he has always amazed fans with his ability to blow by opponents. But his hands seem to be there already, as he made several good plays down around the net and had several chances to get in on the scoring. The most impressive part was that Gaborik lasted over 17 minutes on the ice, good for 24 shifts. To be honest, there was definitely some rust to his game but overall the team had to be pleased with the way that he played.

I have hammered Gaborik pretty hard. First I dismayed that he could turn down what was reportedly a very fair contract extension before the season began, or early into it. Then I was puzzled about his decision to undergo a surgical procedure when it was clear that the Wild organization did not support that decision. Finally I was dumbfounded when I find out that during his rehab following that procedure, he did not even have time to follow and watch his teams progress.

Well today all is forgotten, for the moment, as Gaborik finally returned to the ice. Fans were ecstatic upon hearing the he would be in the starting lineup today. It was if there never was any Gaborik scuttlebutt. Unfortunately for the Wild, the facts remain the same however...he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at seasons end. Losing him for nothing, letting him walk away, would mean that this team will be without an elite player for years to come. No, he is not a player to build around, such as the way a team would build around Mikko Koivu. But he is the type of player that brings to the team a certain dynamic that is only seen in the leagues top players. These type of players are not found on the waiver wire, teams are very seldom the beneficiaries of top-flight elite players in a trade, and you don't just pick them up as an unrestricted free agent, as could be the case for some team this off-season. Through the draft is the way teams acquire such a player.

Nolan continues to amaze

He certainly has to be one of GM Doug Risebrough's top off-season signee's. His grit and determination are not only huge for this particular Wild team, they are downright heroic. Word is that he has been playing with a broken bone in his foot but you would never know it. And check the team stats...and after todays 2 goal performance, this veteran is leading the team with 22 goals. Not bad for a player who was probably acquired almost as an afterthought when considering scoring.