For Slava Voynov, there’s slow progress. For Simon Gagne, none. Gagne, who suffered a concussion in the Dec. 26 game against Phoenix, will miss a fifth consecutive game tonight and has not been on the ice. Darryl Sutter had no update on Gagne, who had been scheduled to see a doctor on Monday. “I haven’t spoken with him for two or three days,’’ Sutter said today.
Slava Voynov did extensive post-practice conditioning skating but won’t play again tonight because of his upper-body injury. Sutter did leave open the possibility that Voynov might return to practice tomorrow. “He’s out there (skating) fine, and the next step is contact,’’ Sutter said. “If he’s pain-free today, maybe we can, hopefully, take the next step tomorrow.’’
Sutter also noted that Voynov had talked about sore feet, after breaking in a new pair of skates, and joked that Voynov now also has a lower-body injury.
Must be a horrible feeling be a professional athlete who is hurt.
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rontheking Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
@Lake Forest,
It’s even worse to be hurt and NOT be a professional athlete…with my back and shoulder–and the fact that I’m over fifty and have never played ice hockey…it seems as if I am finally going to have to face reality and give up on my dream of playing someday in the NHL….
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Sutter has jokes! GKG
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Hockey & Rocky Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
@KingsFan79, I love it!
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good humor from sutter regarding slava’s “lower body injury”…that was cute
but, unfortunately, there’s nothing funny or cute regarding gagne’s ongoing concussion…we knew before the season that this was a major concern in signing simon…i really hope for the best for him, as it sounds like we are inching closer and closer to not worrying about whether or not he will come back this season…and worrying more about his overall quality of life outside of hockey…
continued best wishes, simon…(!)
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AZ King Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 1:54 pm
@variable,
Definitely not good news in regards to Gagne. Of he was doing any sort of workout UOL might be able to say maybe there’s a chance, but going this long with no improvement definitely pits the rest of the season, if not his career, on jeopardy.
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AZ King Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
dang autocorrect
Should be:
If he was working out, not OF
and UOL should be “you”.
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variable Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
@AZ King,
got it…cool…
Really worried about Gagne. With Slava,I am guessing either bruised ribs or a shoulder.
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I know the pain of breaking in new skates. yuck
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PhillyKing Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
@Mikey, +1 that’s one of the scariest things in hockey… Breaking in new skates. They hurt and I am always afraid I will wipe out because I not used to the new edges yet. Haha
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DesertKing Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
@Mikey,
My wheels keep falling off……….
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pr0cess Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
@DesertKing, your doing it wrong
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Dominick Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
@Mikey, Ask Jeremy Roenick.
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variable Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:40 pm
@Dominick,
hehe…classic…(!)
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Mikey Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
@Dominick, hahahaha
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this Gagne injury sounds like a LTIR waiting to happen. good to hear VV should be back soon.
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Do we know what Voynov’s injury is? I haven’t heard the word “concussion” used, so maybe it’s just a shoulder?
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AZ King Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
@Kevin,
I agree with DesertKing above, probably a bruised shoulder or ribs. Similar to what DD had ealier this season.
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I like the humor at the end… not sure TM had a sense of humor. From his public persona of course.
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This ain’t baseball
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The little Russians comin along at least. Richards had sometime where he didn’t even skate, and he’s back. Hopefully Gags will comeback in a few weeks. We’re all pullin for ya Gagne! Relax, and comeback to us healthy.
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Gagne’s injury was I can’t put the puck in the net syndrome and it went to his head. Haha. Another great move by big Dean. Even when he was playing he had not scored in like 17 games. Hard to say they miss him
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BringbackButchGoring Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
@Alan, Really, so at the time we traded for Penner and he already had 20 plus goals for crappy Oilers, you thought that was a bad signing? I wish people would quit bagging on DL for moves that, in hindsight, may look bad but at the time most people agreed with. How the trade for MR work out for you? How about Willie Mitchell? Gagne was a great signing at the time the deal was reached…Oh yeah and you should also consider the moves you thought were lousy that turned out great, like a certain coach he just hired…
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Alan Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
@BringbackButchGoring, Never liked the Penner trade or the Smyth trade both were stupid and I said that when they were made so yes I stand by it. Gagne’s last good year was 08/09. Penner is a slug and I knew that. It’s Dl’s team so he will get the blame. Glad you like him I don’t. If your happy with his job then so be it I’m not.
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BringbackButchGoring Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
@Alan, As a lifelong fan, it’s hard not to be happy with back to back 100 point seasons plus I think this season we make some noise in the playoffs. Not sure that would have been accomplished without DL, for all of your criticisms.
KingMe20 Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 5:11 pm
@BringbackButchGoring,
Don’t forget Scuds. Between he and Mitchell, we have a couple of the best PK defensemen in the NHL.
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JD Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
@Alan, ummm ya, that was real funny
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Someone, anyone! Please explain to me if we know Gagne is out for the min of 21 days. Then if Voynov out for a few games why didn’t they put him on the ir and call up a forward from Man and see what we got down there?
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Any new developments on Bernie Nicholl’s involvement with Kings offense today?
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Dominick Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:50 pm
@jess, He told them to carry the puck to the other end, and put it in the net.
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jess Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
@Dominick,
Why has no one thought to say that?
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Dominick Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
@jess, Because Murray told them for 3 years to take it to center ice and throw it behind the net. he he he
jess Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:14 pm
@Dominick,
I am very proud of you for saying that, but I can think of one blogger who may be even more proud!
mcsorleyfan Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 12:46 am
@jess, I’m @puck73, and I approve this message!
I am starting to get worried about Gagne’s injury. First and foremost I hope he gets better soon. From the hockey POV, thats alot of offensive firpower and cap space sitting on the shelf. It leaves a big hole at wing, where we are weak anyways. I hope DL has something up his sleeves!
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Dominick Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
@tornado12, Hard situation for sure. Can’t even use the capspace to get another player, which means if DL does anything, he will have to do it without being able to adjust Gagne’s salary, and find the room elsewhere. And that’s if Gagne isn’t coming back, which no one has anyway of knowing right now.
.
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California Royalty Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
@Dominick, If he’s put on long term IR, likely ending his season, his cap is waived. Don’t quote me on that, but I’m almost certain that’s an option. Hope all is well Dom.
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Dominick Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:17 pm
@California Royalty, I was thinking the same thing, and thats why I said nobody knows if he could even comeback yet. Its got me tied up in knots. I don’t want to lose him, then find out we could of used him, but I don’t want to wait just to lose him anyways.
Those kind of injuries could stay the same for months, or like Richards, Mitchell, or DD clear up with a little time off.
Love gameday. GO KINGS GO!!!
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If it is deemed his 2nd official concussion, and after his 21 days, couldn’t the Kings shelf him for the season and do what PHI did with Pronger, meaning having his salary not count against the cap hit? I’m not hoping Gags is out for the year, but as was previously mentioned, he wasn’t exactly lighting up the score sheet, or anything else for that matter, so why not bring up some kid and frere up the cap hit? Just a suggestion.
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rick Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
@Stuart, I have the gut feeling we are not going to see Gagne for a long while. If that is the case, your suggestion makes perfect sense. His absence would leave us woefully thin at wing (where we are already subpar even with him), and something would have to be done.
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Breaking in new skates sucks! Put those rascals in the oven.
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Like the dmen pairings…put your worst defensive offensive dman (JJ) with your worst defensive defensive dman (Greenie) as your 3rd pair. Ideal for your special team rotation also…JJ is on the 1st unit PP and Greenie is on the 1st unit PK.
I like Willie/Martinez much better than Willie/Slava.
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