Murray `playing doctor'

Here was reporters’ exchange with Terry Murray this morning, regarding Ryan Smyth’s new injury timetable…

Question: On Smyth’s timetable, is it still four weeks from the time of the injury?

MURRAY: “Four to six weeks.”

Question: Four to six? I don’t recall the “six”…

MURRAY: “Well, here it is today. It’s four to six weeks. It will be a minimum of four weeks. I didn’t hear the announcement on the first one [estimate], but it is a minimum of four weeks from the time the injury happened.”

Question: Knowing that you have that week off, in a couple weeks, are you more likely to have him sit out and give him that extra week, rather than maybe just come back for one game?

MURRAY: “As soon as he is cleared to play, he is going into the lineup, whether it’s one game or two games. The sooner the better, for the team, for him. He’s anxious. He’s out there, and he’s almost doing a little too much when he does get on the ice in the `public skating’ sessions. We’re all eager to get him back and get him ready to go.”

Question: Inititally it was four weeks, and now it’s four weeks. This is a change?

MURRAY: “This is a change. Four to six weeks.”

Question: Because?

MURRAY: “Because I’m playing doctor. I want to make sure that he’s 100 percent on this. There’s no way that players need to go back in if they’re not cleared and ready to get going. It will be four weeks, minimum, before he’s going to get cleared.”

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