Pronger injury reignites visor debate

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The Philadelphia Daily News writes that the thing that is hard to forget is the panic. Chris Pronger is as confident a player, on the ice and with the media, as any of us has seen - any sport, any time, not an exaggeration. Then the stick hit him in the eye, a follow-through of a shot by Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski, and the reaction was so hard to process.

Pronger covered his face immediately. Then he got to his feet and was so frantically assisted from the ice. That was the thing. There was Pronger, whose game is about size and strength and snarl, about body positioning and economy of movement and the restoring of order. At the times when he has not calculated the need for some physical agitation, the man oozes control. He dictates to the opponent and the game, not the other way around.

You see him as the other team gathers itself on a rush and you see that he has sized up what is happening at ice level even as you work to figure it out with the benefit of seeing the play develop from high above. He makes the right decision an uncanny percentage of the time. With a single, long stride, or a quick poke of his stick, or a smooth, insistent body check, he so often smothers the moment. He is just so calm.

But there Pronger was, suddenly, running. Running on skates. His face covered, his feet moving, his manner so unsettling, so frantic. It was not him. It is horrifying to watch a player like that but, somehow, this was even worse because of who it was. Pronger sprinted through the gate and up the tunnel and seemed so panicked, so frightened, so unbalanced, hands over his eye, running, hobbling, that it appeared as if he was going to fall.

That was the last we saw. And even after word reached reporters that the hope is that Pronger will be fine, you could only wonder:

What kind of horrible, terrifying incident is it going to have to take for the NHL and its union to mandate that players wear visors?

What kind of unspeakable tragedy?

"When Chris comes back, he'll be wearing a visor," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "We made it mandatory in the American Hockey League. To me, it's not an issue - players should wear them. Obviously, some of these guys have been around a long time and for whatever reason they don't want to wear one.

"I think the improvements with the visor over the last number of years, compared to what it was 10 or 15 years ago, are tremendous. Other than getting a little sweat on there sometimes, or maybe a little water, I don't think the visor is a big issue."

It was last night, though.

And how many more nights?

The Daily News continues that the news on Pronger does not sound alarming, but it is not definitive, either. Holmgren said there is a cut on the outside of Pronger's right eye. He will be on bed rest for 3 or 4 days while the accompanying swelling comes down. Only then will the doctors be able to tell exactly what they are dealing with.

The hope is that it is nothing serious or complicated, and that Pronger will be back in a couple of weeks. According to Holmgren, the vision was blurred in the eye but never gone completely.

And, so, they wait - as does a league that seems to believe that there is no need to force players to do something that most of them will end up doing anyway. But every time something like this happens, the need for action just seems so obvious. They have mandated helmets for 3 decades now, and this is the logical extension.

Of the 20 skaters the Flyers are currently lugging around - 18 dressed last night, plus Andreas Nodl and Andreas Lilja - 15 wear visors. By most accountings, a significant majority of NHL players wear them. And why wouldn't they? After all, they grew up wearing visors or full shields or cages or some combination thereof as kids. They're required in the AHL. They're required in international competition if you were born after Dec. 31, 1974. Because of that rule, at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Pronger was the only player on the gold medal-winning team from Canada not wearing a visor.

Now we will see if Pronger will change his mind and maybe acknowledge the risks just aren't worth it anymore.

"I'm not sure our doctor would clear Chris to play if he wasn't wearing a visor," Holmgren said. "I think Chris was really scared by this incident here tonight. I would like to believe that he would want to wear one."

Chris Pronger, scared. The words do not belong in the same sentence.

The Ottawa Citizen says Daniel Alfredsson doesn’t want it to become a chronic injury that will bother him all season. And, neither, obviously, does the team.

So the Senators captain will not play against the Carolina Hurricanes tonight after tweaking his hip during the pregame warmup to Thursday’s game against Winnipeg.

Over the next few days, the pain got progressively worse.

So the 38-year-old Alfredsson figures if he takes a couple of days off now, it’ll keep him from being a regular on the injury list.

“I’m feeling OK,” he said.

“The last four or five days, I’ve started to feel my hip flexor get weaker and weaker. So it’s at a point where if I look after this now, it won’t become more of an issue.

“I think if I get a few days here, I’ll be good to go Thursday (against the Florida Panthers).”

Alfredsson said right now it’s just an issue of “wear and tear.”

He said once he gets warmed up during games and the adrenalin starts flowing, he doesn’t feel it much. But he does feel it the next day.

“It’s nothing major and I want to keep it that way,” he said.

To take his spot, the Senators recalled Kaspars Daugavins from Binghamton.

It was somewhat of a surprise that Nikita Filatov wasn’t the one who was recalled, but Daugavins had a good training camp and hung in until the very end before being sent to Binghantom.

“I think he’s real close,” said coach Paul MacLean. “Every team in the league needs depth players, but you can’t keep everyone. It’s just the way it goes.”

Daugavins, 23, has had four goals and two assists in seven games with Binghamton.

“I was hoping I’d get called up, but I knew it was only going to be if I played well in Binghamton,” he said. “I had a pretty good start so there was a little bit of hope that I might be called up.

“I didn’t expect to be called up this soon, but I’m kind of lucky I’m up here.

“It’s great to be back. It’s just another chance to show that I can play and hopefully stay here.”

The Vancouver Province points out that like anybody in any trade, David Booth comes to the Canucks with some baggage. Acquired along with Steven Reinprecht and a third-round 2013 draft choice for Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm, the 6-foot, 212 pound winger had one assist in six games with the Panthers this season and was a minus-6 as a third-line performer.

Last season, he had 23 goals but was also a minus-31 and seemed far removed from the 31 goals he scored in 2008-09. Booth has also had two serious concussions — Oct. 24, 2009 and March 25, 2010 — and is under contract for three more seasons at $4.25 million US. If Booth scores 25 to 30 goals this season, he’ll be toasted. Under 20 and he might get roasted.

“I feel I can get back there and even higher, said Booth. “I know I have to be better. I hold myself to my highest expectations and that’s higher than what anybody else expects. That’s something I’ve always done. I’m a very positive guy. I don’t really get down and this is nothing but positive for me and I know God has a plan for me and this is part of it.”

The obvious plan is to give the Canucks a second strong wave of attack (he'll play with Ryan Kesler and Chris Higgins), play on a revolving second power-play unit on Tuesday in Edmonton and don’t worry so much about those bloated plus-minus statistics.

“I had been out there for so many empty-net goals because in Florida you’re down a lot and we were in so many one-goal games,” he recalled. “But they are excuses. I should be putting the puck in more.”

Now with Booth here, Cody Hodgson will centre Manny Malhotra and Jannik Hansen on the third line.

“When you’ve got two lines that can produce and two others wearing down the opposition and spending time in their end, it makes it a lot more challenging for the opposition,” said Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. “That’s what we’re hoping to get.”

Maybe Kesler put it best about the sense of anticipation that the Canucks can ice a productive second line regardless of how Mason Raymond recovers from his vertebrae compression fracture.

“It’s another element,” said Kesler. “It’s only going to make us better and hopefully we get the chemistry going and use our speed. From A to B, he [Booth] can move. I picked up a couple of things in practice already.”

The Raleigh News & Observer indicates that Eric Staal is doing all he can to keep his mind clear, his concentration keen and his play consistently good.

That said, it has been tough at times for the Carolina Hurricanes captain. Eight games into the season, Staal seemingly hasn't fully found his stride or gotten into a good rhythm for the Canes (3-3-2), who will host the Ottawa Senators (3-5-0) tonight.

Staal has three goals, all on power plays, and one assist. His minus-10 rating is the lowest in the NHL.

Regardless of the forwards placed on his line, Staal has not yet developed the same feel and chemistry he had last season when Erik Cole was on his right wing. Coach Paul Maurice has tried Jeff Skinner and Alexei Ponikarovsky on the left side. He has tried Tuomo Ruutu and Chad LaRose on the right.

At practice Monday, Ruutu was back on Staal's right wing after being switched to Jussi Jokinen's line - and scoring a goal - during the Canes' 5-3 loss Saturday at Winnipeg. Ponikarovsky remained the left wing.

But, the article continues, one also has to wonder if Staal is being affected by the troubling post-concussion symptoms that have kept his brother, defenseman Marc Staal, out of the New York Rangers' lineup this season.

It was Eric Staal who slammed into Marc along the boards in a Feb. 22 game at the RBC Center, giving Marc a concussion. Marc Staal did play in the Rangers' stretch run and in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but he could not shake the post-concussion symptoms during summer workouts or in training camp.

On Saturday, at the Canes' hotel in Winnipeg, Eric Staal picked up the sports section of The Globe & Mail newspaper to see a large color photo of the hit. The story's headline was "Blood Brothers: Marc Staal hasn't played since Eric gave him a concussion."

Another reminder.

"It wasn't what I was expecting when I opened up the paper," Staal said Monday. "You don't go to Canada very often and see something like that in the Globe & Mail."

Of the play, Staal said, "It's still hard to swallow. If you could take the hit back, you kind of would because it's my brother and someone I've very close to.

"But it happened. It's one of those plays you move forward from. He is and so am I."

Maurice said he has not sensed that Marc Staal's lingering health problems off the ice have influenced Eric's play on it.

"Over the course of Eric's career he's dealt with some very serious family issues and he's dealt with them very well," Maurice said. "It was a hockey play, a clean play. I'm sure he has that concern as you would for a family member, and he feels for him as a professional hockey player, but he certainly has not let on that it's bothering him."

Staal insisted again Monday that once the puck drops, it's all about the hockey.

"That's out of my mind," Staal said. "I still want to be aggressive and be physical. It's just one of those things that's very unfortunate."

The Denver Post describes how they met at neutral ice, surrounded by fellow coaches and teammates during "playtime" after a tough practice Monday. With small games forming at both ends of the rink, Avalanche center Matt Duchene called for the informal meeting with coach Joe Sacco in front of the scorer's table.

Sacco was eager to listen and ultimately explain why he demoted his young star to the fourth line in Colorado's last game.

"I just went up to him and apologized. I also apologized to my teammates," Duchene said from his locker room stall after the meeting. "I'm still young, and I make a lot of mistakes and I'm not playing to my capability right now."

Duchene, 20, played a season-low 11:35 in Saturday's 5-4 shootout victory at Chicago, mostly centering the fourth line with wingers Jay McClement and Cody McLeod​. Duchene has only one goal and three assists in eight games after leading the Avs with 67 points last season (27 goals) as a second-year pro.

"I've been notorious for slow starts, and I've tried everything to avoid that, but all I can do is continue to work hard," said Duchene, who had only two goals in his first 20 games last season. "I get into a habit of overthinking things instead of going out and just playing, having fun and doing what got me here. I think that's the basic problem for me.

"Good news is, we're just eight games in. The better news is, we're 6-2."

Sacco was not made available to the media Monday. Duchene said he didn't hesitate to reach out to the third-year Avs coach whose tenure with the organization coincides with his.

"Joe, he's a guy who is constantly talking to us about stuff, one-on-one, so why can't it be the other way around, right?" Duchene said. "So I saw him this morning and told him I wanted to talk after practice. We got things out in the open. It's nothing bad. We're 6-2. It's not like we're 2-6 and I've been brutal.

"We'll be OK, I'll be OK. The offensive production is a byproduct of everything else and I think I've been skipping some little steps to get me there. I'm not worried about it.

"Do I have some work to do? Yeah. But I've been on the fourth line four or five times in my three years here. It's something I've always worked my way out of, and I'll do it again."

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that center Evgeni Malkin is with the Penguins in New York and could possibly make his return to the lineup tonight against the Islanders.

Malkin hasn't played since Oct. 13 because of a sore knee. He practiced with the Penguins on Monday, marking the seventh time in eight days he has skated. Malkin appeared to get through yesterday's 60-minute workout with no sign of discomfort.

"(Malkin) is still not ruled in or out for (today's) game," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said.

Malkin has scored one goal and three assists in three games this season. He skated on a line with left wing Steve Sullivan and right wing James Neal during yesterday's workout.

The Los Angeles Times relays that wearing the yellow jersey, signaling no contact, marked Drew Doughty's moving one step closer to full-time duties patrolling the blue line.

Doughty practiced with his Kings teammates Monday in El Segundo, and there were indications he could return to the lineup this weekend.

"I was very encouraged to see him out there with the team today," Coach Terry Murray said. "There was no contact on him, and that's the way it will probably be for another few days."

The prized defenseman suffered an injury to his right shoulder during a game at Philadelphia on Oct. 15.

"I really wanted to test it out there today, but they sent me out there with no contact," Doughty said. "At the same time, it's a good thing I'm not rushing back. … You don't want to injure it and make it worse and be out for months."

The Kings are at Phoenix on Saturday and at Colorado on Sunday. Murray didn't think Doughty needed contact in practice before getting the green light to return, but Doughty thought testing it that way might be a good thing for him.

"I think it's something I definitely need, because you kind of need to test it before you get in a game," he said. "Because if I throw one cross-check or something like that and it's not comfortable anymore. ... I definitely need to get some practices in with contact before I play."

The Orange County Register writes that Devante Smith-Pelly knows it is out of his hands, but there isn't a question of where he wants to be by the end of this week.

No offense to the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors, but he hopes his days in junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey League juggernaut and Memorial Cup contender are over.

"This is my goal," the Ducks' 19-year-old right wing said. "I really had no intentions of going back to Mississauga. My goal is to be here and stay here. That's been my goal since right after the Mem Cup ended.

"I don't know how close I am to being here full-time. I'm just trying to make it hard on management to make a decision on me."

Smith-Pelly won a spot on the third line out of training camp because of his physical play and responsible work in his end. The Ducks' second-round pick in 2010 has stood out on some nights — and not so much on others.

But the Ducks face a decision on whether to keep him as Smith-Pelly will play his ninth game Thursday at Minnesota. Saturday's game at Nashville would start his NHL clock toward free agency as he signed an entry-level deal last December.

If the Ducks do send him back to Mississauga, Smith-Pelly would not be able to return to the Ducks until after the Majors' season is over, but Coach Randy Carlyle casually noted the club might not be worried about burning a season on the contract.

"I think there's a misconception that he has to go back," Carlyle said. "So there's always this barrier that's put on the 10-game mark to save the organization a year before free agency. Let's wipe that out.

"We try to do an analysis. Is he making a contribution to our group? He's been a steady player. He's had some up and downs. He's been in some situations where he does excel at if he stays on the body and plays that neat and tidy game."

Smith-Pelly, a low-key native of Scarborough, Ontario, said he hasn't been given a definitive answer from the Ducks one way or the other as far as whether he will stay.

"He doesn't really care about burning a year or whatever the rule is," Smith-Pelly said. "He said as long as I deserve to be here, I'll be here."

The New York Post believes that what the Islanders said yesterday and what they feel tonight when the puck drops against the Penguins at the Coliseum might be two separate sentiments.

“For me, it’s not even a rivalry,” coach Jack Capuano told the team’s website after yesterday’s practice. “It’s just another game.”

It might matter a bit more once the boards start rattling and the memory of last Feb. 2 becomes quite a bit clearer.

That was the game last season when the Islanders and Penguins got into a brawl, resulting in 346 combined penalty minutes and Islanders franchise goalie Rick DiPietro taking a left hook from Penguins’ netminder Brent Johnson, breaking an orbital bone in DiPietro’s face.

“We have to concentrate and play our game,” captain Mark Streit told the website. “We can’t have any frustrations in us. The most important thing is to win [tonight].”

The Tampa Tribune details how decision day looms for Lightning rookie Brett Connolly, and that has many asking: Should he stay or should he go?

The sixth overall pick in the 2010 draft will play in his ninth game of the season tonight as Tampa Bay opens a two-game trip at Buffalo. After that, the Lightning must decide if the 19-year-old is ready to stay with the big club for the remainder of the season or send him back to his junior team, Prince George of the Western Hockey League.

Once Connolly plays a 10th game — whenever that is — the clock starts ticking on the three-year entry-level deal he signed in July. He could still be reassigned to junior at any point after the 10th game.

"Every day we pile on the pluses and the minuses concerning his future and concerning our future and there has to be somewhere in there, something that tells us that both can be combined for this year for us to keep him,'' Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "Up to now he has shown us enough stuff that he can play with the better offensive players on our team.''

Coaches often look to see if a player — let alone a rookie — drops off in his level of play beyond the first few games. To this point, Connolly's game has not dipped, but Boucher said that's not an issue at this point when it comes to deciding whether he will stay.

Through eight games, Connolly has two assists, leads all rookies with a plus-4 rating and his 17 shots on goal rank fourth among rookies. In Saturday's game against Buffalo, he had a team-high seven shots.

"The dipping thing with him right now is not an issue, it's can he sustain it and that's very hard to do because it's a projection,'' Boucher said. "You think you are making the right projection and then three months down the road, whoops, it's the wrong one. Or, you can be misled … so projections are very hard to predict and that's why we are very, very cautious. We don't want to be overwhelmed by the good things he does or too disappointed by the things he has to learn. I think right now we've clearly stated that it's a very difficult choice we are going to have to make.

"He'll be in the game (tonight) and then after that I guess (we'll see).''

Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman indicated he has a strong idea of what the team might do regarding Connolly's immediate future, but with one more game still remaining before the decision has to be made, he's not ready to offer the verdict.

"The two biggest factors are, first, what is best for Brett Connolly long term and his development,'' Yzerman said. "Number two is, what is the right thing to do for our team this year, and they kind of go hand-in-hand. And as I've said before, if he is a contributor on our team, he makes us better and it's best for his career and his development, then we'll keep him.''

Junebug: "Chris, Great to be back in season again and reading your insightful columns. Thanks for all you do.

Have Getlaf, Kopitar, St. Louis, Neal and Kesler are 4 or 5 of my regular starters(we start 6 weekly). Derek Roy, Cammalleri, Prospal, Krejci, Clowe are my fringe forwards at this point. Goalies are Howard, Brodeur, and Roloson(start 2 weekly). D-men are Green and Enstrom. Seasonal points only league....3pts per goal, 2pts per assist, +1pt for PPG, goalie stats are wins(6pts) and shutouts(+6pts).

Free agents available are Versteeg, Pominville, Hejduk, Arnott, Seguin, Lucic and Morrow at forward, Pronger, Wideman, Souray, Pitkanen, Campbell at D.

Should I drop any players for available free agents? Also should I be looking at Garon, with Roloson looking so sieve like, with Tampa giving up so many shots per game(3rd most in NHL)? Could he supplant Roloson? Thanks again."

Chris: Thanks. With Brodeur out for the time being and Garon starting over Roloson for now, it'd make sense to get Garon to fill your second active slot. For the time being and with so few forwards really needed, you could drop Krejci. He'll be fine overall, but you just don't need him.

I like Enstrom quite a bit, but you could sub him out for Wideman. I'd also keep Souray in the back of your mind with goals being weighted so heavily. Since Green is injured right now and his status is up in the air, you may want to just add Wideman (you could do without Cammalleri) and roll with Wideman/ Enstrom until Green is a go for sure.

Jeffrey: "In a CBS H2H non-keeper league (Forwards G=3, A=2, +/-, PIM=.25, PPG=2, SHG=1, Defense G=5, A=3, +/-, PIM=.25, PPG=2, SHG=1) I have been offered either Getzlaf or Kesler and either Corvo or Zidlicky for D.Keith.

The Keith of two years ago (3.3ppg) is more valuable in this format than either Getzlaf (3ppg) or Kesler (3ppg). The Keith of last year (1.9ppg) was not worth owning in any format. Question is, which Keith shows up this year?

I lean towards accepting this trade and I lean towards Getzlaf and Corvo.

Your thoughts? Thanks man!"

Chris: I think Keith will be pretty solid overall, but I also expect good things from Corvo as the year progresses and Getzlaf is Getzlaf. I'm with you. I'd take the deal.

Napoli Not in A Jays Uniform: "Chris, Wow, what a crazy injury to Pronger.

I have to find a replacement for him, I think I'm going to pick up Edler however Karlsson, Myers and Pietrangelo are available. It's a H2H league which counts G, A, +/-, PPPs, SOG and PIMs. I need to drop one of: Kulemin, J Staal, E Kane, JVR, Ribeiro, Hemsky and Johansson. Who do you suggest?"

Chris: You could likely get away with dropping Johansson, who is off to a good start and on a good line, or Evander Kane - who has struggled but may be showing signs of life. Given the way people tend to be attracted to current stats, I'd likely chance dropping Kane to add the D replacement. Hopefully you have an IR slot when Pronger gets the designation and don't have to just sit him for two or three weeks.

In terms of which d-man to add, I guess Edler is the safest play. Solid team with good +/- potential, No. 1 PP, the Sedins, etc. Karlsson makes a good argument, but the +/- concern with Ottawa's team is a detriment despite his excellent point totals.

Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

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­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.