EuroVision: Highlights, notes, tweets and photos from across the pond — where the lockout doesn’t quite translate
It’s the worst-case scenario for a player heading overseas with the intention of getting his body and his game in peak form for when the North American game returns: He flies home worse for wear.
What if this whole lockout mess gets settled and we learn that the NHL puck will be dropping without one of its biggest stars?
But let’s not jump to conclusions yet.
Philadelphia Flyers star Claude Giroux is leaving Germany Wednesday and heading back to the U.S. for further medical testing after suffering a hit to the head in a game Friday, reports Flyers writer Bill Meltzer.
@linushugosson The official word the other day was “neck stinger” (AKA spinal cord compression with pain/numbness felt in the neck).
— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) November 20, 2012
Giroux’s agent Pat Brisson tells Daily News he is visiting Dr. Ted Carrick in Atlanta, same doc who treated Sidney Crosby’s concussion.
— Frank Seravalli (@DNFlyers) November 20, 2012
Brisson also says Giroux seeing Dr. Carrick is a “precaution” and that they “don’t believe it’s serious.”
— Frank Seravalli (@DNFlyers) November 20, 2012
Giroux left Friday’s loss to the Krefeld Penguins on his own power and sat out Sunday’s game. Giroux’s agent, Pat Brisson, told the New Jersey-based Courier-Post his client suffered a “very minor upper-body injury” earlier this week, but the NHL 13 cover boy is flying to Atlanta to be evaluated.
In his nine games with the Berlin Polar Bears, playing alongside Philly teammate Danny Briere, Giroux has scored four goals and 15 assists.
German hockey writer Oliver Koch told Broadstreet Hockey that Giroux’s Berlin club sent video of the hit, which went unpenalized, to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga for review.
Claude Giroux is flying to north america on Wednesday to get tested because of his injury following the Krefeld game on Friday.#nopenalty
— Eisbären Berlin-DG(@Eisbaeren_B) November 20, 2012
During the Flyers’ 2012 Eastern Conference semifinal, Giroux – then the playoffs’ leading scorer — was banned for what turned out to be the series’ decisive Game 5 after delivering a hit to the head of New Jersey Devils centre Dainius Zubrus.
Dear Claude, please get well and come back soon!!! Yours sincerely Eisbären Berlin @28cgiroux #del #lockoutproblems
— Eisbären Berlin-DG(@Eisbaeren_B) November 20, 2012
Rick Nash scored a burly breakaway goal for HC Davos in their Swiss-league game versus Ambri-Piotta over the weekend.
Feel free to fast-forward to the 2:15 mark and watch as the New York Rangers forward charges toward the net full-tilt, only to get rammed from behind, crash into the goaltender, dislodge the net, and still score.
Take it to the hole, Nash:
Sweden’s Erik Karlsson has been playing for the Helsinki-based Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League, but much like his fellow countryman (and fellow 2011-12 NHL award-winner for being the best at his position) Henrik Lundqvist, Karlsson would prefer to be playing in Sweden’s top league.
Karlsson is on a month-to-month deal in Finland and will have to decide if he stays with Jokerit into December.
Karlsson would still like to play for Frölunda but can’t: “I don’t understand why [SEL] made that decision” Jokerit C ends nxt week. Via SVT
— Matias Strozyk (@MaStrozyk) November 19, 2012
Chicago Blackhawks forward Viktor Stalberg isn’t the first locked-out NHLer to switch European leagues this season.
Like Alexander Semin, Chris Stewart and Wayne Simmonds before him, Stalberg is headed to a fresh city on his backpack tour through Europe.
Time to try something new! Just boarded plane to Moscow!
— Viktor Stalberg (@VStalberg) November 19, 2012
After scoring 12 points in 11 games for Vastra Frolunda HC of his native Swedish league, Stalberg is set to join the KHL’s Atlant Moscow, writer Andrey Osadchenko tweeted Sunday. Atlant is already home to Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Fedor Tyutin in addition to former NHL players Nikolay Zherdev and Sandis Ozolinsh.
Not a good start! None of my bags got here! #needatranslator
— Viktor Stalberg (@VStalberg) November 20, 2012
Evgeni Malkin isn’t just one of the Kontinental hockey Leagues’ most dangerous weapons, he is also “the most eligible bachelor in Russia,” according to this OK! cover line.
Take a number, ladies:
NHL goaltenders have had the most difficult time finding (and keeping) work overseas, but things could be turning around.
As reported yesterday, Vancouver Canucks goalie Cory Schneider is looking at Switzerland. And now one half of the St. Louis Blues’ stellar tandem looks to be KHL-bound:
As I know, #blues Jaroslav Halak will sign with Spartak Moscow.
— Pavel Lysenkov (@plysenkov) November 20, 2012
As more players compete overseas, naturally more players are getting banged up overseas:
Brooks Laich returned to WSH to treat adductor muscle issues. Swiss media reports that he will return to Kloten at end of week. #NHLCaps
— Szymon Szemberg (@Sz1909_Szemberg) November 19, 2012
And the New York Rangers’ Carl Hagelin will not return to Sweden to play for SSK, reports to Expressen. Hagelin is rehabbing his shoulder in New York.
Is this what it means to cut out the cancers in the game of hockey?
This was in our dressing room in Scotland this past weekend. #IceHockey twitter.com/BizNasty2point…
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) November 19, 2012
And journalist Szymon Szemberg gives the Twitter world a little EuroVision throwback:
I have Tretiak here. He says: My most emotional game: Game 1, 72-series, My best game: ’75 New Year’s Eve 3-3 vs #Habs – so now you know.
— Szymon Szemberg (@Sz1909_Szemberg) November 20, 2012