Zetterberg out with herniated disc

[msdos 3]

I agree. I'm actually glad this whole thing is behind us now. No more speculation on what's wrong with him and we can move forward. I think Z should just take the year off. We're not going to win the cup anyway so just rest and come back fully rested and healthy for the start of 2014. I'm glad his career isn't in danger and we can still get a few more good years from the captain.

A discectomy for a herniated disc does not mean that his career isnt in danger. Z will always be in danger of hurting his back again especially because they had to conduct the surgery. The surgery relieved the pain and got rid of the bad disc, but it also has the potential of causing problems to the surrounding discs in the spine. Knowing Z tho he wouldnt mind sticking it through till the end of his career.

Main point tho, I agree, the problem at hand was solved and i'm glad. But all we can do is pray the future problems dont arise during his hockey career (they probably will eventually)

Edited February 21, 2014 by msdos

[Wheelchairsuperhero 1,453]

Thank god it is done with - I feel much better knowing he received immediate care and won't do further damage to try to rescue an already poor season. Let the kids develop in the meantime and go all in next year. Simple as that.

Totally agree. I do hope Datsyuk is healthy though and shows that he can put the team on his back too.

[hooon 1,089]

Best of luck in the coming months of recovery for Z.

Seems like the surgery went as well as it possibly could have, and they found what was wrong and fixed him. I even read that Z will be up and walking TODAY, which seems remarkable.

Scary that our playoff hopes might hinge on.... Stephen Weiss... of all players. We need him to come back healthy and rejuvenated and actually have an impact in the games.

I know Pavel will be Pavel, just have to hope all the injury trouble is behind him. It will be an interesting race, that's for sure.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

At this point all I care about is his healt. Glad, like others mentioned this has been done away with. Take the season off Z and come back fully healthy and recovered next year.

Play the young guns and see where it goes, we wouldn't have won the cup anyway this year. If the streak ends so be it.

[SimonSin 192]

A discectomy for a herniated disc does not mean that his career isnt in danger. Z will always be in danger of hurting his back again especially because they had to conduct the surgery. The surgery relieved the pain and got rid of the bad disc, but it also has the potential of causing problems to the surrounding discs in the spine. Knowing Z tho he wouldnt mind sticking it through till the end of his career.

Main point tho, I agree, the problem at hand was solved and i'm glad. But all we can do is pray the future problems dont arise during his hockey career (they probably will eventually)

Well as of right NOW it doesn't seem like it will be career ending. Of course there is a chance of him having problems again but you can only hope he doesn't. When Crosby was down with concussion many believed that his career was in jeopardy. I'm just saying as of right now the news is pretty good.

[Bully76 34]

Possible silver lining: Z gets healthier, the kids are forced to take on more responsibilities, show their grit from 20 years in Grand Rapids, and the Wings fight into the playoffs and pull an improbable upset of the Pens or Bruins. Yeah I'm hanging my hat on this pipe dream until further notice.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

******* terrible news. I hope he gets better and we are in a playoff spot upon his return so we can make a run.

[Richdg 267]

Rest and get well hank. This season is over, so take it easy. Your long term health is far more important than a hockey season.

[Shaman 713]

This effectively shuts him down for the season. If the 8 weeks (which I had read is the minimum) is right that puts it into the 3rd week of April. That is after the season ends.

[marcaractac 3,960]

From what I saw on twitter earlier, Zetterberg and the team seem optimistic he may get a couple games in before the playoffs. I'd post the actual tweet here, but it was a few hours ago I saw that. Doesn't seem totally impossible. These guys can afford the best doctors and the best treatment, and the surgery seem to have gone as good as it has possibly could.

Whether it be the end of the season, or sometime in the first round of the playoffs, I don't think we've seen the last of Hank for the 2013/2014 campaign. He is a warrior, after all.

[wings_fanatic 677]

Either way I say this to the hockey gods... you best leave our players alone for the next long while because these injuries are just ridiculous!!

[roboturner 562]

Either way I say this to the hockey gods... you best leave our players alone for the next long while because these injuries are just ridiculous!!

You should tell that to our training staff

[Shaman 713]

From what I saw on twitter earlier, Zetterberg and the team seem optimistic he may get a couple games in before the playoffs. I'd post the actual tweet here, but it was a few hours ago I saw that. Doesn't seem totally impossible. These guys can afford the best doctors and the best treatment, and the surgery seem to have gone as good as it has possibly could.

Whether it be the end of the season, or sometime in the first round of the playoffs, I don't think we've seen the last of Hank for the 2013/2014 campaign. He is a warrior, after all.

Without Hank I doubt they make the playoffs. Lets be honest, this team has had problems scoring all season, now they lost their best offensive player.

[marcaractac 3,960]

Without Hank I doubt they make the playoffs. Lets be honest, this team has had problems scoring all season, now they lost their best offensive player.

Getting Datsyuk and Weiss back will help a lot. I do think Weiss will get back to his old self once he gets back in game shape again. With Hank out, a lot has to go right to keep the playoff streak alive. But I do not doubt they can pull it off what so ever. Datsyuk, Weiss, Alfie, Abby, Helm and Gus is a capable top six. Keep the kid line together as the third line, Eaves/Glendening/Miller as the 4th and I think they'll be alright if they can get solid goaltending the rest of the way. Getting Franzen back will help as well. All they gotta do is get in. Having Hank back for the playoffs would be huge.

[ShanahanMan 473]

People seem to forget, besides the back injury, the guy will be 34 next season. Don't expect any stellar numbers, even if his back is better.

[msdos 3]

People seem to forget, besides the back injury, the guy will be 34 next season. Don't expect any stellar numbers, even if his back is better.

Disagree with this completely. He's been better these past two seasons than the previous 4 seasons before that. His points per game has increased and he was on his way to shattering his previous point total record this season had he not gone down with the injury in December. Zetterberg was making headlines mid season due to his point tally and at one point was closing in on Crosby; until the herniated disc occurred. The season numbers speak for themselves and last years run to the playoffs do as well.

The "C" on the jersey has brought us a new Henrik Zetterberg. He is no longer only a "euro twin", he's the leader/veteran of the one of the most successful franchises in NHL and he knows it. He gives it 120% night in and night out because he knows he HAS to. In fact, in one interview earlier this year, he mentioned that part of the reason why he had a good start this season was because he started his training earlier in the summer. That shows commitment and will. I guarantee you he will continue to excel as long as his back allows him to. He knows in his mind he has to continue the Yzerman/Lidstrom leadership in Detroit.

[Dabura 12,206]

Getting Datsyuk and Weiss back will help a lot. I do think Weiss will get back to his old self once he gets back in game shape again. With Hank out, a lot has to go right to keep the playoff streak alive. But I do not doubt they can pull it off what so ever. Datsyuk, Weiss, Alfie, Abby, Helm and Gus is a capable top six. Keep the kid line together as the third line, Eaves/Glendening/Miller as the 4th and I think they'll be alright if they can get solid goaltending the rest of the way. Getting Franzen back will help as well. All they gotta do is get in. Having Hank back for the playoffs would be huge.

Ah, but you're assuming we'll be mostly healthy.

[Dabura 12,206]

Disagree with this completely. He's been better these past two seasons than the previous 4 seasons before that. His points per game has increased and he was on his way to shattering his previous point total record this season had he not gone down with the injury in December. Zetterberg was making headlines mid season due to his point tally and at one point was closing in on Crosby; until the herniated disc occurred. The season numbers speak for themselves and last years run to the playoffs do as well.

The "C" on the jersey has brought us a new Henrik Zetterberg. He is no longer only a "euro twin", he's the leader/veteran of the one of the most successful franchises in NHL and he knows it. He gives it 120% night in and night out because he knows he HAS to. In fact, in one interview earlier this year, he mentioned that part of the reason why he had a good start this season was because he started his training earlier in the summer. That shows commitment and will. I guarantee you he will continue to excel as long as his back allows him to. He knows in his mind he has to continue the Yzerman/Lidstrom leadership in Detroit.

I don't think anyone here is going to seriously question Z's commitment and ability. The fact is, though, he's 34 and he's got a bad back, bad enough to nag him for most of the season, force him to withdraw from the Olympics, and now put him through surgery. I guess if it were just Z that'd be one thing. But our core is old, injury-prone, and soon to be in decline. And that's not counting the 41-year-old Alfredsson, who's been pretty huge for us.

At the very least, the days of overripening every single one of our prospects should be over. Or we could bring back Cleary, Samuelsson, Bertuzzi, and Quincey and tank for McDavid.

[evilmrt 636]

Update:

“I don’t anticipate he’ll be ready to play in any games of the regular season,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told The Associated Press on Saturday. “I’m hopeful that we can play our way into the playoffs and that he’ll be back, but that’s down the road.”

“In December, when Z was having some issues and we shut him down, we were aware there was a fragment in there. We were hopeful he could get through the season.

“Unfortunately, the fragment lodged itself in a nerve.”

Extremely disappointing management decisions here. From opting to ignore the bone fragment three months ago, to allowing him to go to the Olympics like that....WTF Holland?

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Update:

Extremely disappointing management decisions here. From opting to ignore the bone fragment three months ago, to allowing him to go to the Olympics like that....WTF Holland?

One, it wasn't a bone fragment. Two, unless it was pressing on a nerve there was no reason for him to have the surgery.

[evilmrt 636]

One, it wasn't a bone fragment. Two, unless it was pressing on a nerve there was no reason for him to have the surgery.

Thank you Holland apologist

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Thank you Holland apologist

I have a similar issue. The doctor told me that unless it starts pressing on a nerve, they won't do surgery.

[sjr2012 439]

I think he big question is with Hank out possibly till playoffs or longer do we take advantage trade/ nab someone up since when he returns IF the wings make the playoffs we wont have a cap?

Edited February 22, 2014 by sjr2012

[Shaman 713]

I think he big question is with Hank out possibly till playoffs or longer do we take advantage trade/ nab someone up since when he returns IF the wings make the playoffs we wont have a cap?

No one high profile is available, and the mid-tier guys will, like the last few seasons, require selling the farm. I think the Wings should sell, stock up on picks and prospects and make a push next year.

[Buppy 1,720]

Update:

Extremely disappointing management decisions here. From opting to ignore the bone fragment three months ago, to allowing him to go to the Olympics like that....WTF Holland?

Trying to postpone surgery until the off-season, or avoid it entirely, is pretty commonplace. And I'm not sure we'd have been better off having him out in January. We might already be out playoff contention.

Also, if he was medically cleared to play, I don't think Holland had the authority to stop him from going to the Olympics.