At the first day of Olympic Camp for Team Canada, Simon Gagne suffered a hip tweak. According to Darren Dreger he is not expected to return. That of course doesn’t put a fork in his chances at yet another appearance with Team Canada in Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics, but it certainly does have a lot of people holding their breath.
Many are just thankful that it is not a reoccurance of his concussion from two seasons ago.
Originally the injury was being reported as a groin tweak, and groin tweaks remain no laughing matter. The situation with Danny Briere all of last season is still fresh on everyone’s mind.
There is no word on how serious the injury is currently, but there are reports he could be ready to go when camp opens in mid-September.
Recently the NHLPA sent out a warning to players attending Olympic Camps that they should decline the invitations since injuries can happen during the camps and since during such events the players are uninsured due to it being a non-NHL activity.
More will come on the Gagne injury as news comes in. Right now this is all that there is.
UPDATE
Full story per Examiner.com: Gagne injured at Team Canada Olympic Camp
Among the forwards on the Philadelphia Flyers there is no one that knows international competition quite like Simon Gagne. On his resume for international play are four medals including a gold during one of his two Olympic appearances, a World Cup gold in 2004, and a silver in both the 2005 World Championships and the 1999 World Junior Championships. With that status as a Team Canada veteran comes the pressure of taking part in the Olympic camp held before each Winter Olympics.
While the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) discouraged players from attending Olympic camps due to the injury risk, Gagne made it a point to attend this year. Everything appeared great for Team Canada’s chances, who look to ice an impressive if not dominant lineup for the 2010 games, until Gagne suffered an injury to the right side of his lower body.
Reports currently claim that, while not serious, the injury is a minor tweak to Gagne’s right groin/hip region.
“Simon Gagne sustained a mild strain of his right groin last night while practicing with Team Canada,” General Manager Paul Holmgren noted. “He was examined by Team Canada’s medical trainer and team orthopedic physician who believed that it was not a serious injury. Simon will fly back to Philadelphia today and be examined by Flyers team orthopedic physician, Peter DeLuca tomorrow afternoon.”
Gagne is expected to be ready to begin Flyers’ camp as scheduled on September 12th. While the injury appears to be in his groin/hip region where he had issues at the end of this past postseason, it is not expected to hurt his performance long-term.
It is understandable that many fans would feel nervous about the announcement that the injury is in the region of Gagne’s groin due to the series of injuries forward Danny Briere had over the course of the 2008-09 season, but there does not appear to be any similarities between the two injuries.
The real culprit in Gagne’s injury is his surgically repaired right hip. After the 2008-09 playoffs he had a number of tests taken on his right hip, and it was an issue that he hoped the surgery had taken care of back on May 28th. During a skating session in Calgary with the Team Canada hopefuls he felt a soreness in the same area.
“For now it’s nothing serious. The pace was a little faster than I was used to this summer. I think I’ll be OK for training camp,” mentioned the confident international veteran and key Flyers’ forward. “It was a little tight when I was skating on my own, but the tempo here is a lot faster than the pace I set this summer. It’s faster than I expected and I’ll need to do some more rehab.”
With Gagne out of Team Canada’s Olympic camp there are still three other Flyers in attendence. Centers Jeff Carter and Mike Richards are representing Philadelphia as well as newly acquired defenseman, Chris Pronger. Despite Gagne not being able to finish camp all four are expected to have a good shot at making the Olympic roster for 2010.
Q and A sessions with Simon Gagne following the injury as per Flyers.NHL.com:
Q: What exactly happened?
Gagne: “We had our first practice last night at the camp. I thought it was going to be an easy practice but the tempo was very fast right away during the very first drill. Guys were obviously trying to show their best. I had been skating back home for about two weeks but not at that high level. I kind of felt that it was getting a little bit tight on me, close to the hip and groin. I had the hip surgery this summer (end of May). It is a little bit tight everywhere and the groin is a part of that. I went to see the trainers and they pulled me out and there was really no question to try to push it again. I had the chance to speak with Steve Yzerman and he told me not to worry about it. That’s why I got off the ice and that is why I am not skating right now.
“The plan right now is that I am going to fly back to Philly tonight and see the doctors tomorrow. I got checked by the doctor from Team Canada and all that and they don’t think it is that bad. They don’t think I really hurt myself. I think it is just tightness that was there a little bit this summer when I started skating. I went to Philly to get it checked again but they said it was normal. I went back home and skated and everything was fine. But like I said when you skate back home by yourself or with a couple of guys on the ice you really aren’t pushing yourself to the limits. Yesterday’s practice was at a high level and there was no sense for me to keep going. So I think it is smart for me to go to Philly and get it checked out by our doctors and make sure everything is fine and go from there.”
Q: How disappointed are you?
Gagne: “A little bit. It is part of the game. But on the other side, I did talk to team Canada’s management and coaching staff before I left today and they said not to worry about it. They said they were not there to see how I was going to do. They said they knew that I had the experience of the last two Olympics and that I knew what is going on. They said for me to go back to Philly, get it checked out and have a good start to the season. On that side, I am not too disappointed. This is why I am going back to Philly to find out what I have to do to be ready for training camp.”
Q: How concerned are you about this injury with training camp and the regular season right around the corner?
Gagne: “Training camp is right around the corner. That is why I am heading back to see Jimmy McCrossin and our doctors. We will try to find out what is best for me and what plan we are going to take. I want to be there and be ready at Day 1 so I will do everything I can and I am sure the doctors will do the same. I am not that concerned right now. We have a plan in mind. We will follow that and I am sure I will be all right for camp.”
