Kronwall fractures sacrum
Not only is it bad enough that a top four defenseman, Niklas Kronwall, is out for 6-8 weeks with a broken sacrum, but captain Nicklas Lidstrom won’t play tomorrow due to a lower back strain. If this injury is at all serious, we’re screwed. Lidstrom never gets injured, why now?
The sacrum is the large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity. Kronwall injured his right hip on a check from Dallas’ Joel Lundqvist in the first shift of Friday’s game.
Kronwall won’t need surgery but is likely done for the season unless the Wings reach the Stanley Cup finals.
Yes, I’m a bit upset. After retiring Yzerman’s jersey, I got a signed Kronwall jersey and even though he makes stupid decisions, I like his more physical play and the fact that he had ACL surgery. He’s the player I root for the most and it kills me when he gets injured time after time. And who breaks their sacrum playing hockey? Well, he technically has a non-displaced fracture of his sacrum, but same thing.
“It’s a tough break for Niklas and our team,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said. “Dealing with adversity is part of the NHL playoffs. We still feel we have good depth on defense.”
From Holland’s quote, it doesn’t sound like Lidstrom’s injury is serious, but they are taking the appropriate precautions necessary with the playoffs around the corner. Lidstrom is supposed to return on Tuesday against Columbus.
“Given what’s occurred over the last 24 hours, we’re not going to take any chances,” Holland said.
IwoCPO at Abel to Yzerman voices his concerns, and I have to agree, about Andreas Lilja and the ice time he will get with Kronwall out:
Tremendous loss for more reasons than just the absence of Kronwall. Andres Lilja is now guaranteed significant playoff minutes. And, as we know, that means significant emotional duress for you and your families.
Niklas Kronwall is a talented kid, someone an organ-I-zation would look to as a leader and catalyst for future success. But that’s impossible to do because, his fault or not, he just can’t stay healthy.
Jason Williams and Lilja were the two Wings in the playoffs last year that I thought made some costly errors for us. Willy was sent packing to Chicago and Lilja has been given limited ice time until recently. With Kronwall out, we’re going to be seeing a lot more of Lilja much to my dismay.
Kyle Quincey has been called up from the Grand Rapids Griffins due to both Lidstrom and Kronwall’s injuries.
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