Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward will see a back specialist Monday, general manager Jim Rutherford said today.
"Until we learn something from the doctor, we don't have any other update," Rutherford said. "But we are very concerned about this injury. Based on the symptoms, it is not related to the injury of a year ago."
Ward returned to Raleigh on Friday from Buffalo because of the back issues. He played in road games in Edmonton and Calgary this week but experienced discomfort on the flight Thursday from Calgary to Buffalo.
Rutherford said he was not sure about the seriousness of the injury, but that it was not related to his previous back problems. Ward has been slowed by back spasms, during last year's Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals and again in the Team Canada Olympic orientation camp last summer.
-- Chip Alexander
Comments
Brian Burke
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 20:01 — abramsdougI read that the Burke family and the Maple Leaf's' organization suggested people sending condolences submit them to the Maple Leafs twitter account.
Here is the URL:
http://twitter.com/MapleLeafs
Include the Miami of Ohio
Sun, 02/07/2010 - 01:35 — CanarseInclude the Miami of Ohio Redhawks in those thoughts. He was their team manager.
Just A Thought
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 18:09 — SkylinerI'm wondering if it wouldn't be an uncommonly kind thing to do for all of us who love hockey so much, and who post here often, to send an e-mail or maybe even a letter to Brian Burke, Toronto's General Manager, expressing condolences on the terrible loss of his son. I'n sure that family needs all of the support it can receive just now and times like this transcends competition. John Donne's poem which says "I'm diminished by the death of any man" is true. We don't all root for the Maple Leafs but we are nevertheless members of the fraternity of humanity. Not telling anyone what to do; my family has already made that decision and it is right for us, but I do feel any act of kindness is never out of place. Meanwhile, let's all thank God for our blessings while passing our good thoughts along to a family we do not know. A great and safe weekend to all!
Chip, if I could suggest 2 lines of questioning
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 16:16 — John_Burnsrather than a reprint of the press release from the Canes...
Given Cam Ward's back problems, why did Coach Maurice ride him for 13 games straight in a season that is already lost, when he has a capable and experienced backup on the bench?
Given the fact that the Carolina Hurricanes are consistently among the league leaders in man-games lost to injury, and given that Pete Freisen has in the past allowed a player with a broken neck to skate off the ice and allowed a franchise Captain to run in a 10k while recovering from knee surgery, with this injury, what possible excuse is there for Freisen remaining as trainer?
Freisen
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 17:48 — louis125801-Cole's injury wasn't diagnosed until AFTER getting x-rayed. 2-Rod was given clearance to run and in the end it was up to him. Maybe in hindsight he wouldn't have run, but that's Rod. I think that Pete has backed off in his methods, now drawing up an individual plan instead of the same one for all of the players. As for Cam, he's been dealing with back spasms which have little to do with any work out regime. I have personally experienced back spasms and the first time they were caused by my simply reaching for the newspaper while I was sitting in a chair.
Cole
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 19:13 — John_BurnsCole slammed headfirst into the board and complained of numbness in his arm.
Any competent medical personnel would have told him not to move and put him on a stretcher.
And Cam's injury, in light of his recurring back problems, is a sign that he shouldn't have been ridden for umpteen straight games. That's not on Pete, you're right. That's squarely on Coach Maurice.
red flag
Sat, 02/06/2010 - 13:34 — louis12580It is not a good sign when you're 25/26 and experiencing back problems. Back spasms are one thing, but this could be something else all together. It will be interesting to see what the results are.