Staal back on ice with Canes
No. 12 is back. At least, back on the ice with the Canes.
Eric Staal took part in today's morning skate at the RBC Center but is not fully ready to rejoin the lineup. Canes coach Paul Maurice said today the center should return in the next 10 days but that Staal would make the trip to Dallas and Anaheim next week.
"It's been tough, no question," Staal said. "It's been a learning experience for me because I've never been through something like this before.
"I'm working and doing everything I can to make sure I'm back in the lineup as soon as I can at 100 percent."
Staal had missed one game, late in his rookie season, and had played 349 consecutive regular-season games -- and 43 in the playoffs -- before being sidelined.
"I've pushed it for a while," Staal said of playing with ailments, keeping the streak going. "There's probably a few games last year, the year before that."
Staal's physical problems this year began with a groin injury during Team Canada's Olympic camp before the Canes' preseason training camp. That injury lingered, but a more serious physical concern -- an injury in the abdominal area -- developed.
There would be no fighting through that kind of pain or ailment. Staal left the San Jose game on Nov. 1 and has been sidelined the last eight games.
"It nagged me a couple of games, then got worse and worse," he said. "Then, that San Jose game, it just tore. I was done after that.
"But I've recovered. I feel good now. I feel strong."
Staal has done some skating on his own in the last week. But it's different skating with his teammates as he did in Saturday's morning skate.
Brandon Sutter continued to center Staal's line, with Staal taking the wing a few times with Sutter.
"It felt good," a smiling Staal said. "We'll see how it responds tomorrow. I took a lot of shots (Friday) and again today. It's getting better and better every day and that's a good sign.
"I'm hopeful for next week some time, barring anything that will set me back."
About the blogger
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is in his second season as the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at chip.alexander@newsobserver.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @ice_chip.
Comments
Take Your Time....100% Please!
Sun, 11/22/2009 - 09:39 — WAStoutI want you back ASAP too....but it's kinda nice for these guys to learn to WIN without you. Maybe now when you get back they won't always be looking to you!
Great reference
Sat, 11/21/2009 - 20:47 — wxray1I heard Droshak on XM the other night say Brindy was 1 min faster than any kid on the bike as measure during training camp.
So what.
I'm glad Rod can ride like crazy, and do a 5k run in 18 min, but what does that ultimately matter for hockey? Sure, cross training is important. But we all know what doing step jumps did for Justin Williams last year.
I like Roberts comments.
great article
Sat, 11/21/2009 - 12:11 — HockeydogThanks for posting that one, great read!
A couple of comments. I think Gary Roberts really got on the training bandwagon while he was here. I know he worked out with one of the founders of Phase II fitness. He was our Rod Brind'Amour before Brindy got here.
Speaking of Brindy, I had heard a comment from a few people in the past that Brindy was guilty of hitting the bike too much, causing him too be slow afoot. We all comment about his losing a few steps, but Brindy was never a fast skater, just fast enough to allow his intensity and desire to shine through.
Speaking of Training -- Gary Roberts' Take on NHL Training
Sat, 11/21/2009 - 11:23 — abramsdougI found Gary Roberts' take on NHL training to be fascinating and thought-provoking. As the Hurricanes transition to a faster and more physical team, the type of training the team undergoes is significant. If in fact the Hurricanes miss the playoffs, the team will have more time in the off-season to work on power skating and strength training. It seemed that Brandon Sutter made tremendous progress in his speed and strength over the summer. Ruutu would be a superstar if he were able to gain half a step of additional speed, and particularly a half-step faster in his first stride. He's incredible enough as it is; but with even more speed, I don't see how he would be stopped.
Here's the article:
http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2009/11/20/11825756-sun.html
Toronto Sun
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Sports Hockey
Roberts rips Leafs' fitness
By LANCE HORNBY, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 20th November 2009, 3:19am
RALEIGH N.C. -- Gary Roberts was highly respected as the Maple Leafs fitness fanatic in his playing days, but now he wonders if poor conditioning is a reason his old team is near last place.
Speaking on former Leaf executive Bill Watters' radio show on AM 640 yesterday, Roberts specifically cited struggling defenceman Luke Schenn as a player who didn't train properly in the summer.
"Why is Luke struggling so much?" said Roberts, who has been doing some personal training since he retired last year for among others, top pick Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "He looks like he has been riding the bike all summer. If you ride that bike all the time, you're going to get slow and you're going to get hurt. It's the worst thing Luke could've done, if that's indeed what he did. I don't know for sure, I don't talk to the guys and it's none of my business."
Roberts declared his bias for former Leafs strength coach Matt Nichol, who was replaced with Anthony Belza during the summer and kept prefacing his comments as those of an observer and not a Leafs insider. But it's his impression the Leafs changed from an anaerobic approach under Nichol to aerobic.
"Hockey is not an aerobic sport," Roberts said, "It's anaerobic, about being strong, powerful and fast and you don't get that by riding the stationary bike. (Coach) Ron Wilson said before that the one thing he'd noticed was the team looked in better shape because they rode the bike all summer. That's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard.
"We didn't want (Stamkos) slow at all," added Roberts, who introduced the rookie to Lorne Goldenberg, now strength coach of the Canadiens. "We made that guy do sled pulls, heavy lifting and a bunch of jumping. We made sure his frame was able to handle it first, but in the end, he did speed and power work all summer.
"If you don't do the right training in the summer, you take steps backwards."
Watters joked with Roberts about a number of callers who wanted him to come out of retirement, along with Mats Sundin and Brendan Shanahan to rescue the Leafs.
"That would be a pretty good line," Roberts agreed. "Unfortunately, that time has passed. I feel sorry for the guys. They look like they're working hard. I think they're making some progress, but not fast enough to save this season."
LANCE.HORNBY@SUNMEDIA.CA