The return didn’t last long…
After missing ten months due to a concussion he suffered back in January of 2010, Penguins star Sidney Crosby is once again sidelined with post concussion like symptoms. In fact the forward who has become the face of the NHL hasn’t played since a 3-1 loss to Boston last week.
“I ended up skating the following day after with a little bit exertion and it just didn’t feel right,” Crosby said. “After kind of talking with everyone it was better to be cautious here and not take any chances.”
The good news for Crosby and Penguins fans however is he did pass and ImPACT test — designed to diagnose concussions — last Wednesday but didn’t accompany the team on their road trip to Long Island and Philadelphia. He also will not play against Western Conference rival Detroit on Tuesday night
The troubling thing about this latest setback for Crosby is the team and Crosby himself really cannot say for sure how the latest injury happen. If Crosby had to pinpoint a certain play, he believes it could have happened during a first period collision with Boston’s David Krejci.
Furthermore, with Crosby out once again with an injury that has ended careers in the past you really have to start asking yourself whether or not Crosby is going to be sustainable in the NHL for the long run? Immediately you start thinking about players like Pat LaFontaine and Eric Lindros who had their careers drastically altered because of concussion problems.
The NHL too has a budding problem with players developing brain disorders due to concussions taken throughout the course of their career. Now granted a lot of these players like Derek Boogaard and Bob Probert were enforcers and not goal scorers like Crosby, but you have to figure that when it all comes down to it a concussion is a concussion and they’re going to have the same effects or lead to the same problems that Boogaard and Probert had.
What may be scary though for the rest of the NHL is having to go on without Crosby.
Love him or hate him Crosby is a huge reason as to why the NHL is still somewhat relevant in the United States. He’s very marketable, he’s from North America (so many can relate), he plays in an American city that can support their hockey team and he’s a great player.
If Crosby were to retire because of concussions, the NHL would suffer from a marketing standpoint. Unfortunately there really isn’t another player around the NHL suitable to take Crosby’s spot as the poster child for the NHL. Steve Stamkos is stuck down in Tampa Bay while other players like Patrick Kane aren’t good enough and in Kane’s case may not fit the personality mold.
The NHL and especially the Pittsburgh Penguins need to continue to be very cautious going forward with Crosby but they may also have to seriously start to consider what life may be like without him.
Ref: SportingNews, NHL.com, CBS Sports (image)
