If you wanted any clarity on Mika Zibanejad's mysterious injury suffered in Thursday night's game against New Jersey, you're not going to get it.
A few ominous, non-descriptive quotes, though? Yes. You can have plenty of those. Via Senators Extra:
Zibanejad played only 8:22 in Thursday’s 2-1 shootout victory over New Jersey and was rushed to hospital for tests. Senators coach Paul MacLean said reports that Zibanejad collapsed on the bench were “false…, but said Zibanajed was going through tests with the team’s doctors and training staff.The 21-year-old centre did show up for the annual team photo before Friday’s practice.
When he was asked if there was a concern for Zibanejad’s career, MacLean said “at this point, no, but he’s going for further testing.… When he was asked if the issue could be a factor in whether Zibanejad could play for Sweden at the world championships, the coach said “after further testing, he’ll make that decision.…
It goes without saying I loathe how injuries and illnesses and whatever are either concealed (like this case) or made light of (obviously not like this case, but the millions of other examples around the league), but this doesn't sound good either way.
The problem with 'hospitals' and saying things like 'at this point, no' in regards to questions about career-altering injuries is you are forced to jump to the conclusion that it's either head or heart-related. Now, as far as I know, Zibanejad's never had a heart issue. Doesn't mean he doesn't have one.
Head injuries, though? He's had plenty of those in his young career. By my count, two, probably three concussions. And he's not even twenty-one.
I didn't see anything in last night's game that would've trigged a concussion, and his last shift was entirely uneventful.
But, here we are. And, it stinks.
Thanks for reading!