When the Groin Gets Tough

Of interesting note is the number of NHL players suffering from groin injuries. Players including Wild player Marian Gaborik; Bruin right-winger Dave Scatchard; Red Wings Stevie Yzerman, Chris Osgood and Jamie Rivers; Panther Gary Roberts; Canadien Richard Zednik; Predator Scott Nichol; Coyotes Derek Morris, Brian Boucher and Petr Nedved; Blues winger Keith Tkachuk; Canuck Tyler Bouck; and Thrashers' netminder Kari Lehtinen have all spent considerable time away from the rink because of a bum groin.

There are a few possible explanations. One: many players have had significant downtime during the NHL lockout, opting not to play while others laced up their skates in the minor leagues or overseas. Players aren't used to playing regularly and that could lead to more frequent injuries. Two: the rule changes have made the game faster. Two-line passes - once verboten - now stretch offenses and defenses. Players have to react faster, with or without the puck, and sharp accelerations and cuts by wingers make it easier to pull a muscle. Goalies, too, must react more quickly. In last night's Penguins-Sabres game, Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury looked like an acrobat, putting on a stellar display of twists, turns and flips to keep the puck out of the net. Doing such maneuvers more frequently can only mean a greater chance of injury for goalies. Teams with strong backup netminders could be at an advantage in the new NHL.