Effects of Concussion Sideline Sawyer for Season

Kevin Sawyer, the Mighty Ducks’ enforcer last season, will sit out this season because of recurring problems caused by a concussion. And he admits he is concerned about his future in the NHL.

Sawyer, a left wing, suffered the concussion during a fight with the Kings’ Brad Norton on Dec. 19. He missed the Ducks’ last 48 regular-season games and the playoffs. Sawyer, an unrestricted free agent, began workouts this summer but suffered a relapse.

“My head wasn’t feeling right,” Sawyer said. “I had a setback. It has been tough trying to deal with the fact that I’m not ready to play.”

Sawyer said that because of the recurring problems, he turned down a contract offer from the Calgary Flames. He said he hoped to return to the NHL next season.

“I find myself looking at the future and doing nothing but stressing out,” the 29-year-old Sawyer said. “There is a potential lockout next summer. If that happens, I will be two years removed from playing. I am hoping this will clear up and I’ll be able to play. My body won’t let me do that. I have to deal with that. I need to get healthy.”

The Ducks are left with a hole in a key spot.

Sawyer was a late bloomer, spending most of his first nine professional seasons in the minor leagues. He won a spot with the Ducks in 2001-02 and established himself as one of the NHL’s top enforcers, with an ability to lure opposing players into penalties that gave the Ducks power plays.

Sawyer had 221 penalty minutes, the fourth most in the NHL, in 57 games during the 2001-02 season. He had 115 in 31 games before being injured last season.

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The Ducks are expected to be without right wing Mike Leclerc, one of their top six forwards, until late October and right wing Dan Bylsma, one of their top penalty killers, until midseason. Both had off-season knee surgery. Center Andy McDonald is also questionable. He, like Sawyer, has been slow to recover from a concussion.