Penguins Lose Kasparaitis for 4-6 Months
The Pittsburgh Penguins got more bad news, learning defenseman Darius Kasparaitis will miss four to six months after tearing a ligament in his right knee.
Kasparaitis will undergo surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament next Wednesday. If he makes a slow recovery, he may not return until the start of the playoffs.
Kasparaitis, the Penguins’ most consistent defenseman last season, was injured crashing into the boards during an exhibition game Sunday in Detroit. It was the second time in his career he has torn the same ligament.
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An engineer hired by the NHL inspected the Nassau Coliseum, but the evaluation was suspended after a dispute over which areas he could view.
A court hearing was called Thursday afternoon to settle the dispute and State Supreme Court Justice Burton Joseph set guidelines for the safety inspection, limiting the engineer to four areas inside the Coliseum.
He also scheduled a hearing for today to determine whether the arena is dangerous for players and fans.
Joseph had ruled Wednesday that an engineering firm hired by the NHL should conduct a safety inspection of the 26-year-old Coliseum.
The Islanders earlier this month filed a federal lawsuit against SMG, formerly known as the Spectacor Management Group, the Philadelphia company that manages the Coliseum, saying the arena was unsafe.
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Edmonton Oiler General Manager Glen Sather says he won’t pay training camp no-shows Doug Weight, Ryan Smyth and Janne Niinimaa for time missed once the restricted free agents sign contracts.
“If they’re not here playing at the beginning of the season they will not get paid their full salary,” Sather told the Edmonton Sun. “That’s a guarantee. That’s not a threat, that’s a fact.”
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Marian Hossa, the Ottawa Senators’ first-round draft pick in 1997, skated for the first time since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the Memorial Cup final in May.
“I didn’t know how it would feel, and when I first stepped on the ice I felt a bit like a robot,” the 19-year-old Hossa told the Ottawa Citizen. “After that, I felt a bit better.”
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Chicago General Manager Bob Murray has had conflicting responses to right wing Eric Daze’s new three-year, $6-million deal with the Blackhawks. Murray says he has received both positive and negative feedback.
“I’ve gotten a little bit of both,” Murray told the Chicago Tribune. “Some [NHL executives] are happy it’s done.”
Daze, 23, has scored 83 goals over the past three seasons.
“It’s not as if [Daze] has had one good year,” Murray said. “He’s had three good years.”