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Joffrey Lupul could miss training camp, beginning of season due to back infection

Joffrey Lupul, Niklas Backstrom

Anaheim Ducks right wing Joffrey Lupul (14) scores a shout out goal against Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, left, of Finland in an NHL hockey game Friday, Dec. 4, 2009, in St. Paul, Minn. Lupul had two goals during regulation time. Minnesota won 2-1 in a shoot out. (AP Photo/Tom Olmscheid)

AP

Most injury reports are fairly mundane. They’re generally full of tweaks and scopes and strains and tears.

Every once and a while, though, you stumble on an ailment that sounds downright scary. Take, for instance, the case of Joffrey Lupul. News broke that the goal scoring winger will miss the opening of training camp and might not be ready for the beginning of the regular season due to the return of a blood infection in his back, according to the Orange County Register.

Lupul said Monday he suffered the setback one month ago and stopped training because of the discomfort. Results from blood tests showed that the infection had returned, according to the team.

Lupul will continue to take antibiotics for another four weeks and cannot do any physical activity during that time. He will be re-evaluated on or around Sept.20, about two or three days after the Ducks open camp.

Lupul said that being ready for the Ducks’ season opener on Oct.8 is not a possibility. There is no timetable for his return.

“It’s really frustrating,” Lupul said. “I haven’t played hockey in a long time. I was hoping to be ready on day one of camp. But now my focus has changed. I want to get rid of this. I’m very confident I can get back playing and playing well.”

Oof, that’s rough, folks.

After becoming one of the only players in sports I’ve ever heard of who was packaged in two trades for the same player (he was thrown in the other side of two deals involving all-world defenseman Chris Pronger ... both times his side lost pretty badly), Lupul only played in 23 games last season thanks to those health issues.

Even when he’s healthy, he’s overpaid at $4.25 million per year over the next three seasons and is a bit one-dimensional, but there’s little doubt that he can be an effective goal scorer. Considering the blows the Ducks’ blueline has taken lately, Anaheim needs every bit of offense they can get. This could be a sizable blow to a struggling - but still in many ways talented - Ducks team.