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Alex Burrows tries not to think about shoulder problems

Alex Burrows

Vancouver Canucks left wing Alex Burrows celebrates his empty net goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey Western Conference playoff series in Los Angeles, Sunday, April 25, 2010. Vancouver won 4-2 and advances into the second round of the playoffs. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

AP

For the previous three seasons, Vancouver Canucks power forward/pest Alex Burrows kept getting better and better, especially from a stats perspective. He went from 12 goals and 31 points in 2007-08 to 28 goals and 51 points in 08-09 to 35 goals and 67 points last season.

Burrows had one thing going his way in those seasons that he lacks right now: remarkable health. In fact, before this season, he missed only one regular game in the last four seasons.

The talented forward missed the first 10 games of this season after recovering from shoulder surgery, but it seems like it’s taking longer than that for him to rebound to full form.

You can read about his troubles here, which includes a first paragraph that features Gordon McIntyre’s bizarre choices explaining how Burrows is struggling with the mental side of his comeback.
Like Seinfeld’s, um, libido playing chess with his brain, or that Pizza Pop commercial where the stomach chases the girls out of the thinking organ, Alex Burrows is having a to-and-fro with his grey matter.

Stomachs chasing girls? What? Moving on ...

“I’m getting closer,” he said after skating on a line with the Sedins again at Tuesday’s practice. “Obviously it’s going to be a process. As long as I keep working hard, things are going to happen.

“I feel my legs are getting better every game.”

In 10 games, Burrows only has one goal and two assists for three points. He went through eight of those contests without a single point. The Canucks are currently on a four game losing streak and ceded their Northwest Division lead to the Colorado Avalanche this week. Chances are, if Burrows gets his game together, he might just lift his team along with him.