Michael Sauer was put out of commission with a concussion this past season in December thanks to a big hit from Toronto’s Dion Phaneuf. Sauer missed the remainder of the season with the head injury.
The bad news? He’s still feeling the effects of it now as Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports. Brooks says the Rangers aren’t optimistic about Sauer being ready for the season whether it starts on time or not.
If Sauer, said to be feeling better than he was before returning home to Minnesota for the summer but is not believed symptom-free, cannot play, he would be placed on the long-term injury list.
The good news is he’s feeling better, so that’s a start. The bad news is he’s still feeling the effects of that monster hit from nine months ago.
Sauer’s brother Kurt, formerly of the Phoenix Coyotes, has also struggled with concussion issues for the past few years. Brooks mentions their brother Craig is a former NFL player who had his career end because of, you guessed it, concussion problems. Coincidence or not that’s pretty freaky.