Former Blue Jackets winger Kristian Huselius is accusing his old team of forcing him back into action before he was fit to play and indirectly causing a groin tear that kept him out the last 55 games of the season.
Via the Columbus Dispatch, here’s what the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent had to say (translated) to Swedish media outlet Aftonbladet:
“I had not a single practice with the team before coming back (from a torn pectoral). I had one game to get acclimated. Then I went into (the next) NHL game and played 21 minutes. I think they acted wrong against me. My groin broke in the second game. I had not built up muscle mass and was not fit or ready to play.
“Columbus was in a vulnerable position and was out of playoffs. Perhaps it was this situation that made that they wanted to bet everything on one card.”
Huselius actually played 19:27 in his first game back, on Dec. 2 in Edmonton. He only lasted 12:57 of his next outing, in Montreal, during which he suffered the groin injury.
He’s apparently refusing to return the Blue Jackets’ calls this summer, which leads one to believe he won’t be back in Columbus next season if he’s healthy enough to play.
And if he is healthy enough to play, he says it could be in Sweden.
Update: Blue Jackets respond...
#CBJ GM Scott Howson on Huselius complaints: "I'm confident Kristian received exceptional medical care." No further comment.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) August 23, 2012