This very likely was the final opportunity Lubomir Visnovsky had to represent Slovakia in the Winter Olympics. But, in what would’ve been his fifth trip to the Games, it just won’t be.
The New York Islanders aren’t letting him go, according to Long Island Newsday. That’s mostly because the 37-year-old defenseman missed the bulk of this season with a concussion.
“We just don’t feel comfortable letting him go,” Islanders general manager Garth Snow told Long Island Newsday.
Visnovsky has represented Slovakia at the Winter Olympics in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010.
But the decision this year comes from the fact he missed 46 games due to his concussion, only returning to the Islanders’ lineup on Jan. 27 against the Boston Bruins. He’s played in five games since coming back, with more than 20 minutes of ice time in four of those games.
Even before he returned to game action, the Islanders did not want him participating in Sochi.
“As much as Lubo would like to represent his country and participate in the Olympics, our doctors and I are not comfortable with him going to play,” Snow said last month.
In 13 games this season, Visnovsky has one goal and three points.