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Science wonder or bad decisions? Max Pacioretty could return for playoffs

Max Pacioretty

Montreal Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty celebrates his power-play goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011, in Montreal. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)

AP

When Max Pacioretty was diagnosed with a broken neck and a severe concussion following the brutal hit he took from Zdeno Chara last week it was assumed the Pacioretty would miss the rest of the season and the playoffs thanks to the injuries.

Obviously we know that hockey players seem to be tougher than us regular puny humans, but the news today that Pacioretty is aiming towards returning to action during the playoffs is stunning and surprising no matter what. Canadiens coach Jacques Martin says that while things looked bleak before, they’re getting better quickly.

Team doctors informed the coach that Pacioretty will be able to resume training, with contact, in three to five weeks.

He is to take complete rest until March 26 and then begin rehab.

“It looked for a moment that his career was in danger so it’s good news that he’ll be able to get back to practice,” said Martin.


With that sort of time frame, that means Pacioretty is on an even quicker pace to returning to action than Marc Savard was last year when he came back from his hit delivered by Matt Cooke that gave him a concussion. Obviously we’re not doctors here nor are we even paramedics with a degree from an website that was delivered written in crayon, but you’ll have to forgive us if we’re just a little bit wary of how quickly he’s trying to come back from this.

We discussed it a bit yesterday how coming back quickly from head injuries did nothing to help both Savard and Philadelphia’s Ian Laperriere. Given how serious Pacioretty’s injury was reported to be it would seem prudent to us that taking as much time as needed to come back would be the right move. We’re not the player here and we don’t know what it’s like to deal with such injuries so perhaps our skepticism is unwarranted.

Perhaps former Michigan Wolverine Max Pacioretty lives up to being a Wolverine in the most comic book hero-like senses when it comes to recovering from injury, but we’re nervous for him and we’re hopeful that the doctors and the Habs are wise about this. The last thing anyone needs to see is another brutal setback and potentially career-ruining injury because a guy wanted to get back on the ice sooner than he should have. If it turns out that it’s the right move for him, it’s a wonderful story and makes him a marvel of modern science.