Mikko Koivu’s absence from the Minnesota Wild lineup has been noticeable and it’s a sight Wild fans are going to have to get used to now.
Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reports that Koivu is being shut down without contact for the next two weeks to rest his injured left shoulder. Koivu re-aggravated the injury recently and now Wild GM Chuck Fletcher wants him to let it fully heal before getting back to action.
As Russo finds out from Fletcher, it’s an injury that Koivu tried to tough it out and play through just the same when he was re-injured in mid-February.
“His initial injury, he came back very quickly. It was a very aggressive return to play. He deserves a ton of credit. The team is obviously struggling, trying to survive, and he wanted to help.”
Yes, hockey players are tougher than you and I. With Koivu shut down now for the next two weeks and then having to rehab and get into game shape after that, the rest of Koivu’s season is in doubt. The Wild are still hanging on in the Western playoff race five points out of eighth, but without Koivu they’re in rough shape.