Today we learned that Michael Rozsival must have surgery on his hip and that he was playing through the pain at the end of the season and in the playoffs.

Labral Tear(from MayoClinic.com)

The socket of your hip joint (acetabulum) is lined by cartilage called your labrum. This cartilage provides stability and cushioning for your hip joint, allowing the ball of your thighbone (femur) to move smoothly and painlessly in the socket.

A tear in your labrum, known as a hip labral tear or acetabular labral tear, can result from injury, repetitive movements that cause wear-and-tear on your hip joint, or degeneration, such as from osteoarthritis.

In many cases, a hip labral tear causes no signs or symptoms and doesn’t require treatment. Occasionally, however, a hip labral tear may cause pain or a “catching” sensation in the hip joint.

When treatment for a hip labral tear is necessary, it may consist of physical therapy, medications or a combination. Less frequently, surgery is necessary to treat a hip labral tear.

Boy, after lambasting poor Michael Rozsival at the end of the playoffs, do I feel like a jackass right now. Sure, none of us were to know that Rozsival was injured and playing in pain. And yes, I understand that management does not want to disclose the exact nature of player’s injuries lest they be targeted for more punishment by the opposition. (ie, Gary Roberts taking head shots on Johan Franzen).

All that said, it would have been nice if teams disclosed which players were playing injured and the extent of the injury after the season is over, be it the regular season or the playoffs. Then, total loser hockey geeks like myself would tend to be more temperate with our remarks, player evaluations on the season and projected free agent signing.

Does this news about Rozsival change my opinion of him as a player? You’re darn tootin’ it does!Rozsival was the highest scoring defenseman for the Rangers and was 13th overall in the league with 13 goals, 38 points and an even +/-. He played 80 games. Not too shabby.

All things considered, I cannot be angry with Rozsival for not hitting more and taking the body, which was my chief gripe against him during the playoffs. Considering how weak the Ranger defense was, it was better that Rosie be conservative in face of his injury then risk taking himself out of  action permanently.

I no longer think that Rozsival should be jettisoned by the Rangers, out of hand. He has earned my respect because he played through the pain, taking one for the team. I do think that the Rangers must proceed with caution regarding his re-signing. I question why the disclosure and susequent surgery came a full 6 weeks after the Rangers were eliminated. 

Whose position does such a delay in disclosure strengthen? I would say the Rangers. They can decline to re-sign him based upon his health or they can re-sign him for a lot less then Rozsival would have commanded on the open market were he not damaged goods.  Only time will tell. But, if I am Sather I am signing the best puckmoving free agent defenseman out there at 12:01 am on July 1. If there is no more cap space for Rozsival, quel dommage.  

The sports world lost one of it’s best voices on Saturday with the announcement of the passing of Jim McKay. Jim McKay was the Walter Cronkite of sports broadcasting. He was a trusted friend we invited into our living rooms every Saturday since 1961 when he began hosting “Wide World of Sports”. 

I was only 9 years old when “Wide World of Sports” first aired on ABC. I remember watching it at my friend’s house. Our neighbors, the Nylins, were big winter sports enthusiasts and it was because of them that I came to love skiing, nordic jumping and figure skating.  ABC and Jim McKay brought these and so much more to the American public.

I think back with fondest memories at all the expert commentators at Jim McKay’s side. Bob Beattie for skiing, Dick Button on figure skating and many other great co-hosts that brought you “up close and personal” with the athletes and their sports. Because of  Roone Arlidge and Jim McKay, you not only saw a variety of sports, you learned all about them.

ABC also made huge strides in sports broadcast technology. Remember seeing the Hannenkamn from a camera attached to the ski racer’s helmet? Slow motion showed the physics of ski jumping and the rotations of the triple lutz. Iso-cameras showed the racer’s ski catching the slalom gate. Jim was always there to highlight the nuances of each sport. He was always well prepared. Jim knew his stuff.

Most people recollect the most important broadcast of his career. Jim McKay held the hand of the viewing public worldwide with his calm and steady reporting about what would turn out to be the blackest day in Olympic history, the massacre of the entire Israeli Olympic team in Munich in 1972.

As a long time viewer of WWS,  I understood how hard that telecast was for Jim McKay. It was a loss of innocence for Jim and all of us. As with the assassination of the Kennedy’s and Martin  Luther King , Jim McKay and the world were stunned to think that such evil was possible. The Olympics were meant to bring the youth of the world together in peace to pursue personal excellence in sport. Jim McKay put aside his personal feelings and physical comfort and was there around the clock to keep the world informed.

Jim McKay was a consummate professional.

Whether they are from Canada or Europe or the USA, always send a man to do a man’s job. I hope this lesson wasn’t missed by Canada’s gift to the NHL, Sidney Crosby. I hope he learned that it’s not about the diving and it’s not about the whining. It’s about the hockey. Just play the game hard and leave the drama out.

Despite the NHL’s best effort to forward the fortunes of young Sidney and his team, in the end the real men of the NHL won the Cup. From their coach, Mike Babcock, on down to a rookie like Darren Helm, the Red Wings, led by Captain Niklas Lidstrom, showed the  Pittsburgh Penguins and the world how to win like men. Michel Therrien and all the young Penguins were defeated by the most worthy opponents in the league. It is no shame on the Penguins to have lost to the best team in the NHL in 6 games.  

Congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings on their fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years. There are so many great players on the Red Wings, choosing the Conn Smythe winner couldn’t have been easy. But, they did get it right. Henrik Zetterberg is a great two way hockey player. To have come as far as he has is a testament to Zetterberg and the entire Detroit organization.

Congratulations to Jim Devellano, Ken Holland, Steve Yzerman and the llitch family for treating their players like family. Having faith in these players and offering some a second chance (Osgood, Drake and McCarty) reaped the greatest reward and many blessings.

May all teams and players who pursue the greatest trophy in all sports be as worthy.

The Detroit Red Wings

2008 Central Division Champions

2008 Western Conference Champions

2008 President’s Trophy Winners

2008 Stanley Cup Champions