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.  

Posted under New York Rangers