Pitkanen Injured

by Jonathan Willis on May 1, 2008 9:00 AM MDT

According to an article in the Vancouver Sun, Joni Pitkanen has suffered a mild knee injury and will not play in the World Championships.

From the article:

"I got a message from MacT (Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish) but I haven't talked to Joni yet. MacT doesn't think it's serious," said Oilers trainer Ken Lowe. "Joni's had three scopes on the one knee (right) to clean up the meniscus, and one on the other knee. There's no instability in the knee."

"When guys are in contract years, they break a thumbnail and they hurt a bit more," [Doug Shedden, Finland's Head Coach] said. "I don't know if the commitment was totally there. I didn't see a lot of commitment in practice. You don't want to put a gun to anybody's head to play for their country in the world championship."

Not a terribly flattering image of Pitkanen emerging here. The good news is that the injury is minor, but the bad news is that perhaps Pitkanen exaggerates injuries. Given the number of games he missed this season with a laundry-list of ailments, one wonders how many times he could have dressed for the Oilers, but didn't.

On the other hand, perhaps he's leery of aggravating injuries that bothered him during the season. Either way, there's something here that should worry the Oilers.

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"When guys are in contract years, they break a thumbnail and they hurt a bit more," said. "I don't know if the commitment was totally there. I didn't see a lot of commitment in practice. You don't want to put a gun to anybody's head to play for their country in the world championship."

Jonathan: Who said this? The Finnish coach? Name omitted above.

Pitkanen's susceptibility to frequent minor injuries is more than a little troublesome. Did he ever go so much as a month this year without missing a game, leaving one early, or being a game time decision? Not exactly my idea of a defensive cornerstone we want to be building around.

by Bruce on May 1, 2008 11:57 AM MDT reply actions

Sorry Bruce. It was Doug Shedden, the Finnish coach. I've corrected the text above.

As much as I like Pitkanen and think he should be resigned (barring a trade for a player who can fill the same role), there's definitely either chronic injury problems or a low pain threshold there. Either way, it's troubling.

by Jonathan Willis on May 1, 2008 12:01 PM MDT reply actions

Rumour has it that he is going to sign for ayear and then try and hit the home run for the big longterm deal.

I think that the contract is behind him pulling out.

He's something but he certainly seems to have too much of an eye on the money maybe.

by Black Dog on May 2, 2008 7:13 AM MDT reply actions

I think that the contract is behind him pulling out.

Would it be too harsh than to say that maybe there are character issues with this otherwise-excellent defenseman?

by Jonathan Willis on May 2, 2008 8:12 AM MDT reply actions

It's certainly not harsh to say "maybe". I haven't seen much to suggest he's a team-first kind of player, let's put it that way.

by Bruce on May 6, 2008 6:22 PM MDT reply actions

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(updated 2.10.2012 at 1:26 AM MST)

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