04/25/24
October 07, 2005
That's "Sundin" ... with one eye: Toronto Maple Leaf captain Mats Sundin is out for at least 4-6 weeks with a fractured orbital bone after taking a puck in the face just seven minutes into the season opener. Should the NHL force players to wear at least a visor?
oops hopefully
posted by jojomfd1 at 10:47 AM on October 07, 2005
Dammit - and Sundin has been nothing short of a horse for the last ten years. He should wear the visor, hell I want him to wear the visor, but knowing him - he'll be all Toronto about it and decline as soon as the injury heals. He did that last time he took a scary hit to the face. Damn Mats - we need you more than ever! Do the right thing.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:58 AM on October 07, 2005
Damn, that's a nasty headline, frazer.
posted by chicobangs at 11:02 AM on October 07, 2005
Honestly, they shouldn't be required to wear one, but each organization should start writing requirements for wearing one into their contracts, or maybe bonuses based on wearing one. If the clubs take responsibility for their players, then sooner or later, the ones without the visors will be the odd men out. Though seeing as though we went a year without hockey, I'm not sure the owners have any responsibility.
posted by lauch at 11:09 AM on October 07, 2005
I say....leave it as an option....like they USED to do with helmets....if some nut wants to skate around with an exposed cranium - let him!!! Yeah - stinks if he skates for your team and gets hurt - but, this is all a part of it....I think the goalies SHOULD have to wear them (I am not THAT crazy) but - I think back to Craig Mactavish a few years back....he was the last without a helmet, and I don't recall any concussions or headache issues with him - perhaps the helmet gives these guys a little too much sense of security???
posted by sinisterfoot at 11:19 AM on October 07, 2005
And Craig McTavish was the very model of a safe guy. Evil headline
posted by yerfatma at 11:35 AM on October 07, 2005
the leafs are joke without sundin. looks like another long in toronto. i think you leaf fans should check out the other team form ontario
posted by HATER 187 at 11:36 AM on October 07, 2005
another long winter in toronto damn my awful typing sklls
posted by HATER 187 at 11:37 AM on October 07, 2005
Well, with typing skills like that, HATER, I don't trust your choice in teams neither (admit it -- Dominik Hasek's flexibility these days makes Bill Buckner look like Mary Lou Retton). That said, you just knew this was going to happen to someone on the Leafs (the money was on Lindros or Allison, but -- someone), and I'll do what I've done every year of my conscious life: age silently through another winter while they try to right the ship, starting with Game One. One of these years it's gonna happen. I'm a fighter, I'm a winner. Things are gonna change, I can feel it.
posted by chicobangs at 12:11 PM on October 07, 2005
I'm a philly fan but if i had to choose i woud go with the sens as the better club too many question marks with the leafs don't forget eddie is no spring chicken either putting that stupid trapazoid behind the net hurts eddie alot too. lindros is joke ( i know from years of him and the rest of the bullies breaking my heart every spring) Sundin is the best player they've had for the last five years and they are going to miss him. you can lose alot games in 4-6 weeks
posted by HATER 187 at 12:17 PM on October 07, 2005
I don't know that it should be mandatory, but I am sure that many players will look at Mat's eye injury as a wake-up. Definitely a drag for the Leafs, Sundin has been an iron-man for them for a very long time, he rarely misses games. Having said that, maybe it'll be a blessing in disguise and we'll see the rest of the team pull together and Mat's old legs will be a bit fresher come playoffs. (yeah, well, i can dream...)
posted by the red terror at 12:24 PM on October 07, 2005
Hater -- the Sens have been a better team than the Leafs for several years already, but they are first-class choke artistes. As Hockey News' Bob McKenzie (hey Bob, where's yo brother Doug??) said the other night, the Leafs are the vampire the Sens need to drive a stake through their heart to defeat them. I seem to recall a few seasons back when the Sens went 5-0 against the Leafs during regular season, and then the Leafs turned aroyund and swept the Sens in the playoffs. The Sens have all the talent in the world, but until they actually prove something in the playoffs, I'm not on their bandwagon. (Besides, as far as Canadian chances for the Cup go, I reckon the Flames and Canucks are better than both Ontario franchises.)
posted by the red terror at 12:31 PM on October 07, 2005
but I am sure that many players will look at Mat's eye injury as a wake-up There was no drastic change in visor use after Bryan Berard took a stick to the eye...there was no drastic change in visor use when Steve Yzerman took a puck to the eye...what makes you think this will change any of their minds. Only a league mandate will get the players to change. And good title, fraz...I know it's mean, I know it's tasteless, but it still makes for a good anti-Leafs joke...
posted by MeatSaber at 01:00 PM on October 07, 2005
Amazing, I've actually had a fractured orbit like this but not as bad (I couldn't look through binoculars for about four years without getting nasty headaches). The hardest thing for me was waking up in the morning and not being able to open my eye still, it took me four days before the swelling went down enough to open it and get my aching contact lens out. I would support a move towards better protection for hockey players. Watching the classic moments where they are playing without even helmets on is just scary.
posted by fenriq at 01:09 PM on October 07, 2005
And maybe they should play with rollerblades to prevent the chance of a skate cutting the throat. I say players choice and chance. Though it blows to see what seems to be a class act injured, (he ranks up there with Yzerman, Modano & Sakic), C'est la vie. Besides, as I tell the missus whenever I gash myself, "chicks love scars".
posted by RedStrike at 01:25 PM on October 07, 2005
red-you are right about the leafs-sens playoff record. i think they can take them in 7 this year. chara just keeps getting better and i love heatly. that was huge move for them that kid will be great. the leafs lost so many good players this year i just don't see them doing.
posted by HATER 187 at 01:31 PM on October 07, 2005
chicobangs wrote: One of these years it's gonna happen. Hopefully not before I have lived a long and happy life. And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
posted by Amateur at 01:37 PM on October 07, 2005
The Pro Bass Association ought to think about visors too... 
(link)
posted by cl at 02:27 PM on October 07, 2005
See the problem I have with being voluntary, is that when a player goes down because of an injury, it's the team that takes the hit the most. When you sink 5 million into a player and they hit the pavement because they were stupid...doesn't reflect too well. Proper investment practice, make sure you cover your butt.
posted by lauch at 02:37 PM on October 07, 2005
make sure you cover your butt. So now they should stuff a pillow down their pants;-)
posted by drevl at 02:49 PM on October 07, 2005
When Berard suffered his eye injury, Sundin put on a visor for a while. The fact that he took it off and then later suffered an eye injury is evidence of some stupidity. And this is coming from a guy who is typing this while wearing an official Mats Sundin game jersey (from 2000, with the NHL2000 and All-Star logo on it). He doesn't even have to go as far back as the Berard injury. Just flashback about 18 months and remember what happened to Steve Yzerman. I feel the same way about guys who suffer eye injuries when not wearing a visor as I do about people who get injured in car accidents when not wearing a seatbelt: I'm sorry to hear what happened, but you are an idiot.
posted by grum@work at 03:00 PM on October 07, 2005
Dominik Hasek's flexibility these days makes Bill Buckner look like Mary Lou Retton. I want chico to be my colour man.
posted by gspm at 03:22 PM on October 07, 2005
Fraze, you're catching some flack for the headline, but I think it's brilliant. Well done.
posted by Samsonov14 at 05:34 PM on October 07, 2005
Thanks, Sammy ... I thought twice about it, and then remembered I'm a completely unfeeling bastard who would skewer his mother for a laugh.
posted by wfrazerjr at 08:31 PM on October 07, 2005
I skewered your mom. Just so you know.
posted by Samsonov14 at 05:39 AM on October 08, 2005
Great headline, Dr. Crane. I'm amazed that there are still players who don't wear visors, not just for pucks but the constant risk of taking a high stick that liquifies your eyeball.
posted by rcade at 08:43 AM on October 08, 2005
MOST OF THESE GUYS ARE SO SCARRED UP, WITH GRUESOME FACIAL INJURIES , THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO WEAR MASKS AS TO NOT SCARE LITTLE CHILDREN WHO GO TO GAMES. ONLY SOME HAVE A LITTLE FACE ON THEIR SCAR TISSUE!
posted by DAB at 11:57 AM on October 08, 2005
Damn, thats a nasty one! Hope fully everything will be OK with his eyesight in the future.