04/24/24
April 08, 2002
7 months after being diagnosed with cancer, Saku Koivu returns on Tuesday night to the Montreal Canadiens lineup.
Good point tj, but I doubt he would come back if he didn't feel he could contribute. I think that even if he plays 8 minutes total, mostly on the pp, he would be a huge asset to this team. I also think that the opposition is going to be a little sketchy about hitting him at first. I wouldn't want to be Zdeno Chara tomorrow.
posted by sauril at 07:13 PM on April 08, 2002
As much as I hate the Canadiens, I'm happy to see Saku back. He's a tough little guy, and I bet having him back on the team will be a huge boost for Montreal. I'll still cheer when he gets knocked on his ass, though.
posted by Samsonov14 at 09:40 AM on April 09, 2002
tj: FWIW, ESPN mag's newest piece on this suggests that he's been tested extremely heavily for various health/fitness criteria and that he's 100% healthy. His trainer (who trained Lance Armstrong post-cancer) called it a 'miracle' on par with Armstrong's recovery. So... doesn't sound like a rushjob, at least judging from that article.
posted by tieguy at 03:59 PM on April 09, 2002
hey, I get ESPN mag, I know. All I'm saying is that this could be a risky move.
posted by tj at 05:38 PM on April 09, 2002
First of all, how can anyone hate the Canadiens? The most dominant franchise in history. They're the friggin yankees of hockey. Oh wait, I guess that's how you can hate them. Regardless, watching the Keg welcome the Finn back was spellbinding. I sat stoned on my couch, and barely noticed the 8 minutes of ovation, until 'O Canada' was gradually mixed into the audio. After seeing that, I started to wonder if his ailment had something to do with his past frailty. I'm no doctor, but it is possible.
posted by garfield at 12:25 PM on April 10, 2002
I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I just wonder how healthy he really is. Montreal needs one friggin win to clinch their playoff spot. It's not really the best time to be pulling a publicity stunt for Koivu or the Canadiens. I mean, he was always extremely injury prone before. I can't think that he's any more resilient now. and if god forbid, he gets injured in Tuesday's game it may kill their spirit.