When I read what's happening in the NHL right now, it seems like players are dropping like flies. Until I read an article as to whether this is the fact or that it's just that more attention has been drawn to injuries lately, I cannot manifest an opinion on the matter. What I do have an opinion on is the effect of injuries on teams early in the season.
There's no doubt injuries late in a season can destroy a hockey club's chances of doing significant damage in the playoffs, if they even make the playoffs. I do, however, think that injuries to key players early in the season, provided they aren't season-ending injuries, can actually help a young team.
Often, hockey teams grow too dependent on their top six forwards and give them substantial ice time as a result. I can clearly understand the reason why teams feel the need to do this, however, I am often at odds with its logic. Overworking top players invariably can lead to higher injury risks. It's when one or more of these key players get injured that an opportunity arises to strengthen a team in regards to its bench depth.
When a team is faced with a serious player shortage, they are forced to rely ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Sean Paddison
NHL Hockey: Injuries Not Necessarily a Bad Thing for a Club Early in the Season
November 18th, 2011 by Sean Paddison Leave a reply »
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