EDMONTON --Eyebrows were raised at Rexall Place Friday when Dwayne Roloson, the Edmonton Oilers' injured goalie, took the ice, wearing sweats and taking shots on net. Few realized at first that it was, in fact, Roloson.
On a light news day between games, the Roloson sighting fast became media fodder. Edmonton fans may hope that the goalie the team picked up late in the regular season can return to the Oilers' net Saturday for Game 6, but it's not going to happen.
The Oilers weren't trying to create a distraction, but Roloson's on-ice appearance garnered plenty of attention. Roloson explained that it was part of the diagnostic process to see how he felt while moving on ice. The goalie and his medical team haven't decided yet to do surgery on the medial collateral ligament that was damaged in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
|
|
Schedule / Links:
| |
| Gm. 1: CAR 5, EDM 4 | Photos |
| Gm. 2: CAR 5, EDM 0 | Photos |
| Gm. 3: EDM 2, CAR 1 | Photos |
| Gm. 4: CAR 2, EDM 1 | Photos |
| Gm. 5: EDM 4, CAR 3 OT | Photos |
Gm. 6: June 17, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Edmonton (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
*Gm. 7: June 19, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Carolina (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
| *if necessary |
|
The Roloson injury and the subsequent strong play of Oilers goalie Jussi Markkanen are two of the big story lines of this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I've been working with Dr. Magee, just doing all the things that we have to do to strengthen the MCL area," Roloson said, after practice. "It's not just one thing. It's a whole bunch of different things that we've been doing and the progression has been going well. Every day, it's better. That's the main thing, knock on wood. We haven't had any setbacks yet and as long as we keep on going in this direction, it's going to be great.
"Just part of the rehab. Everything has been going well, just wanted to go out and test it on the ice."
Magee is the Oilers' physical-therapy consultant and a member of the University of Alberta's Department of Occupational Therapy.
Roloson won't be ready to play until next season and made that clear when asked if there is anything to be read into his appearance.
"Yeah, just try to get right into it and start skating," he said. "Obviously, no pads or anything yet, so it's just going to be a time thing here. ... Doing a lot of pivots and turns and just trying to open it up and see where there was pain and there wasn't any, so it was perfect.
"'Everything has been going really well with the rehab. We have been pushing as hard as we can, and this is just part of it. It's the progression of the rehab. Like I said, I haven't gotten down to a butterfly yet. Everything has been just regular skating and wearing a brace. To play, you can't really wear a brace right now. At least for me anyways. So, that's one of the reasons we're just trying to go out and push it and see where we're at."
Still, a team likes to keep an opponent off-balance. That's part of coach Craig MacTavish's job.
"Never say never," MacTavish cracked. "If it goes nine, he's a possibility. And the way the looks right now it could very well be nine."
Roloson was asked how long he was on the ice and what are the chances he'll return in this series.
"Two answers," he teased in response to the "two questions" question. "I don't know how long I was out there and zero chance of returning."
Roloson also suffered a hyperextended right elbow in the collision with Carolina Hurricanes left winger Andrew Ladd, who was carrying the puck in on net when he was checked into Roloson by Edmonton defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron.
"The elbow is good now. That was a couple of days and it felt good," Roloson said. "That was just a bone bruise. It's another thing that takes time and it's part of the game. You get used to that."
MacTavish was asked what it meant to have Roloson on the ice with his teammates. The coach was in a particularly good mood at his press conference and, once again, refused to play it straight.
" I don't think too much outside of the fact that (Head Medical Trainer) Kenny Lowe came running in and says he has got a really good shot," MacTavish joked. "I guess he just wanted to give it a try. I guess, you never know, but very, very, very doubtful (that Roloson will play.)"
|
|
With the strong play of Jussi Markkanen, the Oilers haven't felt any pressure to push Roloson back into action.
|
Based on his stellar play in the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Roloson was a leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy awarded to the most valuable player in the postseason. Those dreams have been dashed. He wants his team to win the Stanley Cup more than anything else and it's tough not being able to give them the goaltending they need and hope to continue to get from Markkanen.
"A lot tougher to watch, that's for sure," he said. "I wish I was out there, that's for sure. But, unfortunately, I am not. I do whatever it takes to help us win: Be the best cheerleader out there and help the guys any way I can. It is always nice to be involved.
"But at the same time, I don't want to overstep my boundaries, either. (You just try) to make sure that you are there for moral support and try to help the guys, whatever way you can. Going out there, I don't want to take the distraction away from the team. It is all about the team right now and to focus on winning the next game. I am just trying to do my rehab. I am not trying to do anything else. Just try and be a good cheerleader for the guys. Do whatever it takes to win."
"We know he's not playing," Oilers center Jarret Stoll said. "He's just out there having fun. He misses being on the ice, obviously. He loves the game so much. It's a tough break that he's out but we have to deal with it and we have been dealing with it. He just wanted to go for a twirl.
"He's working on his puck-handling skills, so maybe he'll be out there on the power play."
Roloson said he sympathizes with Markkanen, who entered the Final without the benefit of playing in the earlier rounds of the playoffs. Markkanen, a six-year NHL pro, had played in only one previous Stanley Cup Playoff game, in 2002-03.
"You sit for a long time and then, all of a sudden, you get thrown into that situation where you have to go out and win," Roloson said. "The pressure in the playoffs at this time of year is that you have to win. He's done a great job for us. It's great to see it. It really is."
