Ryan’s latest digital setback
Bobby Ryan’s string of freak finger fractures has hit the ridiculous stage.
We can no longer count on one hand the number of digit injuries Ryan has suffered since joining the Ottawa Senators.
After the latest incident, breaking his troublesome right index finger after blocking a Ron Hainsey shot in the third period of Saturday’s 6-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ryan is expected to miss at least a month.
Make it five consecutive years that he has suffered hand damage, a run of bad luck that surely must have him shaking his finger — pardon the pun — at the hockey gods’ sense of humour.
Reading the history of the Ryan injury list is like a case of deja-vu all over again.
In the past two years, it has been all about the right index finger — he missed 19 games in 2016-17 — but in previous years, left hand ailments had kept him either sidelined and/ or attempting to play through considerable pain.
Ryan has looked at home and comfortable in the early stages of the 2017-18 season, a presence like he was during his outstanding run through the playoffs last spring. After eight games, he has six assists and owns a plus/minus of plus eight. The trio of Ryan, Derick Brassard and Mark Stone has been one of the NHL’s best early season units and Ryan set up Brassard for a late second period goal Saturday before breaking his finger in the third period.
Ryan wasn’t available for comment following Saturday’s game.
The Senators had a day off Sunday and will return to the ice Monday in preparation for Tuesday’s visit by the Los Angeles Kings.
Already without Zack Smith due to an upper body injury, prompting Saturday’s recall of Chris DiDomenico, the Senators will likely havetoreachdowntoBellevilleofthe AHL for yet another replacement.
Whatever happens — and Senators coach Guy Boucher even mused about the possibility of returning to the alignment of 11 forwards and seven defencemen he often uses — expect plenty of mixing and matching in the line combinations.
The Ryan injury could also force the hand of Senators general manager Pierre Dorion, who has been on the lookout for an upgrade to his forwards since the beginning of training camp.
Those watching Saturday’s game on television could read coach Boucher’s lips and his state of disbelief when head athletic therapist Domenic Nicholetta told him the Ryan news. It rhymed with “puck trough.”
Afterwards, Boucher was beside himself in talking about the setback.
“I’ve heard about the past, but I was only there last year ... I feel for him, I really do,” he said. “This man has made some giant leaps personally, on the ice and off the ice, and the way he has presented himself this year and all the efforts he has put in. I find that sad right now, to be honest with you.”
Injuries are part of the deal in the NHL and the Senators are hardly alone. At least they have the fresh experience of knowing they can survive setbacks to key players, given the history of Craig Anderson, Clarke MacArthur and Erik Karlsson.
“We’ve got to push with our team and find ways to stick together, just like last year, when we had a lot of adversity,” said Boucher. “But now, particularly now, with what I know, what I’ve seen (Ryan) go through, I can’t help but feel … it’s a tough one.”
Ryan has had plenty of down time over the years to try and find ways to alterhisglovestogivehisfingersmore protection, but nothing has worked.
“I would like to be able to do something after hockey and not have arthriticfingers,”RyantoldPostmedia lastMarch.“It’sjustincredible.They’re all bad luck injuries. I’ve got one (finger) I still haven’t got all the feeling back in, from all the freezing.”
If there’s any consolation whatsoever from the latest injury, it’s that he should be able to skate soon enough.
“At least it’s not his legs,” said Boucher. “When it’s the lower body, it’s the end of the world because if you miss a month at the start of the season like that, it’s very tough to come back and get your legs back because the league keeps getting faster and stronger and keeps gaining fractions of seconds.”
‘That’s why we have a coach’
It was quite the week of ups and downs when it comes to coach’s hunchesforSenatorsbenchbossGuy Boucher.
Two days after taking it on the chin for keeping his offensive stars on the bench during overtime of a 5-4 loss to New Jersey, Boucher’s decision to call a third period time out Saturday played a huge role in the Senators 6-3 victory over Toronto.
The Senators were still ahead 3-2 following goals from Toronto’s James van Riemsdyk and Auston Matthews 2:34 apart, but they were clearly on their heels.
Mark Stone’s opinion was not to take a break.
Boucher disagreed, going ahead with the time out call.
Seven seconds later, Stone scored to give the Senators a 4-2 lead.
“That’s why we have a coach,” said Boucher, with a laugh. “It gave a bit of time for our players to breathe.”