Hard knocks merely a fact of life in professional sports, Harris says
Habs defenceman shakes off his latest concussion after hit during Feb. 11 game
If Jordan Harris's attitude seems cavalier, even bordering on brazen, it can probably be attributed to his having been concussed before.
While he doesn't brush off what he recently went through, the Canadiens defenceman says head injuries are part of the inherent dangers of playing professional sports.
“It's just kind of what you sign up for,” Harris said after practice Tuesday, the first time he addressed the media following his health scare and before he returned to the lineup Wednesday night against Buffalo. “We're able to play this sport every single day. You ask around the locker room and in hockey, in general, a lot of people have had concussions, little dings, had their bell rung.
“It happens in a contact sport like hockey. You don't want to see it happen to anyone, but chances are it's going to happen when you play this long, against the size and strength of the players we play against. You just try to take care of yourself. If you're proactive, taking vitamins and treating your body well, that will help with the recovery process. And you hope you don't have (symptoms) down the road.”
Barely five minutes had elapsed in a Feb. 11 Bell Centre game against St. Louis when Harris, behind his own net, appeared to be falling. At the same time, Blues forward Sammy Blais checked Harris from behind, taking him into the boards headfirst. Harris was slow to get up and appeared dazed, was assisted to the dressing room and didn't return. Blais received a five-minute major and game misconduct.
Harris, 23, still had a small bruise on his right cheek on Tuesday. He received three stitches to his lower lip, another three inside his mouth. He hasn't watched a replay and says he probably won't. His mother, Virginia, a nurse at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital, and girlfriend, Codie Cross, a former blueliner at Northeastern University — where they met — were both in attendance.
Harris said Blais contacted him, apologizing.
“Honestly, it could have been so much worse,” said Harris, 5-foot11 and 189 pounds. “You can break down that stuff and throw it into slow motion. It happened so quick. It's hockey. It's unfortunate what happened. At least I didn't lose any teeth. Some people deal with concussion symptoms for weeks and months. I'm just happy to be back.
“I don't think (Blais) meant any ill will,” added Harris, selected by Montreal in the third round (71st overall) in 2018. “There's a lot of good guys in this league. It's hockey. It's unfortunate. Blais was committed to the hit. I remember being aware that somebody was coming to hit me. He probably wanted to get a hit in and get into the game. It's totally understandable.”
Harris said his condition began improving the day after the game and any post-concussion symptoms disappeared within 48 hours. He suffered his first concussion as a senior at Northeastern in 2021.
“Honestly, I really wasn't concerned,” Harris said of his most recent injury. “You just want to make sure you take the right steps.”
Harris was teamed with fellow Northeastern alumni Jayden Struble against the Sabres. Harris played 15:28 against Buffalo over 17 shifts. He had a goal and six points in 32 games before the Canadiens met the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Note: The Canadiens claimed 27-year-old centre Colin White off waivers from Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon. The 6-foot-1, 194-pounder has 44-69-113 totals in 303 games over eight seasons with the Senators, Panthers and Penguins.
It could have been so much worse. … It's unfortunate what happened. At least I didn't lose any teeth.