Penguins’ Crosby sidelined indefinitely with another concussion

After losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Washington Capitals will have to watch the Penguins raise their Stanley Cup banner.

“I think going through it, you understand the process and I think that progress is a good thing”, he said. Just have to treat them the right way and make sure they handle it right and youre honest.

He introduced the Penguins by asking the crowd, “Are you ready to meet the champs?” “If not, you don’t take any chances”. “I’ve been through this before”. The former NHL MVP will likely take over as the team’s No. 1 center, until Crosby returns and Malkin slides down to the No. 3 line alongside young winger Scott Wilson. He consulted team doctors and then entered the concussion protocol.

These are just a few of the many, but how does Sidney Crosby’s story match up to those of Primeau, Deadmarsh, Lafontaine and many others? “I haven’t been for camp and stuff like that, but it was nice to get in there”. In a post-practice interview on Tuesday, Crosby told interviewers that he was already feeling better than he had Saturday. So did the concussion diagnosis that will keep the Penguins captain out indefinitely.

Since Crosby’s first concussion, the National Hockey League has changed its protocol for head injuries, forcing players to leave the bench and head to a quiet room for testing before being cleared to play again. Crosby was the tournaments MVP after leading Canada to gold.

If we look to hockey history, the signs are not encouraging, as players like Crosby with a prior history of concussion are far more likely be forced into premature retirement by concussion symptoms due to a final blow to the head.

Crosby has missed parts of two seasons due to head injuries earlier in his career.

Crosby’s presence Wednesday helped ease some of his teammates’ fears. I mean, uh, I think the team stated it happened on Friday in practice.

This news was a huge deal for two obvious reasons.

Washington general manager Brian MacLellan believes coach Barry Trotz and players will have “the right perspective” and believes it’s fitting for the Capitals to start their season on the same sheet of ice where their bid for the franchise’s first Cup ended in six contentious games. He’d skated with teammates before the Penguins’ full practice. Again, anything can happen with brain injuries – Crosby knows better than effectively everyone – but everything on Tuesday pointed in the right direction.

The team finished off an elegant pregame ceremony by having team captain and Conn Smythe victor Sidney Crosby skate to center ice with the Cup held aloft.

Crosby’s season is now put on hold.

“I’m not making this up”, Crosby said.

“You just kind of go from there, see how you are the following day”.