May 24
C Ryan Kesler played the playoffs with a shoulder injury that he sustained in February. Kesler has since had surgery to repair a torn labrum and is expected to be out until about December. However, coach Alain Vigneault said the injury could not be used as an excuse for the center's lack of offensive production. "That shoulder was not 100 percent, but there is no player that is 100 percent during the playoffs," Vigneault said. "Our medical staff and Ryan did a great job of maintaining the strength."
May 18
Kesler, who underwent surgery May 8 to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, will be out at least six full months and will not return early, reports the Vancouver Province.
Recommendation: It appears Kesler learned a lesson from pushing up his return from surgery last fall. His production plummeted this season from 41 to 22 goals after he returned Oct. 18 from July 25 hip surgery. "I'm not going to come back early," Kesler said this week. "It's going to take six months and the surgeon [Dr. Anthony Miniaci of the Cleveland Clinic] is not going to release me until I'm at full strength and mobility ... even if it goes until December, I'm not coming back until I'm 110 per cent when I know I'm ready and able to play my game." Adjust your draft expectations and keeper decisions accordingly.
