There’s no doubt that anyone and everyone who’s discussed or been bothered by the proliferation of concussions in the NHL will be watching to see how Sidney Crosby’s return to action goes tonight and from here on out.
With how the Penguins have taken very close watch on how Crosby’s recovery was handled and the precise care he received, Crosby and the Penguins could be providing the blueprint for how future players could be treated for similar injuries. Crosby’s injury also helped teach a lesson in how concussions are serious business.
Look at how relatively soon we saw Max Pacioretty and Nathan Horton return to action compared to guys like David Perron and Kurt Sauer. Everyone responds differently and treatment has to be adjusted.
Crosby, however, was meticulously watched at all turns by doctors and how he responded to treatment was monitored closely with the Penguins making sure to not push more and stress that he came back regardless of how the team was doing or where they were. After all, if you think Crosby enjoyed watching the playoffs from home, you’re crazy.
If Crosby can come back and not run into any problems and be able to survive the big bumps and bruises that will come through the year without any kind of relapse, then you’ll see a lot of teams making calls to Pittsburgh to find out just how they did things with Sid. While waiting so long to get a player back is hard to do, it’s worth it in the long run if they can come back to playing without any issue. Here’s to hoping that’s what we see happen with Crosby.
