Jake Gardiner Injury News
 

The organization came out with the news that he is suffering from PCS (Post Concussion Syndrome)...

He has actually be suffering from it for over a week due to a hit the weekend before, He continued to play as he had passed all the baseline tests, barely mind you...

His last hit was an awkward one, where he was run into the boards awkwardly while shooting a puck around, a normal play for a forechecker to hit a D as he gets rid of it around the boards, he fell oddly and left after the 2nd period satuerday due to what originally came out as a groin strain... apperently that rattle also affected his mellon, and he is being shut down for a bit for precautionary measures...

News has been hard to get out of the organization lately, but will try and update as I can, unless others come out with it....

He has been targetted by many AHL players this year to late hits, guys trying to make impressions on thier own organizations hitting NHL caliber players, tho this was on the case on the latest hit he recieved...

I wonder if this ups Gunnarsson's value if Gardiner is no go to start the season (still a believer) or if all PP time would be eaten by JML and DP

This is horrible news for leafs and its fans if this becomes a long term problem. Reminds me of the Bryan berard incident when he had his eye gouged out by Hossa I believe. It set the leaf organization back at least 5 years as he was an up and coming stud in the back end ...sort of a Boyle type of player.

Whoa there buddy! A little PCS headache is a far cry from what happened to Berard. I know PCS is not a matter to take lightly but I'd bet that Gardiner will be ready to go again in the next few weeks, I only say that because I've gone through it too from time to time ;)

And there in lays the problem. From time to time means it never really heals. Which in clinical terms could mean career threatening. My statement was not to compare the two injuries but the impact on the organization as a whole if this injury to Gardiner is long term.

PCS falls in 2 catigorys of Long and Short term

Long term PCS is like Marc Savard - you improve, but the underlying is there, it doesn't take a hit to bring the side effect out for many days, months, years... (this is what the league wants to fight in the battle against concussions)

Short term PCS is just after a sudden blow - most common and happens to many people, you can blow your nose and suffer from short term PCS, smack your head of a cupboard, or get run over by a 220 pound defenseman... The side effects leave after a few seconds, minutes, hours or days...

Gardiner's issue is currently short term, he passed the baselines, got better, then took anouther blow that brought it back... Everything should be fine just shutdown for a bit, also the fact its the holiday season with less intenssive schedual, the organization likely felt they have a chance to give him time off...

That said, we have had 2 players in the past 3 years that went from Short to Long term and have ended thier careers from it in the Marlie orgnaization.

Max Taylor (brother of Dan Taylor of Abbotsford - Took one major hit, then a couple minor ones and suffered for many months and never has fully recovered, he likely could pass a baseline today, but has a squishy melon and prone to re-occuring headaches... This wasn't the only reason he ended his career... being 25 on Tryout contracts in the AHL likely means your not going to sustain a future in the game, Now he is a Real Estate Agent in Toronto, apperently very reputable...

Richard Greenop (OHL fans may remeber this walking brick shit house) - was a goon that took too many hits to the head from fighting, unfortunatly he was starting to become a hockey player that was not out of place on the ice much like a Colton Orr at the time he sustained the concussion problem, from what I heard his was a rather intense case where he was sensitive to lights and sudden movements... I can guess at how many concussions he sustained over his career, but apperently the final one was a 'One and Done' situation...

Per rotoworld today (source: Toronto Sun)


Jake Gardiner isn't expected to be back in the lineup for the Toronto Marlies until after Boxing Day.
He is still being bothered by a sore neck and headaches after being hit from behind in a game against Rochester on Dec. 8. "The way the schedule has played out (three games in four days starting Wednesday in Cleveland), we have a certain medical protocol we have to follow with Jake," coach Dallas Eakins said. "We can't sway from it. He hasn't been on the ice, he has to get into a full contact practice and that's just not going to happen the way our schedule is. He can't play until we ramp him up in practice. And we play right after the break (Boxing Day - Dec. 26 - against Hamilton) so he can't play that one." It's still unclear whether he is suffering from whiplash or a concussion, but it is being treated like he has the latter as a precaution.

Thank you =)

Per rotoworld (source Toronto Sun):

"Jake Gardiner is still sidelined because of a combination of concussion and whiplash symptoms."The best way to describe it is that he's had no setbacks," Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins said. "I don't care if we are down to three defensemen. You don't rush those (head injuries). He's progressed to light workouts." The smooth-skating blueliner, who has been out since Dec. 8, has been seen around the dressing room but he hasn't been able to return to the ice yet. Jan 3 - 6:18 PM"