Ryan Callahan to go on LTIR

[Axeman33]

Sucks for him but what a gift for the Lightning and their cap space.

https://twitter.com/CaleyChelios/sta...976608257?s=19

BREAKING NEWS: Julien BriseBois stated today that forward Ryan Callahan has been diagnosed with degenerative back disease and recommended that he no longer play professional hockey.

[bondon]

Sad news for Callahan, but great career for the guy. Was one of the best mid-late round multi-category beasts! He was a monster in 2010-11 to 2012-13.

[Pengwin7]

Twas a solid career.
Crazy just to think about a man's career being over at 34 years old.

[ericdaoust]

Can we still call it Robidas Island?

[mounD]

Can we still call it Robidas Island?

Yes. Yes we can.

[rataylor22]

The Hossa disease strikes again

[lucafen4]

amazing how convenient these career ending injuries seem to be at a teams time of need.

[chuckcouples]

I am wondering if there is any NHL player who could not find a doctor to say that he "should not" play hockey anymore?

It's pretty convenient how it's only guys that are older and have terrible contracts that are being told not to play hockey anymore. It's an absolute joke and needs to be addressed in the next CBA (although it won't be because neither the owners nor the NHLPA have any incentive to get rid of this out).

[4T2]

Damn, there's some real cynical people out there. A man who has spent the last 30 years of his life giving everything he had to a game that he loves just had that taken away from him due to factors he can't control. Bad contract or not, no one should have their career taken away from them at 34 years old due to disease.

[butch]

I am wondering if there is any NHL player who could not find a doctor to say that he "should not" play hockey anymore?

It's pretty convenient how it's only guys that are older and have terrible contracts that are being told not to play hockey anymore. It's an absolute joke and needs to be addressed in the next CBA (although it won't be because neither the owners nor the NHLPA have any incentive to get rid of this out).

I'd assume that they'll turn a blind eye until the remainder of the grandfathered long deals work their way through the system (carter,suter,parise etc.) before they can do anything (independent specialist make decision , not team doctor )

[rataylor22]

Damn, there's some real cynical people out there. A man who has spent the last 30 years of his life giving everything he had to a game that he loves just had that taken away from him due to factors he can't control. Bad contract or not, no one should have their career taken away from them at 34 years old due to disease.

The opposite of cynicism is extreme naivety

[Axeman33]

I don't know him personally, but I'm willing to bet he'd love to play hockey next season given the chance. Sure, timing is interesting, but I'm not doubting the severity of the injury as some here appear to be doing.

[4T2]

The opposite of cynicism is extreme naivety

I'm not saying that there aren't factors at play outside of the disease, but ultimately his career has been cut short by factors outside of his control. I don't know too many people who at 34 years old would walk away from their dream career.

“A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.” - Oscar Wilde

Seems like all that bitterness you spew has burnt out your taste-buds

[rataylor22]

Look. Is Callahan’s condition real? Sure. I have no doubt of that. Is it convenient it’s only been revealed at a time where Tampa needs the cap space? Why yes it is.

Was Hossa’s allergy real? Sure. Was it convenient that it coincided with a massive dip in his salary. Sure. What it more suspicious that less than 12 months earlier it was fine to the point that he played in a made up tournament for free where he represented a generic conglomerate and not even his own country? Well. Yea.

Nobody is saying these conditions aren’t real. They’re just exercised and exposed at a time that provides max benefit to the player and team. It’s just...logic and critical thought.

[4T2]

Look. Is Callahan’s condition real? Sure. I have no doubt of that. Is it convenient it’s only been revealed at a time where Tampa needs the cap space? Why yes it is.

Was Hossa’s allergy real? Sure. Was it convenient that it coincided with a massive dip in his salary. Sure. What it more suspicious that less than 12 months earlier it was fine to the point that he played in a made up tournament for free where he represented a generic conglomerate and not even his own country? Well. Yea.

Nobody is saying these conditions aren’t real. They’re just exercised and exposed at a time that provides max benefit to the player and team. It’s just...logic and critical thought.

When would have been a better time to reveal it though? Last year was too early as obviously both team and player thought he could play another year? He missed chunks of the season while being a warrior and trying to play through a condition that he obviously hoped wasn't going to end his career. Imagine what Tampa could have done if they had put him on LTIR last year or the year before?

As far as Hossa goes, his is definitely a little more suspicious because of both his age and salary. That seems a little more obvious. But that doesn't mean that every time a player goes on LTIR due to a medical condition, it needs to be considered suspicious. Jumping to that conclusion is pure cynicism, not logic or critical thinking.