Varada Out 6 Weeks

[Man.Utd]

The Ottawa Senators may be without the services of winger Vaclav Varada for a while. Sources close to the team told TSN that Varada will be out for four to six weeks with a sprained MCL in his right knee.

The injury happened in the second period of last night's game in Toronto when Varada missed a check along the boards.

Varada, 29, missed 52 games in the 2003-2004 season with a left knee injury and finished with ten points in 30 games. The hard-driving forward has 162 points in 417 career NHL games.

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:relief Not good news at all, but the pre-season just started so he won't miss much real action. And thankfully this is the other knee. He should certainly make a full and total recovery as the MCL is sprained, not torn *phew*. In the new NHL his penalty-drawing skills will be even more useful. According to Sens-homer Dean Brown, he managed to draw a few last night. That was about all he was good for it seemed, but still....

[Madferret]

Enter Hamel?

[Man.Utd]

Enter McGratton for sure IMO since Varada was playing 4th line up until now. We don't lose much of what Varada brought in terms of grit that way, although obviously he can't draw penalties nearly as well as V2. He usually takes them. I'd actually expect Martins/Kelly to get the call now, and see them shift Vermette from that 4th line C role to 4th line W now. Hamel just doesn't seem as well suited to the 4th line. Antoine will likely get the LW, while Gratts goes back to his preferred right.

Heatley - Spezza - Bochenski
Havlat - Smolinski - Alfredsson
Schaefer - Fisher - Neil
Vermette - Kelly/Martins - McGratton

[Man.Utd]

VARADA ON MEND

Muckler revealed yesterday that Vaclav Varada's MCL injury might not be as bad as originally thought.

Varada is ahead of schedule and could begin skating soon, Muckler said.

"He's ahead of the six weeks we originally thought and he could be back sometime around the opening game depending on the progress he makes. Right now, we're not sure, but that's going to play a role in our decisions," said Muckler.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Ottawa/2005/09/27/1237516-sun.html

[Darsehole Tucker]

Well that's good news. I like his peskiness and the attitude he brings to the team. The sooner the better for his recovery.