Phaneufed Update

by Ryan

Here's the video of Sean Avery's comments, with some help from 289 in the Bfloblog comments. (By the way, the post itself is the best way I saw the Rodgers death handled.)



I agree with 289, now that I see the intent he had I completely agree with the suspension, at least for the game that night. Having him out there would have got ugly fast. It's good to see the Stars overcame all the Avery garbage and played well. We will see how long the suspension lasts, but based on how the Stars ownership acted I don't think they will mind if it's lengthy.

At least Yahoo!'s optimistic

Day-to-day? That's a little generous, no?

In all seriousness, though, it's great to see that Richard Zednik is going to be okay. What happened on the ice Sunday night is one of, if not the, scariest thing that can happen during a hockey game. It's easy to forget that players are basically wearing knives on their feet and one little slip up could be fatal. Puts everything in perspective.

And in a historical perspective, it appears that Zednik's injury was actually worse than the one Clint Malarchuk infamously sustained in 1989.

From The Buffalo News' website:

The Clint Malarchuk comparisons can stop. Richard Zednik's injury was much more life- threatening.

"Clint actually cut his external jugular vein, which is quite different from your common carotid artery," Dr. Leslie J. Bisson said. "Your common carotid artery, when that's lacerated, it can very quickly become a fatal injury."

The four doctors who treated Zednik used words today such as "profusely," "devastating," "hanging by a thread" and "lucky" to describe the sliced carotid artery injury suffered by Zednik on Sunday.

The physicians who treated the Florida Panthers hockey player met with the media this afternoon. They described a scene that likely would have been fatal if not for a sequence of fortunate events.

Zednik, struck in the throat by the skate of teammate Olli Jokinen, was fortunate the blade cut only the carotid artery, barely missing the internal jugular vein and a web of nerves in the neck.

Still, the blow could have been deadly if:

*Zednik hadn't skated immediately to the bench, a 100-foot journey that left a wide trail of blood. That allowed trainers and doctors to reach him quicker.

*Bisson, the Sabres team doctor, hadn't been positioned next to the bench. He was able to hop out of the stands and meet Zednik near his bench. Bisson immediately put pressure on the gushing artery, slowing the bleeding.

*The artery had been completely severed. It wasn't, allowing Drs. Sonya Noor and Richard Curl to quickly find the injury and reattach it cleanly. If the artery had torn fully, it would have retracted and moved out of place.

"We all were very lucky last night, not just Richard," Noor said in Buffalo General Hospital.

The Roost's thoughts and prayers continue to stay with Zednik and his family throughout the recovery process.

Too Little Too Late

by Ryan

I checked my phone's inbox today at 4:05 PM.

From: Marv Levy Collective Bills Management
Reminder: Kevin Everett will appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show today at 4PM. Txt STOP 2 quit.
Jan 31, 3:50 PM.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not OPRAH!! How could they only give me ten minutes notice?!? IT'S NOT FAIR!



Sorry, but I thought getting reminders to watch daytime TV from the Bills was a once in a lifetime thing. Too bad I had things to do or I would have given Oprah a chance. Because, you know... I never watch it or anything... ahem.

In other Kevin Everett news, the TE actually had to turn down an invitation to the State of the Union address, but will be attending the Super Bowl. That's something pretty cool in itself, but you have to marvel at how far he has come along since that first game. I'm not sure what he feels about the Bush Administration's foreign policy, but I'm sure he would enjoy the big game.

If you want to hear more about Everett, here's a good story from ABC News, and ESPN is running a SportsCenter Special: "The Remarkable Recovery" tomorrow on ESPN2 at 8PM.

It's not often that we openly promote The Four Letter, but this seems like a worthy cause.

Thibault Time

By Chris

Ottawa again?

It's going to be a relief next season when the Senators aren't going to be on the schedule eight times a year, but for now we're all just going to have to live with it. But tonight we might end up dying with it.

Jocelyn Thibault is expected to get the start for the Buffalo Sabres tonight. The same Jocelyn Thibault of a 2-3 record, a 3.64 goals against average and a .857 save percentage. When he came in for relief of Ryan Miller last Friday against these same Senators, he allowed two goals on 11 shots in 27:09.

He's going to need all the help he can get from his defense. Teppo Numminen, however, won't be skating anytime soon. The Sabres doctors have not cleared him to play and it puts the 39-year old defenseman's season in jeopardy.

I know the heart complication was unexpected at the start of training camp, but in hindsight, it looks like $2.6 million just thrown away. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

The Sabres, winless in their last seven, face off against the Sens, the beasts of the Eaast, at 7:30 in Kanata. Here's hoping for the best...and expecting the worst.

Ottawa Gamenight Gamenotes

By Chris
The Bills are done, the Winter Classic has passed, so it's time to really sink our proverbial collective teeth into the hockey season.

Ottawa is in town tonight and both teams will have some lineup adjustments for the game.

Anton Volchenkov will be back for Ottawa. The shot-blocking machine has missed the last 15 games with a broken finger. That meant Christoph Schubert moving back to forward and Nick Foligno getting sent back down to the minors. If Volchenkov's really back up to speed, whether it's Martin Gerber or the flaky Ray Emery between the pipes, it will be tough for the already struggling Sabres offense to generate any chances.

And that's why Lindy Ruff is mixing things up, too. After having Paul Gaustad center Jochen Hecht and Jason Pominville during the outdoor game, he's moved Derek Roy away from Thomas Vanek and onto that line.

Vanek and Kotalik, now back on the right wing where he's been for most of his NHL career, were joined by Tim Connolly.

From The Buffalo News:

Gaustad skated Thursday with (Dan) Paille and Maxim Afinogenov, who was then replaced by Drew Stafford after tweaking a groin muscle and leaving the workout early. Ruff said Afinogenov is questionable for tonight but that Stafford could be cleared to return from a concussion to take the spot on that line.

Against the red-hot line of Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza (5th, 7th, and 10th in league scoring, respectively), the Sabres are going to need all the help they can get.

Face off is at 7:30 from HSBC Arena.

In other news, Teppo Numminen is close to returning following his latest heart condition.

Quoth The News:

Defenseman Teppo Numminen was back on the ice Thursday after getting positive reviews from his heart checkup the day before at the Cleveland Clinic.

Numminen denied telling NBC’s Mike Emrick that he was 10 days away from returning to action; Emrick reported such a conversation took place during the network’s telecast Tuesday.

“Who said that? That was just a rumor,” Numminen said. “No, I didn’t say that. I don’t know where that came from.”

Numminen did say that he’s moving closer to a return but is still on a week-to-week schedule.

“We’re going in the right direction, working hard, no aches and pains,” he said. “Every week you feel a difference.”

Miller's Sweet New Headgear

From Sabres.com :

Goaltender Ryan Miller is working on a new mask. Or more to the point, trying to break in a new mask before next Tuesday.

The art work on the mask holds similar elements as his previous one - "Miller Time", "Matt Man", a bulldog with a Michigan State Spartan green bowler hat, the current Sabres logo - but does have a couple of new items, including a retro logo on the crown.

This mask, like all of Miller's others, was a creation of Bishop Designs, www.bishopdesigns.com.

Miller will auction off the mask following the NHL Winter Classic. Specifics haven't been finalized yet, but proceeds will benefit Miller's Steadfast Foundation.

Kevin Everett in Sports Illustrated

Here's a great piece on SI.com on Kevin Everett's recovery. It's the cover piece in this week's issue.

"The Road Back"

Secret Santa: To Turner Gill:

Happy Holidays, Coach.

Hope it fits, because it looks like you'll be wearing it for at least a few more years.

Just don't trade it in for one of these, ok?

From: The Goose's Roost

Kevin Everett Update: The Video Message

Kevin Everett spoke in public for the first time since his injury last night in a video message played right before the Bills-Patriots Sunday night football game.

If you missed it, here's what he had to say:

"How you doin' Buffalo? This is Kevin Everett, I'm out here in Houston working hard out here rehabbing, just thinking about you guys. Just wanted to say thank you to all my teammates and the City of Buffalo, as well as the fans around America, you know with all the support and love that you've been giving me out here. Just letting you know that it's been special to me. And I just wanted to say, come on, let's beat New England."

Kevin Everett's statement to the fans

"I am deeply humbled by all of your support, your thoughts, and your prayers during this trying period in my life. As you may already be aware, I have shown significant progress in my recovery. But, I am also fully aware that the recovery from the type of injury I have sustained is filled with peaks and valleys. While the road to recovery is long and hard, I am determined to fight through it each and every day.

This week, with the assistance of a walker, I was able to take steps, and I have been able to move in my wheelchair, both of which are great triumphs for me. I maintain a positive attitude and feel fortunate every day that I am alive and well. I value and appreciate the unfailing support of my family, my friends, my doctors, and my fans.

While I am happy to share these moments of success in my recovery with you, I also ask that you understand this is a very challenging and personal time for me. I respectfully request that any future updates regarding my medical condition be obtained exclusively from the media relations team at Memorial Hermann|TIRR. I hope that I can soon report another milestone in my recovery. Until then.

Respectfully, Kevin Everett."

LINK.

Kevin Everett Update: Small Steps

By Chris

Some very good news out of Texas today: Kevin Everett is able to walk. Now it's still a long road to recovery, but news like this--for lack of a better word--is awesome.

From WIVB's report:

"News 4 has learned that Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett is walking, with some assistance. The Bills tight end has been recovering at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston since September 21st.

Doctors in Buffalo originally thought a spinal cord injury Everett suffered during the Bills home opener September 9th would leave him permanently paralyzed. But, medical experts now believe the Bills' training staff may have saved Everett from more serious damage by quickly injecting him with an ice cold saline solution. A procedure developed by the Miami Project and Dr. Barth Green.

Doctors are very optimistic that once his rehab is done, Everett will be able to walk on his own."

Kevin Everett remains in the thoughts and prayers of everyone here at the Roost. Get well soon, Kevin.

The Latest on Kevin Everett

By Chris

Dr. Andrew Cappuccino, the surgeon who performed on Bills tight end Kevin Everett and Dr. Kevin Gibbons, the consulting neurosurgeon met with the media at Ralph Wilson Stadium this afternoon to discuss the status of the injured player.

From WGR550:

After coming out of surgery, Everett could barely push his knees together. However, the doctors voluntarily put him in a drug protected state Monday due to a high temperature, and cooled him down with extra equipment. Tuesday, the doctors briefly brought him back to consciousness to perform some brief tests and found marked improvement. Wednesday morning, Everett was able to bring his knees up slightly, wiggle his toes, and slightly use his quadriceps. He flexed his triceps in his arms, but was not able to neither flex his biceps consistently nor use his hands at all.

Everett has been removed from the ventilator and is breathing on his own, which is a major step according to his doctors. Everett is attached to a feeding tube but is awake and starting to ask questions. He understands what is happening, and the road ahead to recovery.

And from BuffaloBills.com:

"He had clear improvement in the motor function of his legs," said Dr. Gibbons the director of the neurological ICU at Millard Fillmore Gates hospital. "He was able to move his legs together and apart, wiggles his toes and had slight movement from his ankle. He was able to kick out his lower leg against gravity with his knee raised. He was able to slightly extend his elbow with his triceps muscle."

With those signs of muscle movement the doctors decided to being warming Everett's body to do further testing. It had been cooled during and following surgery to reduce swelling.

"The decision was made to begin warming him," said Gibbons. "We did that over the next 12 hours. During the course of this time with the sedation lifted we were able to repetitively examine Kevin with continued anti-gravity power and continued movement in one muscle in his arms. This morning he continues to demonstrate improvement in his legs to the point where he can bend his hip and has the ability to straighten out his knee. He demonstrates continued power in his ankles. He has somewhat improved triceps function in that he can just overcome gravity with his left triceps. His biceps function seem to fluctuate. He has no movement in his hands."

Everett's condition was grouped into the second worst class of spinal cord injuries when he was initially assessed. Following the latest developments he's almost met all the requirements to be upgraded to the next best class.

When asked if he will walk again Dr. Gibbons made it clear that it's against the odds, but wouldn't rule it out.

"I wouldn't bet against it," said Gibbons.

The Roost will continue to provide more updates on Everett's condition as they become available. And for more coverage, be sure to check Bfloblog.com as well.

More Bad News

By Chris

While nothing is certain, things don't look good for Bills tight end Kevin Everett who was seriously injured in yesterday's game against Denver. Everett was sedated earlier today and is still undergoing evaluations in intensive care. And now that they're calling it a "'catastrophic' and life-threatening" injury, we're beginning to hear the things none of us want to hear:

"A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely," Dr. Andrew Cappuccino said, one day after performing a four-hour operation on the player. "I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis. ... A full neurological recovery was bleak, dismal."

And from WGR550:

During the surgical procedure on Sunday night, doctors realigned and decompressed Everett's spine, and fused the third and fourth cervical vertebrae with screws.

Monday morning, doctors performed a neurological exam and determined that he could breath on his own, and had similiar sensations as the night before, but stressed they still do not have a prognosis. Doctors are concerned about blood clotting and pneumonia to start, and will keep him in a protected state with drugs for the next two to three days. Everett is also on a respirator.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Everett family.

UPDATE: 9/11

Big Poppa

By Chris

Just to update a previous post, Buffalo Sabres winger Thomas Vanek is now a proud father.

Thanks to the translation generator at dictionary.com for this pretty accurate account from Vanek's website:

16. August 2007

Thomas is proud dad!

With one day delay to the calculated birth date came Vanek junior to the world. Friend Ashley brought a healthy boy to the world.

At 9.35 o'clock local time was it so far: The first common baby of Thomas and Freundin Ashley saw the light of the world in Minneapolis/pc. Paul.

The most important data: The son of our ice hockey Cracks weighs 3.7 Kilos with 53 cm size.

First statement: " The baby is beautiful and very good. Mother and child go it well, everything are ok.

The name is not certain, however in the next days here is announced. Also it will give then here to see the first baby photos.

The team of thomasvanek.at wishes much luck to the young family and all property!

And, Thomas, even though I'm not entirely sure what "son of our ice hockey Cracks" means, the next celebratory cigar is complements of the Roost.