Wuchterl ?

[grainbear]

Anyone heard anything on his concussion status ?

[SeventhHeaven4U]

As Posted in the Lethbridge Herald Sept.2/06:


Heading in right direction
By By Trevor Kenney
Sep 2, 2006

You’d be forgiven if every time Mike Wuchterl makes contact with someone on the ice this fall it causes you to wince. Just don’t expect Wuchterl to flinch.
The 19-year-old Lethbridge Hurricanes left winger is on the road to recovery from a concussion-filled Western Hockey League season, and while those around him might be nervous about his resuming contact, Wuchterl is non-plussed by the danger inherent.
“I’ve always gone into the corners with no fear and I’ll go against the tallest guy and that’s the way I’ll play, even if I do have concussions or whatever,” the Edmonton native said Friday after the third of four intrasquad games at the Enmax Centre.
“From now ’til the day I die I’ll go into the corner, I won’t be afraid out there, that’s not the way I play.”
Given the gravity of his situation, Wuchterl’s choice of words might not be ideal but it serves as testament to how good he feels about his recovery.
“I took about a four-month break, I looked down at my belly one day and figured it was time to get back in shape and I’ve just been going hard ever since and I’m in the best shape of my life so far,” he said, adding his weight peaked at 215 pounds and is now down to a career-best 183, his physique cut by work in the gym.
Acquired from Everett in November, 2005, Wuchterl can be an impact player, literally. His speed and willingness to throw his five-foot-11 inch frame around on the forecheck is a trait the Hurricanes value as part of their game plan. How he uses his energy may have to be reined in, however.
“He brings a physical presence to us, he brings the kind of speed and the kind of pressure we want on our forecheck, he’s just going to have to change the way he plays a little bit,” head coach Michael Dyck said.
“He’s going to have to pick his spots. He wants to run over everybody. We talk about a guy like Matt Cooke (Vancouver Canucks), we certainly see him playing that kind of a role for us. (Cooke) had to learn when he could make the big hit and when he’s just got to get an angle and Mike’s got to do the same thing.”
Wuchterl won’t, or can’t, give an exact number for the concussions he’s suffered. Suffice it to say, three in one season, including the season-ending hit he took in Prince Albert in February, has the ’Canes approaching this campaign with caution.
“It was certainly a concern for us at the end of last season, not only the concussion he had in P.A., which was a pretty bad one, but the frequency — he’s had more than one and there’s been some problems,” Dyck said.
“He looks even better than when we lost him, a lot better now than at any point last season. It’s just a matter of executing the way he has to play to be successful and that’s just picking his spots.”
Much is on the line for Wuchterl. As a 19-year-old, he’ll be looked upon as a leader for the ’Canes, and having missed the majority of his 18-year-old season (he played just 49 games), he needs to reintroduce himself to pro scouts.
“This is my fourth year in the league and it’s time to crack down if I want to go somewhere in hockey,” he said.
Elsewhere on the injury front, right wing Michael Kaye (19) is confident he’ll be given clearance to resume full-contact practice with the club Sept. 11, having recovered from his latest shoulder surgery in the off-season.
“That’s the date he hopes the doctor is going to give him that clearance,” Dyck said. “He’s been partaking in a few of our drills but we want to make sure it’s 100 per cent and we get the clearance on him before we get him back into contact because we’d like to have him for a full season.”
Kaye has been bothered by chronic shoulder problems throughout his career and managed to play just 47 games last year.

ICE CHIPS — Hurricane Czech imports Tomas Kudelka and Lukas Vantuch are expected in camp today. . .Hurricanes have been using WHL referees and linesmen for camp scrimmages and they’ve been calling infractions very tightly, conditioning players for a rules crackdown this season. . .In that vein, WHL director of officiating Kevin Muench has been going around the league with a presentation on the new rules application. He’ll be in Lethbridge after Labour Day. . .Two scrimmages are scheduled today, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Enmax.

[Tiger Trauma]

As Posted in the Lethbridge Herald Sept.2/06:



ICE CHIPS — Hurricane Czech imports Tomas Kudelka and Lukas Vantuch are expected in camp today. . .Hurricanes have been using WHL referees and linesmen for camp scrimmages and they’ve been calling infractions very tightly, conditioning players for a rules crackdown this season. . .In that vein, WHL director of officiating Kevin Muench has been going around the league with a presentation on the new rules application. He’ll be in Lethbridge after Labour Day. . .Two scrimmages are scheduled today, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Enmax.


I wonder if any other teams have used whl refs for thiere camp scrimmages. It's a good idea by lethbridge. Gives them a few more games to get used to the system

[peatfan]

They have been using 2 refs & no linesman for all intrasquad games for the last few years. It's a win-win situation for everyone. And the refs are more inclined to joke around with the players. Some interesting conversations. In one practice two 16 yr olds, deceided to fight. The refs jumped in and then one of the refs looked at the players ordered them to take off their helmets and once they were off then the refs stepped back to let them fight. I don't tink you will ever see that during the season. :groovy:

[Kristi]

I wonder if any other teams have used whl refs for thiere camp scrimmages. It's a good idea by lethbridge. Gives them a few more games to get used to the system

Yes they did in Everett. They had full game scrimmages in camp with refs and linesmen to help the players out with the new rules.