The grim word came early from the Avalanche today:
Conor Timmins, the team’s highly-prized, 2017 second-round draft choice who was a standout for Team Canada in a World Junior championship, is out indefinitely with concussion symptoms.
Many hardcore Avalanche fans proceeded to lift their index fingers and place it firmly on the Panic Button. Avalanche assistant general manager Craig Billington, after all, said there was “no timetable” on a potential return. More panic.
Don’t panic, says Timmins’ agent, Anton Thun.
“This is not something to get overly worried about,” Thun said, in an interview with BSN Denver. “Conor is actually progressing well.”
Timmins, a defenseman who turns 20 later this month, did not skate with the rest of the Avs’ rookies Friday at Family Sports Center. He suffered a concussion in March while playing for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and while he has been skating off and on since – including recently – a physical examination with the team on Friday made it clear to the Avalanche that symptoms remain.
Thun, however, downplayed any long-term worry over his health.
“It’s in the best interest of the Colorado Avalanche to not rush anything like this, and in the interest of Conor Timmins,” Thun said. “He’s 19. He’s going to have a long career. What’s more important, rushing him back for a day of rookie camp, or making sure things are good for his health long term?”
Thun said, as did Billington, that Timmins has made “good progress” of late with his symptoms. But concussions, as we all know, are tricky things.
The Avs’ rookies will depart for Las Vegas later Friday, to participate in a Rookie Showcase tournament. Timmins is unlikely to participate.
0 Comments (6 conversations)
NoMoreRats
As long as there are no worries long term it isn’t a big deal for the immediate future of the Avs. The best case scenario for him would be to make the team out of camp and be a bottom pairing defenseman playing limited minutes. That would have been a nice step for the future but there are plenty of guys with NHL and even playoff experience (Nemeth, Barberio, Lindholm, Warsofsky even Alt and Graves) who can fill that role. It also leaves a bigger opening for Meloche to make the team.
Let’s just hope the prognosis is correct and the optimism they’re relaying is a true reflection of that prognosis. If that’s the case we can save the panic button for something else.
denvermaxd
^^this
JustForbis
The biggest issue for panic is the Joey Hishon-PTSD that this invokes for Avs fans. Hopefully the agent is correct, though I don’t know that he has the medical background to make the reassurance comforting that he will be back to form eventually. Wishing Timmins all the best in taking care of his health!
Chris DeMott
I don’t think “Panic” would be my interpretation of this and I feel tempted to insert a certain Charlie Sheen .gif from Ferris Bueller here… but I remember a certain writer coming out with a very strong reaction towards Brayden Macnab and his career limiting hit on Joey Hishon. The fact is that no one really knows the rate of progress that Connor is making or they would be able to give a time table for return, which we know they will not. The agent is doing his job maintaining his clients value to the best of his ability, but he is no more able to dictate progress than the trainers. On multiple occasions it has been brought up on BSN Avalanche Podcasts that this injury may not have been handled well and there are questions involved with that. Perhaps this is all precautionary and that would be great news, but it also wouldn’t be the first time a prospect has had his career cut short by concussion and I for one would be interested in knowing what happened.
bjjones05
Concussions are looked at much differently than they were even 5 years ago. I hope they learned from the Joey Hishon issue to not rush the player back. Crosby is a good example of taking the proper amount of time to recover. Hopefully we see him on the ice soon.
Jose
Like I have trust in the medical knowledge of Timmins agent. I am not going to count on Timmins at all. If he really recovers and is able to play and be part of the team that is a plus. Just another example of Junior hockey trying to destroy the best players.
B
What are you talking about? What hockey should he have played in?
George in Limbo
The curse of Adam Deadmarsh strikes again. #18 should be banned. Drury, Tanguay, Yip, Connelly, Yelle, Hishon. Remember Jaime Wichester? Never even played a game.