Concussion keeps Cuthbert at home
Despite their difference in profile, Brayden Cuthbert knows what Sidney Crosby is going through.
Perhaps a little bit too well.
While Sid the Kid spent Wednesday surrounded by media hanging on every word as they tried to predict when the National Hockey League’s biggest star might return from his concussion, Cuthbert sat at home wondering when his own hockey career might resume.
“I keep on saying, me and Sid are on the same timeline,� chuckled Cuthbert, who has left the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors and returned home to Brandon, hoping the rest and relaxation will help his concussion symptoms finally go away.
Cuthbert, 17, had his promising rookie season with the Warriors come to a premature end on Jan. 22 after a check from hard-hitting Red Deer Rebels defenceman Mathew Dumba. Eventually, Cuthbert began to feel like himself again and he was cleared to resume skating and preparing for a return to game action that he knew was still months away.
“I was feeling pretty good throughout the second half of the summer and it was looking like I was going to hopefully be able to make a run into maybe October, start of November and be able to play then, so I came back (to Moose Jaw) early for camp with the rest of the guys and we started practising,� he said.
“The first skate I had, I felt pretty good for 45 minutes or so and then I got a little fuzzy so I just went off the ice, trying not to take anything too seriously. But when I woke up the next morning, my head was just pounding. Throughout the next eight to nine days, I just followed up with headaches and I realized I wasn’t anywhere near to where I have to be if I want to play in the league.�
Last week, the Warriors flew Cuthbert to Winnipeg where he spent an entire day being tested by a neuropsychologist. Although the results of those tests aren’t in yet, the relapse has been enough for the team to shut him down until at least Christmas, sending him home so he can continue his recovery away from the hustle and bustle of the arena.
“Mentally, for sure, it’s a lot better being here,� he said. “I’ve got a lot of emotional support around me. If I want to talk to anybody, I’ve got all my friends and family, which helps me a lot, too.�
It’s a bitterly disappointing turn of events for a young player who was thrilled about all that was in store for his sophomore season.
“The thing I think that gets me the most is with Moose Jaw getting the new arena … the fans are going to be wild this year, especially for the home-opener,� said Cuthbert, who still hopes to make the trip west to watch the Warriors play their first regular-season game at Mosaic Place against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Thursday, Sept. 22. “I would have loved to be playing in there … so that’s a pretty big loss for me for sure and we’ll just see what happens, I guess.�
» rhenders@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition September 9, 2011