Kimmo Timonen is skating this morning, and that’s just a beautiful thing. The Flyers defensemen announced last night that he would return to the ice by himself for a few weeks with the hopes of suiting back up and playing NHL hockey this season.
He’s not going to be here next year, and he made it clear that he’s doing this solely that he can end his career on his own terms — “with his skates on” as he likes to say. But with his blood clot issues, should we be worried? Should we be afraid that he’s going to get seriously hurt out there with his condition?
The short answer is no. He said that his blood clots are “chronic,” but that it’s not as bad as that word typically sounds in a medical setting. It basically just means they’re there forever but that they aren’t going to be moving around. Kimmo explained — without going into too much personal detail — it on Thursday night.
Well we have a plan. Again, that’s something I don’t want to talk about, it’s a private matter between me and my doctor. I think the biggest thing you guys need to know is the bleeding factor. I’ve seen a couple articles that want to say “Well what happens if Kimmo gets cut on the ice?”
There is no bleeding factor because on game days I can’t be on blood thinners obviously. I’m as much at risk as any player out there. That’s the biggest thing you guys need to know, then everything I want to keep it between me and my doctor.
He’s no more at risk than any other player on the ice, is the point. Ron Hextall echoed that.
Kimmo stated that the doctors we listened to were pretty much on the same page. Doctors all being on the same page, kind of steered us in the direction that this was reasonable risk. Like I said every player that steps on the ice has risk, and does Kimmo of course he does, but it is minimal just like every other player. The bleeding thing he already explained to you.
So it took a lot to get be comfortable but you keep hearing the same thing over and over again from the doctors and medical people and you get comfortable with it and I feel very comfortable with where we are at.
If you’re concerned about Kimmo Timonen’s health when he steps back on to the ice, don’t be. Kimmo, the Flyers and the doctors are all taking a pretty calculated risk here, and it seems that he’s going to be just fine … as long as he gets his skating legs back after eight months off, of course. That’s a different concern all together.
