Sweden's Lundqvist: We will miss everything about Zetterberg

At the start of the Men's Ice Hockey tournament at the Sochi Olympic Games, there were 149 players from the National Hockey League spread throughout the roster of the 12 competing countries - but now that number is down to 146...

...as both Florida Panthers' participants, Aleksander Barkov and Tomas Kopecky, have been iced due to knee and head injuries respectively, but perhaps the biggest loss to the tournament is Detroit Red Wings' forward Henrik Zetterberg, lost to the Swedish team with lingering pain from a herniated disc.

Zetterberg is more than just a gifted scorer, as his Swedish teammates lamented on Saturday.

“Leadership,” goalie Henrik Lundqvit replied when asked what the national team would miss most about Zetterberg. “His coolness in big moments. Big plays at both ends of the ice. It’s going to be tough to replace him. I don’t think you can.”

Zetterberg in Sochi (USA Today)

“His presence all over the ice, defense and offense,” added forward Daniel Alfredsson, Zetterberg's teammate with the Red Wings. “It’s incredible. He can set the pace of the game. It’s a tough blow for us. It’s something we have to deal with. We can’t sit and dwell on this, but it’s sad.”

Alfredsson put his money with his mouth is, dealing with the loss by scoring the lone goal in Sweden's tougher-then-expected victory over Switzerland on Friday - while St. Louis Blues' forward Patrik Bergland assumed Zetterberg's spot on the top line and played a solid game.

Though Sweden's Gold Medal chances have taken a significant hit, it is important to remember that Zetterberg came into the Sochi Games as damaged goods, having dealt with the herniated disc for the past couple of months, missing eleven games for the Red Wings with the ailment...

...Swedish team physician Bjorn Waldeback saying that there was no specific contact in the first game on Wednesday that caused the disc to inflame, but also stated that there was no doubt that Zetterberg was done for the tournament, and probably beyond.

"In this situation it was no tough decision as this was no borderline case," Waldeback said on Friday. "For people who know medicine it is obvious that this couldn't continue. I have been in touch with the NHL doctors who are here. They totally agree with us. When you suffer from a herniated disk the way he does, you need to go home for a medical evaluation."

"It is Z who has taken this decision together with me,” Waldeback continued, “I think it is the cumulative load. There was no specific thing that happened. The issues came the morning after. These are nerve-related issues and they often come creeping in. It is not one specific injury.”
 
Red Wings' General manager Ken Holland agreed. "He's going to be down for a period of time," Holland said, while reiterating that Zetterberg will not be on the ice when the NHL schedule resumes in late February.  Zetterberg has not yet returned to the United States, but it is assumed that he will in the next few days.

 http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/sweden-will-miss-everything-about-red.html#.Uv-7SYUcq58