Sabres’ Jack Eichel fails physical, stripped of captaincy
Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel failed his pre-training camp physical and was placed on injured reserve, leaving the two sides no closer to a resolution over how to treat a herniated disk which has sidelined the player for six months.
Why? What was being done?
The Sabres and Eichel remain at odds over how to treat the injury he sustained after being checked into the end boards by Casey Cizikas in a game against the New York Islanders in March.
Eichel favors having artificial disk replacement surgery. The Sabres are against him having the procedure because it has never been performed on an NHL player, and prefer him having the disk fused.
But was it done on others?
Under the NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement reached last year, teams now have the final say on how players can treat injuries. The Sabres could eventually opt to suspend Eichel, which would likely lead to the player filing a grievance through the NHL Players’ Association.
There was little expectation Eichel would pass his physical. The option of surgery became necessary once the injury showed no sign of healing after doctors initially recommended Eichel rest it through the start of June.
So his career is in a holding pattern, until his body can “naturally” heal itself?
How successful IS the surgery?
Success rates with fusions performed for degenerative disc disease range in the literature between 65 and 93%. It has become the standard of care for discogenic pain and is often very effective in relieving pain.
So the options are:
Team: Let it fuse together, which will case a decrease in motion/flexibility of the back.
Player: Get it replaced (just like a hip replacement).
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