It was a pretty big deal when Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, for the first time in his NHL career, missed a playoff game in the Western Conference finals. The future Hall of Famer missed Games 4 and 5 against the Chicago Blackhawks (both Detroit wins) and, as it turns out, he had a pretty good -- and extremely painful -- excuse. He was having his testicle operated on as a result of an injury suffered in Game 3.
The injury reportedly occurred when Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp speared him in the groin area during Chicago's 4-3 overtime win on May 22. Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports that Lidstrom called it the most painful injury he's ever had, while the 39-year-old continued: "I thought it was OK that Saturday when I practiced ... but Sunday, Sunday I was just in too much pain. I had surgery during that game."
Gruesome Sports Injuries
May 22, 2009: Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom was speared in the testicles during Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. He later had surgery and missed two games. Click through to see other cringe-inducing injuries through the years.
Jim McIsaac, Getty Images
May 27, 2009: Spanish matador Israel Lancho is rushed to the hospital after being gored by a bull during the San Isidro Festival. Lancho reportedly has an eight-inch wound in his abdominal area, but the bull's horn missed his heart.
Alberto Simon, AFP / Getty Images
April 5, 2009: Greco-Roman wrestler Serkan Ozden of Turkey grimaces in pain after breaking a finger and losing a bronze medal match at the European Championships.
Liusjenas Kulbis, AP
Feb. 8, 2007: Bryce Davison's skate blade catches the face of his figure skating partner, Jessica Dube, at an international competition. She later receives 80 stitches to repair a laceration on her cheek and nose. Both skaters would go through stress therapy for the incident, but they returned to competition together.
Elaine Thompson, AP
March 23, 2009: Cameron Ciraldo, an Australian rugby player for the Newcastle Knights, suffers a severe dislocation of an ankle and a fractured fibula. "It was hard to look - it wasn't pretty," a teammate said.
Mark Kolbe, Getty Images
Dec. 21, 2008: While trying to catch a pass in the New Orleans Bowl, Southern Miss wide receiver DeAndre Brown's leg crumples awkwardly. The break occurred only minutes after his 67th reception of the season set a school record.
Chris Graythen, Getty Images
Feb. 26, 2007: Clippers guard Shaun Livingston falls awkwardly following a missed layup, tearing knee ligaments in the process.
Harry How, Getty Images
Aug. 13, 2008: Weightlifter Janos Baranyai of Hungary suffers a dislocated elbow while attempting a lift at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Phil Walter, Getty Images
Nov. 1, 2008: Pacers forward Danny Granger leaves more than his heart out on the floor while leading his team to victory. Granger, bottom, hustles for a loose ball, but loses his two front teeth after getting crunched by Celtics star Paul Pierce.
NBA/Getty Images
June 28, 1997: Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield has a chunk of his ear bitten off by Mike Tyson during a boxing match. Tyson was disqualified from the title bout by referee Mills Lane.
Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images
It's kind of amazing that he only missed two games with the injury, especially since Damien Cox of the Toronto Star referred to it as a "nearly catastrophic injury to his testicle" back on June 5. Um. Ouch? Moral of the story: hockey players are intense -- and determined, and maybe even a little crazy.
It's always interesting to look at the injury reports that come out following the Stanley Cup playoffs, as we discover how the players mired in slumps were actually playing through a broken foot or a dislocated shoulder (or something equally painful). Though, this is the first time I can recall hearing about a nearly catastrophic testicle injury.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
6-14-2009 @ 9:28PM
Tom said...
OUCH - these guys are tough - and crazy, too!
Reply
6-14-2009 @ 10:12PM
Jedaya said...
I am not a guy and I FELT the pain!!!! OUCH!!
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 12:34AM
Paul said...
he's got balls...that's for sure. pardon the pun.
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6-15-2009 @ 1:06AM
jumpcook9596 said...
It was the cup finals, maybe he should have worn his cup?!
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6-15-2009 @ 6:29AM
jbudd00 said...
Any injury to the testicles in catastrophic!!!
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 7:02AM
pmedved1515 said...
HE SHOULD HAVE JUST SAT DOWN ON THE ICE AFTER GETTING HIT IN THE BALLS. HE SHOULD TEABAG THE OTHER ASSHOLE THAT HIT HIM IN THE NUTS
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 7:53AM
fastmankw said...
He's a nut job
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 7:55AM
jasonoxymoron517 said...
thats a result of cheap dirty play from pittsburg
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 8:17AM
Don said...
It happened vs the Black Hawks
6-15-2009 @ 9:48AM
frasergauge said...
it was in the chicago series
6-15-2009 @ 10:19AM
the Doctor said...
Also, YOU STUPID MORON, Pittsburgh has an "h" at the end of it -- JAGOFF!!
6-15-2009 @ 1:24PM
bcurtin22 said...
Too bad it happened during the conference finals against Chicago...
6-15-2009 @ 1:39PM
Eron said...
Did you not read the article he was not playing Pittsburgh.
6-15-2009 @ 7:58AM
Phil said...
Nice to see a dirty player get some of what he deserves. Wings suck!
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 8:29AM
waly said...
no you SUCK ya TEABAG!!!
6-15-2009 @ 11:01AM
foottdude said...
Nobody "gooned" Crosby. If you ar e talking about the check in the second period of game 7, that was a legal hip check by Franzen. It is part of the game.
6-15-2009 @ 11:34AM
jhcurly3 said...
Nick Lidstrom a dirty player? Not in THIS lifetime!
6-15-2009 @ 8:08AM
NANCY said...
A good sports reporter shouldn't have to wait until the injury reports come out after the finals to find this stuff out- where are their "sources" or investigative skills? sounds lazy to me.
Reply
6-15-2009 @ 8:40AM
panic said...
It has nothing to do with the reporters sources or skills. Teams in the playoffs refuse to give details on injuries, instead reporting them as "lower body injuries" or something else equally vague. This lowers the chances of opposing teams purposefully gunning at specific injuries to try and take recently injured players out of the game, or out of the playoffs permanently. While I'm sure no professional hockey player will admit to ever doing such a malicious thing on purpose, there are surely players who would aim their hits differently if they knew the specifics of another player's recent injury, particularly if that player were a star defensemen like Lidstrom.
As for the injury itself, OUCH. The man deserves some serious props for coming back after only two games. Talk about hardcore & dedicated.
6-15-2009 @ 10:16AM
the Doctor said...
Also, it keeps the BOOKIES from having additional information about games/players so that they can't get any more of an edge (than they do) on the betting lines of the games.