Post by kbarbdamnit on Nov 21, 2006 18:57:18 GMT -5
connpost.com/soundtigers/ci_4696704
MICHAEL FORNABAIO mfornabaio@ctpost.com
BRIDGEPORT — It's not like Brandon Cullen has had these headaches that knock him out, no huge aches and pains.
His first concussion has worked more insidiously since he suffered it in the preseason, delaying the start of what could be his breakthrough season in the AHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
"It's frustrating, more than anything," said Cullen, who skated on his own Monday during and after the team's practice at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
"It's the uneasiness you get from not feeling yourself on a daily basis. There's no major headaches. You don't just feel yourself."
Monday was his first day back on the ice in about three weeks. He was practicing toward the end of October, even to the point where he was termed a game-time decision for an Oct. 27 game. Symptoms returned, and the team shut him down for two weeks. "You've just got to be honest with yourself," Cullen said. "A lot of players have gotten hurt because they went back too early. "They've been great here, the organization, with making sure I'm better before I play," Cullen added. "You hear of players being pushed into playing, but they've been fully supportive."
Cullen probably suffered the concussion in a fight Sept. 29 in an NHL exhibition game against Francis Lessard of the Rangers. That's the consensus, at least, because he didn't feel any symptoms for three days afterward. "I don't know if I got hit again or something, but they're pretty sure that's when it was," Cullen said. It was
a disappointing cap to an excellent preseason. Though he was only on a tryout, Cullen stuck around as one of the Islanders' final cuts; they signed him to a one-way AHL contract.
Unfortunately for the gritty 25-year-old right winger, he's still waiting for his fifth pro season — and, he hopes, his first full AHL season — to officially begin. "It's happened a lot over the course of my career, take a step forward, and get put back by something," said Cullen, who has been limited to 168 pro games in four seasons by injuries. "It's discouraging. I worked hard in the offseason, training, getting stronger. I felt good in camp, and then this happened."
At least Monday could put him a step closer to another step forward. PLAYER OF THE WEEK — Bridgeport's Robert Nilsson was named the AHL Player of the Week after scoring seven points in three games. Nilsson had an assist Wednesday, then scored two goals and an assist in each of Friday's and Saturday's road wins.
MICHAEL FORNABAIO mfornabaio@ctpost.com
BRIDGEPORT — It's not like Brandon Cullen has had these headaches that knock him out, no huge aches and pains.
His first concussion has worked more insidiously since he suffered it in the preseason, delaying the start of what could be his breakthrough season in the AHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
"It's frustrating, more than anything," said Cullen, who skated on his own Monday during and after the team's practice at the Arena at Harbor Yard.
"It's the uneasiness you get from not feeling yourself on a daily basis. There's no major headaches. You don't just feel yourself."
Monday was his first day back on the ice in about three weeks. He was practicing toward the end of October, even to the point where he was termed a game-time decision for an Oct. 27 game. Symptoms returned, and the team shut him down for two weeks. "You've just got to be honest with yourself," Cullen said. "A lot of players have gotten hurt because they went back too early. "They've been great here, the organization, with making sure I'm better before I play," Cullen added. "You hear of players being pushed into playing, but they've been fully supportive."
Cullen probably suffered the concussion in a fight Sept. 29 in an NHL exhibition game against Francis Lessard of the Rangers. That's the consensus, at least, because he didn't feel any symptoms for three days afterward. "I don't know if I got hit again or something, but they're pretty sure that's when it was," Cullen said. It was
a disappointing cap to an excellent preseason. Though he was only on a tryout, Cullen stuck around as one of the Islanders' final cuts; they signed him to a one-way AHL contract.
Unfortunately for the gritty 25-year-old right winger, he's still waiting for his fifth pro season — and, he hopes, his first full AHL season — to officially begin. "It's happened a lot over the course of my career, take a step forward, and get put back by something," said Cullen, who has been limited to 168 pro games in four seasons by injuries. "It's discouraging. I worked hard in the offseason, training, getting stronger. I felt good in camp, and then this happened."
At least Monday could put him a step closer to another step forward. PLAYER OF THE WEEK — Bridgeport's Robert Nilsson was named the AHL Player of the Week after scoring seven points in three games. Nilsson had an assist Wednesday, then scored two goals and an assist in each of Friday's and Saturday's road wins.