By C. Gary Greenham
The Ottawa 67’s, by their lofty standards, are slumping and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why the tough times have come.
Team captain and major offensive threat, Dan Tessier, has been out with a broken right knee cap since a Feb. 18 victory over the lowly Mississauga Ice Dogs. When Tessier went down, he was the third leading scorer in the OHL with 82 points in only 54 games. The 67’s are three wins and eight losses without Tessier, compared to 40 wins and 12 losses with him playing.
Jeff Hunt, owner of the 67’s, knows how damaging losing a star is to a team but says he hopes the team can pull together until Tessier is nursed back to health.
“Dan’s injury is a big one for the team, however I expect the guys will rise to the challenge, not unlike they did when Mark Bell went away to the world juniors,” Hunt says.
According to Tessier, some players are stepping up their offensive play in his absence, like the line centered by Joe Talbot.
“They were big for us last year in the Memorial Cup,” says Tessier of the Talbot line. “Without it, we would have been out of a lot of the recent games.”
Having already clinched a playoff berth, the 67’s are looking forward to Tessier’s return to the line-up for the post-season later in March.
“We’re really hoping he gets back in time for the playoffs, maybe the first round,” says Hunt optimistically.
Since being drafted by the 67’s in 1996, Tessier hadn’t missed a game with the 67’s until the injury.
“Even in minor hockey I played if I could,” says Tessier. “I’d play through the flu, whatever. I can’t play through this.”
Team trainer Jeff Beech says he knew immediately the streak was over.
“I could tell right away he was in pain,” says Beech. “Tessier was off balance and was hit into the boards and he went in hard.”
Beech says a lot of hockey injuries involve the knee, but it is usually ligament damage, not a serious fracture or a crack.
Much to the fortune of the 67’s, Tessier is on the mend. He says the doctors and physiotherapists are giving him optimism saying he’s two weeks ahead of recovery schedule.
“I’d like to get back on skates in mid-March,” Tessier says. “Even then though, I have to be taking it easy. I won’t be skating at full speed by then.”
Even when an OHL player is on the shelf he has to keep fit. This is something Tessier takes seriously.
“I am doing therapy every day,” the captain says. “I am working a lot of my cardiovascular stuff but I am still very careful with the knee. I’ve just started hitting the bike and that’s encouraging. I still can’t walk up the stairs normally.”
Tessier acknowledges he might not be ready by the first round, but says the 67’s should be able to get to the second round without him.
“I’d be disappointed if we got put out of the playoffs before I got back, but I have enough faith in the guys to know that shouldn’t happen,” says Tessier.
Until he gets healthy enough to play, Tessier is offering assistance to his team any way he can.
“For me, it’s hard to go on the road and not play,” says Tessier.