CALGARY, Alberta — Wojtek Wolski took the high road, which was pretty much the only sane way for him to go, by claiming yesterday morning he did not know he had essentially been called a malingerer by coach John Tortorella on Wednesday and he did not want to know what the coach had said about him.
“I’d didn’t hear and I’d rather not know,” Wolski, who has been sidelined with a groin issue since the Oct. 7 opener in Stockholm, said after he remained on the ice doing sprints and extra work following the morning skate preceding last night’s 3-2 overtime victory over the Flames.
Tortorella, obviously frustrated with the winger, had made the crack a day earlier that, “We can’t get him out of the tub,” in response to a question about Wolksi’s estimated return to the lineup.
The coach then said, “I guess,” when asked if the hot tub was part of the treatment Wolski was receiving for the injury that first flared up in training camp and sidelined him for the final five pre-season games.
Professed ignorance aside, Wolski said he believes he will be ready to play in Edmonton tomorrow night if he has no issues today in the aftermath of yesterday’s strenuous skate.
“I hope I get to play the next game,” said Wolski, who played 10:34 in the opener against the Kings while on a line with Derek Stepan and Mats Zuccarello. “If I can go full out without pain [today], I want to play in Edmonton.”
Wolski, who allowed the opportunity to play on the top line with Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik slip through his fingers during training camp, said this is the first groin injury he’s ever incurred. It’s possible the injury is a result of the work he did over the summer during which he changed his stride by getting lower to the ice.
“I don’t want to pick apart what I did over the summer, but I am making small changes in what I do,” he said. “I’m working hard to try to get back as quickly as possible.”
The coach will be the judge of that.
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When Tim Erixon was the focus of intense media attention in Stockholm, he was being celebrated for making his NHL debut in his homeland. The 21-year-old, freshman pro defenseman was again the focus of media attention yesterday, but it was for a very different reason.
Erixon had refused to sign with the Flames after having been a first-round, 23d overall selection in the 2008 Entry Draft. Faced with the prospect of losing his rights before this June’s draft, Calgary general manager Jay Feaster traded Erixon to the Rangers in exchange for two second-rounders and center Roman Horak, a 2009 fifth-round pick.
The Flames’ organization obviously feels betrayed.
“It’s not something that’s going to be a focal point inside the room but we certainly know the situation,” Flames coach Brent Sutter said. “We recognize it.”
Erixon said money was not the root cause of his decision to spurn the Flames’ offer, but that “small issues,” he did not care to disclose formed the basis for his decision.
“It was nothing against Calgary. It’s a great city,” he said. “I thought my agent would come to an agreement but it didn’t happen. That’s all in the past right now. I don’t think I have to explain myself.”
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Henrik Lundqvist was scheduled to make his fifth straight start. . . . Michael Sauer, sidelined for three straight with a shoulder injury, said, “There’s a big improvement. I don’t imagine it will be too much longer.” . . . No news regarding Marc Staal, which cannot be good news.