Road to recovery
Mar 27, 2005 13:02:23 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2005 13:02:23 GMT -5
www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20050325_173937_3364
Defenceman Mike Komisarek was selected seventh overall by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2001.
HAMILTON (CP) -- Mike Komisarek's size got him into trouble as a youngster growing up in West Islip, NY.
He was certainly athletic enough but his physical approach to sports like soccer meant that he was reprimanded for his play more than he was congratulated.
Then, at the relatively late age of 10, Komisarek found hockey.
"I was always a big kid and rough in nature," said the defenceman for Hamilton Bulldogs, who are battling for a playoff spot in the AHL's North Division. "Hockey allowed me to use my size and strength to my advantage.
"It's an aspect of the game I really enjoy. When I'm playing my best, I'm being physical."
Komisarek hasn't had that luxury for much of the past year as he recovers from a debilitating hip injury he picked up while playing with the parent club Montreal Canadiens late last season. In a game against the Buffalo Sabres, Komisarek, 23, felt a pull in his left hip.
The six-foot-four, 237-pound defenceman was getting some regular time on the Montreal blue-line and didn't want to jeopardize the opportunity, so he played through the pain.
"I continued playing on it and it got worse and worse," said Komisarek. "I didn't think it was that major. We tried rehab for a month. That didn't work and our last option was surgery."
Komisarek, the first American and first defencemen selected in the 2001 NHL Entry draft (seventh overall), had surgery to repair a tear last November by Pittsburgh-based Marc Phillippon, the doctor who worked on Mario Lemieux, Alexander Mogilny and golfer Greg Norman.
Rehab was arduous and simple tasks like putting on pants in the morning presented a challenge. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that Komisarek was making weekend trips back to New York to be with his ailing mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
"It's been a tough year," he said.
But it's been looking up of late, personally and professionally. On March 4, Komisarek was reassigned to Hamilton -- where he had played at various points over the two previous seasons -- and the defenceman now has a few games under his belt after a lengthy hiatus from the game.
His enthusiasm has been obvious.
"He was pretty excited to get back in," said Bulldogs assistant coach Ron Wilson, who looks after the defence. "Anytime a guy's been out that long with an injury, the adrenalin carries him through. You can ride the bike, work out and skate but to get in game condition, it's certainly a different thing.
"He did better than I thought he would have being out that long. His conditioning hurt him a bit but he's starting to come around now, starting to handle the puck better, make better decisions and play more solid."
Komisarek's return was definitely welcomed as recent injuries to regulars Jean-Philippe Cote and Philippe Plante have hampered the unit through Hamilton's impressive playoff push.
"Everything's been coming back slowly -- your legs, wind, positioning, stuff like that," said Komisarek, crediting the Montreal and Hamilton staffs for their first-class approach in getting him ready. "I definitely feel better than I thought I was going to feel."
"Komo" brings more than size to the Hamilton defence corps. He scored 11 goals and added 19 assists in his second and final season (2001/02) at the
storied University of Michigan program playing for head coach Red Berenson, who had to be disappointed that his star rearguard opted to leave school early. Komisarek saw action in 56 games with the Bulldogs following the draft and made it up to Montreal for another 21 games that season, and then 46 more in 2003-04.
His first game with the Habs came on February 19, 2003 against the Sabres, and though the memories are still vivid, Komisarek is fully aware that the night marked the beginning of what he hopes is a long journey.
"I remember standing on the bench during the national anthem," he said. "To finally be there was one thing, but I still had a lot to prove."
Komisarek has benefited from some tremendous coaches like Berenson, who taught the defenceman about life on and off the ice. Montreal head coach Claude Julien has instructed Komisarek on how to be a professional, and Hamilton bench boss Doug Jarvis is further schooling him on the defensive aspects of the game.
Komisarek admits he has a long way to go but tries to emulate stars like Rob Blake and Chris Pronger, both giants on the blue-line that have got it done at both ends of the rink.
For the time being, though, his focus is to help the Bulldogs in the North Division dogfight.
"This is where I started off," Komisarek said. "It's a great place to develop your game and work on details. It's a great environment. Ideally, I would've liked to be here at the star of the year.
"Our main objective is to make the playoffs, not only that, but to do well in the playoffs. I want to help these guys make it there."
Defenceman Mike Komisarek was selected seventh overall by the Montreal Canadiens back in 2001.
HAMILTON (CP) -- Mike Komisarek's size got him into trouble as a youngster growing up in West Islip, NY.
He was certainly athletic enough but his physical approach to sports like soccer meant that he was reprimanded for his play more than he was congratulated.
Then, at the relatively late age of 10, Komisarek found hockey.
"I was always a big kid and rough in nature," said the defenceman for Hamilton Bulldogs, who are battling for a playoff spot in the AHL's North Division. "Hockey allowed me to use my size and strength to my advantage.
"It's an aspect of the game I really enjoy. When I'm playing my best, I'm being physical."
Komisarek hasn't had that luxury for much of the past year as he recovers from a debilitating hip injury he picked up while playing with the parent club Montreal Canadiens late last season. In a game against the Buffalo Sabres, Komisarek, 23, felt a pull in his left hip.
The six-foot-four, 237-pound defenceman was getting some regular time on the Montreal blue-line and didn't want to jeopardize the opportunity, so he played through the pain.
"I continued playing on it and it got worse and worse," said Komisarek. "I didn't think it was that major. We tried rehab for a month. That didn't work and our last option was surgery."
Komisarek, the first American and first defencemen selected in the 2001 NHL Entry draft (seventh overall), had surgery to repair a tear last November by Pittsburgh-based Marc Phillippon, the doctor who worked on Mario Lemieux, Alexander Mogilny and golfer Greg Norman.
Rehab was arduous and simple tasks like putting on pants in the morning presented a challenge. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that Komisarek was making weekend trips back to New York to be with his ailing mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer.
"It's been a tough year," he said.
But it's been looking up of late, personally and professionally. On March 4, Komisarek was reassigned to Hamilton -- where he had played at various points over the two previous seasons -- and the defenceman now has a few games under his belt after a lengthy hiatus from the game.
His enthusiasm has been obvious.
"He was pretty excited to get back in," said Bulldogs assistant coach Ron Wilson, who looks after the defence. "Anytime a guy's been out that long with an injury, the adrenalin carries him through. You can ride the bike, work out and skate but to get in game condition, it's certainly a different thing.
"He did better than I thought he would have being out that long. His conditioning hurt him a bit but he's starting to come around now, starting to handle the puck better, make better decisions and play more solid."
Komisarek's return was definitely welcomed as recent injuries to regulars Jean-Philippe Cote and Philippe Plante have hampered the unit through Hamilton's impressive playoff push.
"Everything's been coming back slowly -- your legs, wind, positioning, stuff like that," said Komisarek, crediting the Montreal and Hamilton staffs for their first-class approach in getting him ready. "I definitely feel better than I thought I was going to feel."
"Komo" brings more than size to the Hamilton defence corps. He scored 11 goals and added 19 assists in his second and final season (2001/02) at the
storied University of Michigan program playing for head coach Red Berenson, who had to be disappointed that his star rearguard opted to leave school early. Komisarek saw action in 56 games with the Bulldogs following the draft and made it up to Montreal for another 21 games that season, and then 46 more in 2003-04.
His first game with the Habs came on February 19, 2003 against the Sabres, and though the memories are still vivid, Komisarek is fully aware that the night marked the beginning of what he hopes is a long journey.
"I remember standing on the bench during the national anthem," he said. "To finally be there was one thing, but I still had a lot to prove."
Komisarek has benefited from some tremendous coaches like Berenson, who taught the defenceman about life on and off the ice. Montreal head coach Claude Julien has instructed Komisarek on how to be a professional, and Hamilton bench boss Doug Jarvis is further schooling him on the defensive aspects of the game.
Komisarek admits he has a long way to go but tries to emulate stars like Rob Blake and Chris Pronger, both giants on the blue-line that have got it done at both ends of the rink.
For the time being, though, his focus is to help the Bulldogs in the North Division dogfight.
"This is where I started off," Komisarek said. "It's a great place to develop your game and work on details. It's a great environment. Ideally, I would've liked to be here at the star of the year.
"Our main objective is to make the playoffs, not only that, but to do well in the playoffs. I want to help these guys make it there."
