Hockey fans are a passionate lot in general. I can testify to that personally. HockeyBuzz was created during the 2004-05 lockout. Thanks to all of you diehards across the hockey globe, it's now been 20 years of the Buzz.
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Whether its trade rumors, contract negotiation status updates or injury reports and analysis, fans crave a lot more that teams or the NHL itself are comfortable with revealing. That's why, in 2024, we still have the ridiculous "upper-body/lower body" injury designations even before training camps officially start. I have learned over the years that, like death and taxes, hockey teams being less than forthcoming or truthful about injury information in particular is an unavoidable part of this business.

I've always seen this as one of the devils in the details: We expect players to play hard and accept the risk of injury or re-injury, play through most injuries, never to use an injury as an excuse for a struggle in the ice, and yet to be honest if they're having an issue. Meanwhile, injury return timetables are often suspect. We've all seen a proclaimed "day-to-day" injury that becomes "week-to-week" and then "month-to-month" and then season-ending. Sometimes even worse (looking at you Ryan Ellis).

As such, it's easy to become cynical and jaded over injury reports. Yesterday, three people sent me links to learn that Utah HC prospect Tij Iginla is officially day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Most of the time, the concern is much ado over nothing (except when it isn't).

Not specific to Iginla himself but to injury info in general, do YOU think there's a tendency for fans to worry too much over reportedly minor injuries on their favorite club especially when a well-regarded prospect is involved? Does the NHL need to better stand up to the teams in terms of shrugging off the lack of reliable info that NEGATIVELY sets the NHL apart from leagues such as the NFL?

Weigh on the board. Be back later with some rumors on the brink of NHL training camps.

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