Lightning/NHL

Forsberg returned from injury

By DAVE SCHEIBER
Published September 27, 2006

Hockey star Peter Forsberg of the Philadelphia Flyers can relate to the suffering of injured Bucs quarterback Chris Simms.

In 2001, the six-time NHL All-Star and two-time Swedish Olympic gold medalist had emergency surgery to remove a ruptured spleen after a second-round playoff game for the Colorado Avalanche. He missed the remaining two rounds of postseason play, culminating with Colorado's Stanley Cup title.

Forsberg, also part of Colorado's 1995-96 Stanley Cup team, was quoted after the surgery that he had noticed a mark near his ribs after a playoff game on May 5, 2001. But he did not feel any pain until after dining at a restaurant following another contest about 1 a.m. on May 10.

We caught up with Forsberg as he prepares for the upcoming NHL season and got his thoughts on what happened to him five years ago and on what Simms went through Sunday.

Q. What was your experience with your spleen injury?

A. "Well, I didn't know what it was, either. I went to a restaurant after the game and I was feeling fine, and then a half-hour later I was at the hospital and almost dying. It was a lot of pain. I know what he (Simms) went through and the day after surgery, too, is a lot of pain. I wish him all the best. Recoverywise, it didn't take that long. I was on my feet after a couple of weeks, and I was trying to get back playing. But it's definitely a tough injury, and I'm glad they found out what it was pretty early. It's a dangerous thing, and I'm happy he made it. You can pass away pretty easy if you don't get taken care of."

Q. What was your rehab like?

A. "The spleen is a quick recovery, because it's gone, it doesn't matter. It's just that you cut the big stomach muscle. That's what kind of takes time to heal up, and you don't want to start too early, because you're going to rip it open and have problems for the rest of your life. You should take your time."

Q. Do you remember what caused it?

A. "No, I don't exactly know what happened to me, either. I had no bruise or nothing. I was just walking around after the game eating and all of a sudden it started to hurt. Obviously, I had to be hit. I just kept on playing and finished the game and an hour later, I was at the hospital."

Q. You started having pain?

A. "I started having a pain in my shoulder. And I guess when they opened me up, one third of the blood was in my stomach, and I was just bleeding internally. I think that's the same thing that happened to him."

[Last modified September 27, 2006, 02:30:13]