Sports: Puppa, team at war over injury

Puppa, team at war over injury

By TOM JONES

PITTSBURGH -- Once upon a time, the Lightning and goalie Daren Puppa seemed like a marriage made in heaven. He was the team's best man, and the two were supposed to live happily ever after.

The divorce, though, became a mess after a he said/he said between Puppa's agent and Lightning GM Rick Dudley on Friday -- two days after the Lightning placed Puppa on waivers. In the middle is Puppa, who said he is injured and upset that his claim is not believed.

Steve Reich, Puppa's agent, said tests have shown Puppa has a fractured rib, an arthritic condition in his back and a bulging disc in the middle of his back, while the Lightning says Puppa is healthy enough to play. And what's bizarre is both sides are quoting Lightning team doctors for their claims.

Lightning team doctor David Leffers was out of town and did not respond to interview requests made through the public relations and medical training staffs.

"As far as I know, he is as healthy as he was before the season started," Dudley said. "Is he 100 percent? He's never going to be 100 percent after playing hockey and being injured the past few years. But can he play? Certainly. ... He is no different now than he was in training camp."

Puppa, 34, said that is not true. He says he was injured in the second game, Oct. 7, and has hidden the injuries in recent weeks. The Lightning said the timing of Puppa's injury claims, which came the day after the team informed Reich that it was placing Puppa on waivers and was considering trading him, is suspicious. Puppa, who has a history of back troubles and played only 45 games the past three seasons, cleared waivers Friday.

"I tried to suck it up, take a lot of pain medicine, and play through it," Puppa said Friday from his home in Tampa. "I tried to hide it because I knew, if I said something, all this stuff starts up again, and people would start to question me. Look at what is happening now."

Asked if he was bothered that his injuries were being questioned, an angry Puppa said, "Of course. How can I not be? People are attacking my character. That is very disappointing. ... The tests show I am injured."

Reich said, "Physically, he's a mess. ... It's a bad news-bad news thing. On one hand, you feel some vindication because there was a question of whether he is hurt. We found out he really is injured. But now what? Well, now we found out he has a fractured rib. And that's not even the worst of what he has."

The Lightning, however, said team doctors have cleared Puppa to play.

"Is anything preventing him from playing? No," Dudley said.

The discrepancy is over a bone scan taken Thursday. According to Reich, the scan showed a fractured rib. The Lightning agrees the scan showed an injury to the rib, but that other tests showed it was a bruise and not a fracture. And that it was not enough to keep Puppa from playing. The Lightning said the other findings, including the arthritic condition, are things Puppa has had all along, and should not prevent him from playing.

"I've been told by everybody -- Dr. Leffers, Dr. (John) Small (who performed the bone scan), everybody -- that it's a fractured rib," Puppa said. "I've only talked to Lightning (doctors). No one else. I have a fractured rib. The bone scan showed that. ... You can't get any more definite than a bone scan. I don't know what they are saying about other tests. The bone scan would show it more clearly than anything."

Either way, Puppa said the injury is keeping him from playing.

"I don't sleep at night, I can't do anything while on my belly, I can't do much of anything," Puppa said.

So what happens now? Puppa said doctors have prescribed anti-inflammatory medicine and rest. Dudley said the Lightning has a decision to make.

"We'll see if any (NHL) teams express interest in him (as part of a trade)," Dudley said. "Also, we might consider a reassignment (the minors) of some kind."

Dudley said he would first take time to discuss his options with the Lightning coaches and other management types, such as assistant GM Jay Feaster. Dudley said there were "other teams" interested in Puppa.

Though it's highly unlikely, Dudley didn't rule out Puppa someday returning to the Lightning: "I would never say never. God forbid that both of our goalies go down, but at that point, Puppa is an experienced and good NHL goalie, and if he's under contract, why wouldn't we bring him back? I just know that we need to go with the two young goalies (Dan Cloutier and Kevin Hodson) that we have."

Puppa admitted he was upset with the Lightning, but wouldn't say whether he still wanted to play for the team.