Jets goalie Mason cleared to play
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/12/2017 (2297 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
He’s now been felled by two concussions in his career, but as evidence continues to mount about the potential long-term impact of such injuries, veteran goalie Steve Mason insists it won’t impact his game, even if the thought will always be in the back of his mind.
“You definitely don’t want to get any more, but I feel if you handle them properly, you know the organization was great in terms of making sure that I was coming back when everything was all good. But at the same time, it’s your brain and you hope you don’t get any more,” Mason, 29, said Wednesday following Jets practice at Bell MTS Place.
He was activated off the injured reserve list on Monday and backed up Connor Hellebuyck later that night as his team won 5-1 against Vancouver. He missed seven games with an injury after taking a hard shot to the mask Nov. 5 in San Jose. Although he managed to finish the period, Mason told training staff during the intermission he as feeling nauseous and had a headache.
That immediately put him in concussion protocol, which would take more than two weeks to finally get through and be cleared.
“You never know with concussions. It dragged on a little bit longer. Part of that was having to pass the concussion-protocol testing, which is all your off-ice stuff on a computer, and written and verbal tests, but on the ice I’ve been feeling good for a lot longer than I’ve been back,” Mason said.
Mason’s first concussion happened in 2014 while a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. He was knocked into the net during a collision in the crease, striking his head. He missed 10 days then, including the first two games of their playoff series with the New York Rangers.
“Each individual case is entirely different from the next one. So you can’t really judge that based on what other people are feeling. It’s not always a big hit that causes a concussion. It could be the simplest of movements. But the brain is a fragile thing. You’ve got to let it run its course,” he said.
Mason had a tough start with the Jets this season, but appeared to be rounding into form at the time he was injured. He had won his previous two starts before the San Jose game, giving up only two goals on 69 shots.
“Every now and then you get a good one in the head. You feel it, but nothing happens after the fact. But each and every play is unique to its own occurrence, so now it’s just a matter of seeing the shots again and trying to get back into game action,” said Mason.
Exactly when Mason might get his next start is still not known. Hellebuyck will be between the pipes Thursday when the Jets host the Chicago Blackhawks. Coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday Mason is a possibility for one of this weekend’s back-to-back games with St. Louis, although he didn’t rule out the possibility of Hellebuyck playing both.
He said Mason’s time will come with another busy stretch of games looming, including a three-game trip next week against Nashville, Boston and the New York Islanders.
“I’m not going to close the door that we wouldn’t go back-to-back, but if we do that it will change what we do going forward with the rest of the games on the road,” Maurice said of his goaltending plan.
“(Mason) is going to be a real important guy going in the next six weeks especially.”
Mason said Wednesday he is ready.
“The team’s just had a great first third of a season so far, it’s been a lot of fun to be a part of. Any time you’re on the ice it’s a lot more fun than being on the bench or in the press box,” he said.
mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @mikemcintyrewpg
Mike McIntyre
Sports reporter
Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer.