Brunette might need surgery to repair knee

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: March 15, 2009 - 10:03 PM

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ST. LOUIS - Wild veteran Andrew Brunette faces major right knee surgery after the season.

While General Manager Doug Risebrough and Brunette declined to identify the exact injury, it's believed Brunette's playing on a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament that may be fully torn.

"At the end of the year, we're going to have to make a decision whether he's going to need surgery or not," Risebrough said. "It's up to him, but he's had two incidents of sprains, so that shows you a dysfunction of some sort."

Brunette said after the Wild's 5-3 loss to St. Louis on Sunday night he'll "probably" have surgery. "I'll have to make a decision, but if it's going to be the way it is now, obviously I'll have to have it," said Brunette, the Wild's fourth-leading scorer with 40 points.

Brunette, 35, whose consecutive-games-played streak ended at 509 games last month, has been gutting it out ever since. He arrives early and leaves late, receiving hours of treatment. At times he can barely walk.

Asked why he doesn't shut himself down, Brunette said: "It's the same approach I take to every hockey game I play. I want to play. I'm part of this team and I want to help this team win. I would sell myself short if I didn't try to help this team. You've got to look yourself in the mirror, and if I can get out there, I can help this team."

Risebrough isn't shocked by Brunette's attitude. "He knows that we need him, and he's not taking the easy way out," Risebrough said. "The most impressive thing with him is there wasn't a, 'Let me see how it feels in two weeks.' He's like, 'I'll see if I can play tomorrow.'"

Risebrough said Brunette and Owen Nolan, 37, who is playing on a broken toe, are "dying breeds."

"How many times you have a guy break his toe and three days later, he's freezing it to see if he can skate with it?" Risebrough said. "These guys have learned to manage injuries.

"I once remember [Canadiens coach] Scotty Bowman asking me how I was. I said, 'I'm about 70 percent,' and he said, 'Well, your 70 percent is better than the next guy's 100.'

"There's too many players now whose expectations are being 100 percent, and that's impossible. Every time you play, there's wear and tear. Bruno and Nolan are great influences for our younger guys."

Gaborik not close to ready

Marian Gaborik practiced for a fourth consecutive day Sunday, but coach Jacques Lemaire feels he's not close to returning.

"Not at all," Lemaire said.

Asked if there's pressure for Gaborik to rush back with the Wild's season on a precipice, Lemaire said, "None whatsoever."

Backstrom gets angry

Goalie Niklas Backstrom blew a gasket after David Backes' first-period goal, getting into the face of referee Frederick L'Ecuyer because he felt Andy McDonald slashed him in the glove as he tried to make the save.

Linesman Pierre Champoux implored Backstrom to calm down.

"He slashed my hand. That's goalie interference. That's in the rule book He's stopping me from saving the puck," Backstrom said.

Lemaire felt the slash came after the puck was by Backstrom.

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