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Post by turncoat on Nov 18, 2008 7:17:31 GMT -5
Wow....way to go Justin!!!!
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Post by Freaky for JWillie on Nov 18, 2008 10:05:03 GMT -5
WOO HOO!!! what a lovely sight! thanks Ellie for finding that. I can't wait until he is back.
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Post by Ells on Nov 18, 2008 10:28:30 GMT -5
I saw that, had a happy freak-out, and had to put it here. Oh my God, how happy that photo makes me, lol.
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Post by mscaniac on Nov 18, 2008 12:34:46 GMT -5
OMG.. Justin.. on the ice.. with a hockey stick... *faints*
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Post by Melindaaaaaa [26] on Nov 18, 2008 14:33:13 GMT -5
I LOL'd at mutant powers of regeneration.
I love seeing him on the ice, but I ain't diggin' that yellow.
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Post by mscaniac on Nov 20, 2008 11:43:32 GMT -5
Nice update in the paper today on our Justin :
Quote:
Progress Positive for Canes' Williams
Chip Alexander. RALEIGH - Justin Williams jumps out of his truck and comes bounding into the Athletic Performance Center in North Raleigh, his cap on backward, bearing a smile and eager to work.
To be sure, this is not where Williams wants to be on a November afternoon. Earlier in the day, he was skating at the RBC Center, stickhandling and shooting the puck. It's a game day, with the Carolina Hurricanes to face the Montreal Canadiens.
But Williams has not played a full game for the Canes since last December. The forward missed 43 games last season with a knee injury and the last two games with a back problem.
Then, just a few days before the Canes' training camp began in September, Williams tore his right Achilles tendon. Once again, he faced major surgery, more intense rehabilitation, more time away from the team.
"At the start, there were some tears," he said.
For athletes, a devastating injury is akin to a death in the family in that there is the sadness, then the anger, then acceptance and the will to move on. So it has been for Williams, who appears ahead of schedule with his recovery.
"Having two major surgeries within the calendar year puts a toll on you physically but really mentally even more so," he said. "Having to go through a long rehab process, getting back and healthy and then having to go through it all over again is tough. ... You get the carpet swept out from beneath you.
"You don't want to be regarded as a guy who gets hurt often. When I come back, whenever that may be, I need to get myself back healthy and able to help the team. And stay healthy."
The recovery time initially was set at four to six months, meaning a possible February return for Williams, one of the Canes' top forwards. But things have gone so smoothly that he may be able to move it up a month or so.
Williams is quick to praise the work of Dr. Marty Isbell and physical therapist Jaime Holt at the APC, a state-of-the-art facility used by 18 Canes players -- as well as baseball slugger Josh Hamilton -- for offseason conditioning.
Isbell, a team physician, handled the Achilles surgery -- as well as Williams' knee surgery -- and Williams said he has been available at all hours when needed.
"The day after surgery I texted him at 4:30 in the morning to ask to take another pain pill," Williams said. "A few minutes later, he texted back 'OK, but just one.' And that was at 4:30."
Williams suffered the Achilles injury on a shuttle run at the APC and can point to exact spot -- a hash-mark on the artificial turf -- where it occurred.
"It's like a suicide drill in basketball," he said. "I stopped to go one way and I heard a pop and I was on the ground and I didn't know what it was. It turned out to be the worst."
Williams said he took his first step a week after surgery. And he had no hesitation in returning to the APC, bad memories or not. Once again, he was putting in two-hour rehab workouts.
"As much as I like the people who work there, I don't want to see them much," Williams quipped.
When Williams was recovering from his anterior cruciate ligament injury, he had Rod Brind'Amour -- who also suffered an ACL injury last season -- as a workout partner at the APC. This time, he's on his own.
Holt said a typical session includes a stationary bike warmup, manual resistance ankle strengthening and exercises to help Williams restore his balance. There's also upper- and lower-body and core strengthening, and cardio conditioning.
"Justin and I have become good friends through all his rehab," Holt said. "It was devastating to see him tear his Achilles tendon. He has responded very well and we are excited about his return, whenever that may be."
Williams first put the skates on last week and began some individual work with Canes assistant coach Tom Rowe. On Monday, he briefly joined the team practice and even jumped on a line with Brandon Sutter and Patrick Eaves for a few moments.
"For him missing a lot of games at the end of last year, and then coming into camp and really excited to play, then to be knocked down again, he was not very happy," Canes coach Peter Laviolette said. "For him to be back in that situation where he's at least on the ice and has the equipment on and feeling the sweat coming off, that's a real good thing. He's really positive about it."
On Tuesday morning, Williams grinned as he put away his equipment in the locker room. The locker with "Williams" above it hasn't been used this season.
"Once you get back in the room with the guys and can actually see your name up here and skate ... that's what gives you a little more motivation to get back," he said. "It's getting better every day. I want to get back as fast as I can but as safely as I can, too."
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Post by Melindaaaaaa [26] on Nov 20, 2008 13:16:00 GMT -5
It cut off the end of the article.
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Post by mscaniac on Nov 20, 2008 14:23:05 GMT -5
It cut off the end of the article. Oh crap! Thanks.. I will fix it. *done*.. sorry
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Post by turncoat on Nov 20, 2008 16:18:01 GMT -5
Sounds like his rehab is going really well....here's hoping that he comes back better and stronger than ever.
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Post by Melindaaaaaa [26] on Nov 20, 2008 20:25:09 GMT -5
Dang, I didn't know it was just a couple letters. I thought there was more than that. Haha.
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Post by Ells on Nov 21, 2008 9:34:35 GMT -5
Williams Practices, Feels Good Paul Branecky Nov 20, 2008, 2:47 PM EST
Although still in a gold non-contact jersey, Justin Williams took part in the team’s full practice this morning as he continues to be well ahead of schedule in recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon.
Actually, ahead of schedule might depend on who you ask.
“It’s been quicker than everybody else anticipated. I’ll tell you that I’m behind,” said Williams. “It’s going about as well as I could have hoped. It’s feeling better every day, which is a huge positive for me. I’m not going backwards at all out there. Every day is better, and hopefully I’ll get to that point where I get to 100 percent.”
The front end of the initial four-to-six month timetable announced after his September 18 surgery would have him back in mid-January. That certainly remains in play, although no one will commit to a revised timetable just yet.
“I think it’s still real uncertain at this point,” said coach Peter Laviolette. “It’s a good thing for him just to get back out there.”
Although he hasn’t looked out of place when skating with his teammates, Williams says he still needs to work on his speed and balance. He’s kept in shape during his recovery process, and getting some regular skating work in now should help ease the eventual transition back into the lineup.
One reason he’s been able to get back on the ice so quickly is that his foot doesn’t undergo the same kind of stress in a skate as it would otherwise. His injury occurred while running during a preseason workout.
”When he’s in that boot, his Achilles is pretty restricted in there to what he can do,” said Laviolette. “He’s been cleared by the doctors to go out and do what he did, we’ve just got to keep him out of contact for right now.”
When he does come back, he’ll help give the Canes some excellent depth at right wing, which they thought they had coming into the season with Williams, Tuomo Ruutu and Scott Walker on their top three lines. As it turned out, all three of those players have missed time this season, including a three-game period where none were healthy enough to play.
”Sometimes I think when people analyze our team they forget about him, and he’s a 30-goal scorer that’s out of our lineup,” said GM Jim Rutherford. “It will be like trading for a good player at the midway point or at the trade deadline and not having to give up anything for him.”
Like Williams, defenseman Frank Kaberle also practiced in a non-contact jersey, marking the first time that the entire roster has practiced at once. Kaberle’s recuperation from a fractured leg has taken a little longer than anticipated, and may not be over quite yet.
”If you ask the two of them who feels better, I’m sure Willy feels better than Frank right now,” said Laviolette. “Frank’s dealing with a broken bone that’s taking some time recovering.”
Edited for Format Fail.
And to add: Hot diggity dang dog!
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Post by Melindaaaaaa [26] on Nov 21, 2008 9:46:26 GMT -5
When did Frankie break a bone?!
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Post by Ells on Nov 21, 2008 11:30:01 GMT -5
10/17 at LA
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Post by Melindaaaaaa [26] on Nov 21, 2008 18:51:22 GMT -5
How come I am just now hearing about this?!
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Post by mscaniac on Nov 25, 2008 14:08:42 GMT -5
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