The Minneapols Star-Tribune's Michael Scoggins argues that hockey players are a little "nuts" for playing through the kind of pain that they play through during the playoffs:

Ryan Suter doesn’t look right, but he refuses to admit anything. Ask him about his left arm and he’ll smile and say everything is A-OK. Suter took a horrible spill in Game 3 after a collision with Chicago’s Marian Hossa and landed awkwardly. He left the game holding his arm in a way that suggested he had suffered a serious injury.

Naturally, Suter returned for the third period.

But the Wild’s star defenseman hasn’t looked the same since. He hasn’t played poorly. He just looks like a guy who might have an arm injury, which prompted another round of health questions a day before Game 6.

He insists his shoulder is not an issue. OK, how about his elbow?

“I’m feeling great,” he said, laughing as he exited the interview room.

That should be the official mantra of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Everyone feels great, or at least well enough to play. The NHL postseason is nothing if not a testament to the willingness of players to ignore their aches and pains and broken bones in pursuit of the Cup.

Scoggins continues...