Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

When Ryan Johansen Became A Fan

10/02/2017 at 5:07pm EDT

from Ryan Johansen of the Nashville Predators,

I stared at the ceiling as I lay in my hospital bed.

Was this really happening to me? Was it all over just like that?

Only minutes before, I was surrounded by screaming fans as my teammates and I tried to tie Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, and now I was surrounded by medical equipment in the hospital with a freakish thigh injury. Even just moments after it happened, I knew coming back to play at any point in the playoffs was probably not going to happen. I was done for the year.

But I couldn't give up on my team either. We were in the middle of a battle with the Anaheim Ducks for the Western Conference crown. I made a decision right then to just forget about the injury and focus on being the best teammate I could be. I wanted the guys to think that I wasn't even injured, even if my crutches would probably give me away. What I lacked in mobility, I was determined to make up for in support.

continued

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

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