But few players have dealt with more behind the medical curtain than James van Riemsdyk.
After sitting out for four games earlier this month with a muscular tear in his midsection, van Riemsdyk has been hampered by two different injuries recently that has limited his production on the scoresheet. Van Riemsdyk, 22, has just one goal and two assists in his last 10 games since returning from the muscular tear. He went nine straight games without a goal, a streak that was broken on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Multiple sources confirmed yesterday that van Riemsdyk has both a cam impingement in his hip, which has been bothering him since the onset of the season, and a knee that was "banged up a few games ago" but was aided by rest over the 2-day Christmas holiday break.
When asked yesterday after an hourlong practice, van Riemsdyk said he didn't want to delve into specifics about his injuries.
Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren denied both of van Riemsdyk's injuries when asked yesterday.
"Lots of guys have issues throughout the season," Holmgren said in a text message.
A source said that van Riemsdyk could require offseason surgery to correct his hip injury, which is a common occurrence in hockey players. One recent report suggested that more than 50 percent of all NHL players have a similar hip injury due to overuse. A cam impingement occurs when the ball-shaped femoral head rubs abnormally or does not have full range of motion in the pelvic socket. This can result in damage to the cartilage surrounding the bone.
On the ice, van Riemsdyk has not appeared to be comfortable in his stride. At times, especially over the past three or four games, he appears to be laboring up and down the ice.
