[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Since1984

I have done some reading on artificial disc replacement and didn't see anywhere that it was very likely to be career ending.


Edit: After seeing your response above. It is still not very likely that the artificial disc will "blow".

Nobody knows how likely it is, because it was not designed to take that kind of repeated impact and has never been tested in those conditions.

Someone linked to an article by Kyle Trimble, a physical therapist who works with athletes, on Die By the Blade. Here's his conclusion:

There’s a reason we don’t see players getting hip and knee replacements during their playing careers, the prosthetics simply don’t hold up. The only athlete I can recall that returned to play following a hip replacement was Bo Jackson, but he was on the tail end of his career. There are simply too many unknowns.

Research must be done on this and maybe lesser players or players nearing the end of their career would be willing to take the risk knowing that they either can do the procedure and play or they retire. With Eichel, the stakes are higher not only for him but for the Sabres or whoever else if he ends up getting traded.

Decision Time

Normally I am pro-player, but I’m siding with the Sabres medical team on this argument. Jack Eichel needs to be saved from himself. The research isn’t there. Talk to me in 10 years and I might have a different answer. I wouldn’t risk the youth of an elite athlete on a procedure that doesn’t have a proven track record in contact sports. Either be successful with conservative care or get fusion surgery.