Posted on Tuesday, 11.24.09
Recovery from concussion slow process for Florida Panthers' David Booth
BY GEORGE RICHARDS
grichards@MiamiHerald.com
It has been a month since Panthers winger David Booth sustained a concussion after a blindside hit by Philadelphia's Mike Richards.
Booth doesn't seem any closer to a return.
On Monday, Booth said he can't do any exercise, and added that he even has trouble watching the games on TV and in person. He said he doesn't watch TV, and can only read a little bit at a time.
``It's just part of the process, but I'm not used to this,'' said Booth, who was knocked unconscious by Richards' hit Oct. 24 in Philadelphia.
Coach Pete DeBoer said Booth had been exercising and his training was ``ramped up'' before the headaches started again and he was shut down. Booth would have to exercise for a full week or so without showing any postconcussion symptoms before he would be allowed to skate.
And as long as Booth is out, it hurts his chances to make the U.S. Olympic team. A Detroit native, Booth was part of the Team USA development camp this past summer near Chicago.
``I can't do anything, so it's really frustrating,'' he said. ``I can't do anything.''
Booth is also one of four Florida forwards on the injured list. Nick Tarnasky has been out since fracturing an orbital bone in a fight in the Panthers' first preseason game Sept. 15.
A report out of Canada said winger Gregory Campbell's injured shoulder could keep him out for up to two weeks, although DeBoer said he could play Wednesday against the Rangers.
Cory Stillman is expected to miss at least a month with an injured left knee. He was said to be examined by team medical staff Monday in Weston.
With Campbell and Stillman out Monday against the Penguins, Shawn Matthias and defenseman Ville Koistinen were back in the lineup for the second consecutive game. Michal Repik was sent back to the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., on Sunday.
NEW DUDS
Florida unveiled its new uniforms Monday. The jersey is mostly dark blue with powder blue on the shoulders and bottom.
The team also has a redesigned logo in the middle of a circled crest and a new shoulder logo that has a sun burst with the letters ``FLA.'' That logo also is on the pants.
The Panthers will wear the uniform 11 more times this season.
``They're pretty cool, pretty nice,'' Booth said. ``Hopefully they'll help us out. They're different.''
DVORAK UPDATE
Winger Radek Dvorak became the seventh player to play in 500 games as a member of the Panthers on Monday. He was Florida's first-round pick in 1995 and played was on its Eastern Conference championship team in 1996 as a rookie.
Dvorak stayed with the Panthers until being traded to the Rangers in 2000. He returned in 2007 as a free agent and signed a two-year deal this past summer -- meaning he could become the franchise leader in games played next season barring injury.
WELCOME
New team owners Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel, along with team president Michael Yormark, greeted fans Monday.
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