Devils defenseman Colin White skated at Prudential Center this morning with Jamie Langenbrunner prior to the team's morning skate, but still has "no idea" when he'll be ready to return from his right eye injury.
"I haven't talked to anyone about that," he said. "It's a waiting game right now. It's something you can't rush. It's somethign that nobody has an exact day or a time."
White says his eyesight has been improving gradually since the Sept. 19 practice in which was struck in the eye with a deflected puck. "It's so gradual," he said. "From Day 1 until now, I can notice a difference in that, but from week to week I'm not noticing a huge difference. It's not like I'm going to wake up one morning and wow."
White has been skating for two weeks after boing four weeks without doing anything. But he's still waiting for hte doctors, who he last visited six days ago, to give him the go-ahead to practice with the team -- Langenbrunner (sports hernia surgery) might do that for the first time on Thursday -- and eventually play in a game. "Obviously, I'd like to be back today or yesterday," he said.
What are the doctors waiting for?
"Some improvement in my sight," White said. "That's what we're still waiting for. There's nothing other than time that we can do. It's just waiting."
White said the wait has gotten more difficult now that the Devils have finally moved into Prudential Center after the team was on the road for its first nine games.
"It’s always tough sitting out," he said. "When the guys were on the road and we were still here, I’m not saying it wasn’t hard, but we weren’t around the guys so much. Now, they’re back here and we watched the first game. When we all went home after last season, we were all excited about opening the new building and coming and playing the first game. It was definitely tough to watch. The guys played well. The fans were great. It was such a different atmosphere than the old (arena)."
Great news that Langs might start practicing with the team tomorrow. If that's the case I expect him back in the lineup within 2 weeks. I think we'll be seeing White around the new year.
Posted by: Yaron | October 31, 2007 at 02:18 PM
At least White is getting better. His health is the most important thing. Hopefully he'll be back with the team eventually.
Posted by: jules | October 31, 2007 at 02:25 PM
Langs and White are two very big parts of the Devils core, which has suffered mightly becuase of their absence. The best news is that they are both recovering and hopefully will join the team down the road. If the Devils can get a good string of wins going before White and Langs return, it will be great.
I think the Devils will get some offense going with tonight's line combo.
Zavior
Posted by: Zavior | October 31, 2007 at 03:24 PM
^ Those line combos should get that offense going if Sutter doesn't change them after 10 minutes into the game. Every time he changes those lines; the players lose any chemistry they could've formed together.
Sutter just needs to keep the same lines up for a full 60 mins and see what happens. He can change all the line combos he wants in practice; but at least leave them the same during games. We need some chemistry developing here. We also need our star players to start being stars. This is getting ridiculous with how we're not scoring consistently and for that matter winning consistently.
Posted by: JP | October 31, 2007 at 03:48 PM
Colin, wishing you the best. Get that eye better first, then we'll give you a great ovation when you make your debut at The Rock!
Posted by: wkmaier | October 31, 2007 at 03:58 PM
TG, thank You so much for all that You do for Us Fan's You are very much appreciated. Tell Whitey and Langs that We miss them and wish them all of the best in a speedy recovery.
Posted by: Shari | October 31, 2007 at 08:03 PM
These lines played great. I hope that Sutter keeps them for a while. Tampa got mugged.
Posted by: Shari | October 31, 2007 at 09:40 PM
Good game all around. We need to now get on a roll and win a few in a row.
By the way, does anyone else think that Derek Roy should be suspended for the cheap shot punch to Clarkson near the end of the 3rd period. Clarkson had yet to drop the gloves when Roy punched him right in the eye. Hope the NHL suspends Roy for that obvious cheap shot.
Posted by: Zavior | October 31, 2007 at 10:44 PM
Yea man Roy should be suspended, that crap is horrible when it happens, he really could have gotten hurt. 3-10 games would be good. I loved how the lines worked.....when Langenbrunner comes back obviously Clarkson will get bumped, but that fine int he overall scheme of things.....looks good!
Posted by: Jon | October 31, 2007 at 10:50 PM
Re: that sucker punch should have been no less than a game misconduct.
Posted by: wkmaier | November 01, 2007 at 08:17 AM
Clarkson said he saw the first punch coming, but the second one got him pretty good. Sutter was asked today if he thought the NHL should discipline Roy.
"That's the league's decision," he replied. "I thought it was a situation where one player knew the other player wasn't going to fight him."
Posted by: TG | November 01, 2007 at 02:36 PM
In light of Whiteys eye injury , the last thing that I wanted to see is another Devil going down with an eye injury, the way that Roy was hitting Clarkson in the eye with His glove made Me very nervous, He could have easily scratched His cornea. Leave it to Torts to send out the Goons after His team was losing, remember last season one of His goons attacked Langs when He was in a bad position to defend Himself. Very cowardly act that has no place in the game.Lose the instigator rule before some one really gets hurt.
Posted by: Shari | November 01, 2007 at 05:45 PM
I agree, that was a cheap shot and worthy of a suspension.
great win, and I also agree sutter is over doing the line changes, I would like to see brylin, with gio and elias
Posted by: Paul H | November 01, 2007 at 07:43 PM