Last week, we detailed the bizarre series of events surrounding James van Riemsdyk. Amid reports he was putting off surgery to hold up a potential trade, GM Paul Holmgren revealed an infection was to blame for the delay, and days later we learned van Riemsdyk would not have surgery at all.
On Monday, Sarah Baicker again got to the bottom of the JVR story, and she says there is no conspiracy. Holmgren explained opinions on Riemer's hip simply changed, that's all.
“I just assumed, when I made the announcement there at the end of the year [that van Riemsdyk would have surgery], that’s the way we’re going to go,” Holmgren said. “And after [speaking with team doctors and van Riemsdyk’s physical therapists], we decided to go the way we’re going now.”
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“We wanted what’s best for James,” Holmgren said. “… He didn’t miss a game last year because of a hip issue. He had other things that went on, obviously, a broken foot, a concussion. He had an oblique strain. Another strain in his rib cage.
“There’s an area of concern there [in his hip] that’s been identified, and we’re just going to move forward right now and deal with it. I don’t have a crystal ball to say when it will pop up. We have other players, quite frankly, over the last few years who have similar issues that still are playing and still have not had it addressed.”
So there you have it. Now, that doesn't exactly clear up those trade rumors -- though Homer addressed those to an extent as well -- but don't read too deeply into the change in treatment.
>> No conspiracy: Holmgren explains JVR's off-season [CSN]
>> Previously: What's the deal with JVR? [T7L]