Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

[Mike]

Thanks for the link, geo.

[Tony G]

Vladimir Konstantinov: 'The quality of his life has tremendously improved'

10:15 AM, April 19, 2013


Former Detroit Red Wings player Vladimir Konstantinov is escorted to a federal court building in Detroit on April 29, 2008. / Andre Jackson / DFP


By Ken Abramczyk

Every hockey fan in Detroit remembers the euphoria that engulfed the Motor City when the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997, the team's first in 42 years.
After ending such a long championship drought, hundreds of thousands of fans celebrated at a parade celebrating the victory.
Days later, that euphoria sank and turned to despair and prayers after hockey fans learned that Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Mnatsakanov and Slava Fetisov suffered injuries in an accident on June 13 when the driver of a rented limousine drove onto a median of Woodward Avenue and struck a tree.
Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov suffered serious injuries. Konstantinov was in a coma and suffered brain injuries. Mnatsakanov was paralyzed from the waist down.
Konstantinov eventually began therapy with Polly Swingle, who was employed at the time at Detroit Medical Center. Konstantinov's recovery was slow.
His efforts to recover inspired his teammates in their pursuit of a second consecutive Stanley Cup in 1998. Detroit hockey fans remember that emotional moment seeing Steve Yzerman handing Konstantinov the Stanley Cup, and Konstantinov carrying it while in a wheelchair as his teammates pushed him around the ice.
Swingle remembers that, and while she isn't directly working with Konstantinov right now, she owns and runs a facility where Konstantinov still works on his recovery.
Konstantinov can walk on his own

Today, Konstantinov exercises at least three days and sometimes five days a week at the Recovery Project in Livonia. He walks with a walker, but also can walk on his own.

Konstantinov works closely with trainer Matt Drake at the Recovery Project and private nurse Pam Demanuel. Swingle is president and CEO of the Recovery Project.

“He, at first, stayed in his wheelchair, and had difficulty standing and walking,” Swingle said. “Now he has a walker. Using the walker, he is able to stand by himself.” Konstantinov can perform “activities of daily living,” namely brushing his teeth, among other things.

For an hour, he exercises to improve his endurance and follows with therapy.

“Probably within the last two years, Matt has got him to walk more without his walker, and he has learned to go up and down the stairs safely.” Swingle said. “Matt has him do more sports-related exercising, like standing on uneven surfaces, and working from a kneeling position and doing core exercises.

“He's reconditioning muscle to maintain and improve flexibility and work his cardiovascular system, and also retraining his brain with these movements.”

Swingle said Drake will challenge Konstantinov with harder exercises. “Vladdie has been exercising and training since he was 10 years old,” Swingle said. “We had to develop an exercise program for the kind of athlete he was used to being.”

Konstantinov has developed a level of acceptance for what has happened, Swingle said. “He enjoys watching hockey,” Swingle said. He attends occasional games and visits with players. He enjoys going to restaurants with family and friends. “He knows what is going on,” Swingle said. “He definitely keeps up.”

“The quality of his life has tremendously improved. He can walk by himself.”
Recovery Project result of a vision

Swingle founded the Recovery Project with Charlie Parkhill in 2003. Parkhill had suffered a spinal cord injury that left him motionless from the neck down. Swingle worked to assist Parkhill.

They had a vision to provide more therapy to patients through the Recovery Project. Every patient has at least 60 minutes of one-on-one with a therapist and works out with state-of-the-art equipment.

“Charlie designed it with the open windows, to brighten the individual experiences here,” Swingle said. It allowed patients to see the outside world and not be enclosed in a room, Swingle said. Family members also are involved in the recovery and sit nearby during the exercises, Swingle said.

Konstantinov has completed his exercises that day, and Drake is massaging him when Swingle, a reporter and photographer walk up to him. Swingle asked him how he is doing. “Good,” said Konstantinov.

He said he is doing much better as he continues therapy. He smiles and jokes with Swingle that he wants to play Uno. “I'm doing good,” he said.

She asked him whose fault it is if the Wings lose, Konstantinov, a defenseman, jokes that it's the forwards who are to blame, then he smiles again at his joke.

His mood is pleasant. It's been a difficult road, Swingle said, but Konstantinov still works on staying in shape and recovering to the best of his ability.

He shakes the visitors' hands as he gets up to leave. “Where are you guys going?” Swingle asked. “Lunch,” Konstantinov said, as he and his caretaker walk out of the building.

Contact: kabramcz@hometownlife.com, (313) 222-2591, @KenAbramcz
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[madootra]

[ame]http://youtu.be/kB7ZgGzAGq0[/ame]

[Optimus Prime]

Beast in the East Pens win yet again against Boston , 3-2 on the road. Minus 4 of their top players, whom will all be back for the playoffs.

Unreal.

[Rob F]

Great piece on Vlad. Much appreciated, Tony, as I had no idea he had come back so very far from his injury; the last I had read about him (seems like a couple years ago) made the impression that he would be wheelchair-bound for life.

[Optimus Prime]

Wings' playoff season likely depends on a win tonight in Vancouver, if they choke again, it is over.

[Optimus Prime]

Missed the game but from what I read, Wings brought the heat against Vancouver last night...outshooting the Canucks 17-2 in the 3rd and 4-1 in OT. Although suffered a SO loss, Detroit picked up a valuable pt.

Still think the Wings control their own playoff destiny, things are no doubt heating up for Columbus, can they handle the pressure?

[Mike]

Shootouts are killing the Wings. Leaving a lot of points on the table. Still with a game in hand on Columbus, tho.

[iam416]

Jackets!

[Optimus Prime]

I don't think you've actually thought this through. Columbus' west-coast surge has been impressive but with only 2 games left, the end of the rope is near. Detroit has 4 games left and may render the entire matter moot anyway.

Last, clinging to the 8th and final playoff berth in the West means a date with the Chicago Blackhawks and in my best Bucknut drawl, "I wouldn't wish that on a broke-dick-dog".

However, statically if you are gonna get upset in the SC playoffs, it's usually in the first round.

So go Straight Jackets!

[iam416]

Eh, I don't care much about CBJ. I'm a Pens fans to the extent I follow the NHL.

I will say I'm modestly impressed CBJ survived road trip. Dallas game is huge. That's probably a win-in/lose-out game. Statistically, the Wings are unlikely to close with a full 8 points. Beating Dallas would go a long way to forcing the Wings to do just that.

[Optimus Prime]

Well then, you are in for one hell of a treat. Pens have Neal & Martin returning, that leaves Malkin & Crosby still on the mend. Bylsma stated Malkin is well enough to play buy frankly the team is on a tremendous roll, why risk it? If the playoffs started today, Geno would be playing which leaves Crosby.

Typically an NHL player that has sustained a similar injury returns to the lineup within 4 weeks, which in Sid's case means April 30th or shortly thereafter. Pittsburgh has secured home ice in the East but damn, I don't want the Pens to open against the Rangers in 8th, they've got the horsepower for a potential upset.

Dallas appears to have wilted under the pressure as well as Phoenix, 8th & final playoff berth belongs to Detroit or Columbus. Of the remaining games, any combination of Detroit loss and another Columbus win likely seals it for the BlueJackets.

[Hannibal]

I'm still trying to figure out if I actually want the Red Wings to make the playoffs this year. Is getting swept in the first round better than getting a higher draft pick for a change?

[Optimus Prime]

Wings will have a 0.5% to 1.5% chance of getting the 1st overall draft pick under new NHL rules. Having said that, I'd take the pride of maintaining the steak over the slim to no chance. The remaining first round drafting positions are determined by the results of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.


http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=658503

[Hannibal]

Even if they don't get the 1st overall pick, they'd have a chance at a Top 10, which is their best pick since Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.