Young Edmonton Oilers' star Taylor Hall has been sidelined for the next two-to-four weeks with a knee injury suffered in a game against the Ottawa Senators in October which, at just 22-years-old, is already the fourth significant injury of his career.
He has missed 48 of a possible 294 games thus far as an Oiler - almost a quarter of his professional life.
Hall's apparently brittle nature has some wondering if he needs to alter his playing style in order to make himself more effective - and more consistently available - for the Oilers.
"The Edmonton Oilers need Hall to be in their lineup every game, not three-quarters of them," writes Ken Campbell of The Hockey News. "He is emerging as the go-to offensive player and a leader on this young team and having him out of the lineup is an enormous blow. In fact, if this injury goes the distance or beyond, it's not a stretch to suggest any hopes the Oilers have of making the playoffs this season will die."
The Oilers face a quandary between needing Hall in the lineup and respecting that part of what makes him such an electrifying player is his willingness to go hard all the time, without fear for his body or injury.
As Campbell asks, "How do you tell a guy to stop going to the net so hard when going to the net and using his size is what makes him one of the best left wingers in the league today?"
Campbell points to former players like Toronto's Wendel Clark and Colorado's Peter Forsberg as examples of careers cut short by playing with a take-no-prisoners attitude - something that surely endears the player to coaches and fans, but does not bode well for career longevity.
Edmonton, of course, wants, maybe even needs, Hall to play with reckless abandon the way he has. Leading by example is a very effective form of leadership.
But that balance of passion and regard for one's health is a fine line Hall must learn to walk if he's to help propel Edmonton to the postseason and beyond.
