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Detroit’s Eaves calls concussion recovery “miserable”

Patrick Eaves, Drew Miller

Detroit Red Wings’ Patrick Eaves is approached by Drew Miller (20) after getting hit by a puck in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011, in Detroit. Eaves was taken off the ice on a stretcher late in the game after he was struck near the right ear by Predators’ Roman Josi’s slap shot. He was conscious and lifted himself onto the cart before leaving the arena. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

AP

Last November, Red Wings forward Patrick Eaves suffered a severe concussion (and a broken jaw) after being hit with a slapshot from Nashville’s Roman Josi:

The aftermath was a lost season and months of recovery, which Eaves describes as an awful experience.

“It’s been miserable,” Eaves told the Detroit Free Press. “It’s just no fun. I’m just worried about getting better every day -- that’s all I can do.”

The incident came shortly after the 28-year-old signed a three-year, $3.6 million extension with the Wings, making the injury all the more frustrating. Eaves impressed in his first two seasons with Detroit, scoring 25 goals, but the severity of the concussion led to fear for his career.

(Eaves’ father, Mike, had his time in the NHL cut short to a concussion.)

In February, Eaves told the Red Wings’ website he had a headache “pretty much all of the time” and that physical activity was limited to riding a stationary bike.

Eaves still hasn’t been cleared by team doctors or shed the headaches, but did say they occur with less frequency.

He’s now resumed skating and hanging out with teammates, which seems to have brightened his spirits.

“The bad part is behind me now,” he explained. “This is part of the progress, skating with other guys and trying to get used to that. The speed is, obviously, not what it is at training camp.

“I’m just happy to be out there with the guys.”