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‘He’s not even cleared to practice': Koivu’s Olympic aspirations remain up in the air

Minnesota Wild v Anaheim Ducks

ANAHEIM, CA - FEBRUARY 01: at Honda Center on February 1, 2013 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Jeff Gross

The men’s Olympic hockey competition is vastly approaching, and still there has been no decision about whether Mikko Koivu will play for Finland in Sochi.

It’s about the same as it was three days ago, as Koivu looks to come back from an ankle injury that has kept him out of the Minnesota Wild lineup since Jan. 4.

That said, it doesn’t sound as if there is much optimism about the possibility of the 30-year-old Koivu going to Sochi.

“Mikko’s doing everything he can to come back,” Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

“It’s a six-to-eight-week injury that we’re trying to accelerate and have him come back in five, but not only is he not cleared to play right now, he’s not even cleared to practice with the team.

“There’s a lot of healing and work that needs to be done to get him to that position. If we can get him there, great, but I think people need to understand how hard he’s working to get healthy and come back.

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