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Milan Hejduk News & Rumors

Avs' captain Hejduk frustrated by continuing lack of goals
February 4
Denver Post
 
"Milan Hejduk has been through slumps before, but he admits this is probably the worst of his career. It's not just because of the numbers: three goals in his past 27 games, two of the three in one game and only one of the three at even strength. What has made this the toughest stretch of his career is because of that big "C" on his sweater. "I think it's a little worse, because you want to be the leader on the ice, the guy who shows the way out," the Avalanche captain said Friday. "And right now, I'm not scoring goals, so it's frustrating. Being the captain, you feel a little more responsibility for things when they are not going well.""
Avs' Hejduk finds net but only in Anaheim
January 23
Denver Post
 
"While his team has been on an upswing, Avalanche captain Milan Hejduk continues to struggle scoring goals. In anyplace except Anaheim, that is. Hejduk has scored a goal in two of the last 24 games. Those games were Sunday night and on New Year's Eve — both at the Honda Center. Hejduk, skating at right wing on a line with Ryan O'Reilly and Gabriel Landeskog, is not quite on pace to score 20 goals. If he falls short, it would break a streak of 11 consecutive seasons he has done so. "We've been winning lately, so that's good, but it's frustrating. I need to score more goals," Hejduk said. "I've been so cold lately. It's a battle. I'm just trying to get chances and hoping some go in.""
Avalanche captain Hejduk believes team is better than its record
November 17
Denver Post
 
"When he first came to the Avalanche in 1998, Milan Hejduk barely spoke any English and everyone mispronounced his last name. Even former Avs coach Marc Crawford?, when talking about the team's top incoming prospects, pronounced his name "Hedge-duck." Wednesday afternoon inside the visitors' dressing room at the Xcel Energy Center, Hejduk rested an elbow on a knee and held court for several minutes on the state of the team he now captains."
Milan Hejduk not happy with loss in first game as Avalanche captain
November 16
Denver Post
 
"After wearing the "C" on his sweater for the first time, Milan Hej- duk wore frustration otherwise following the Avalanche's 6-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. "Not the way I wanted my first game as captain to go," said Hejduk, who had an assist in the loss. "I thought we were playing great, but then they got some breaks and kind of took it to us." Hejduk wore the "C," while Paul Stastny? and Jay McClement wore the "A" for alternate captains."
Avalanche names Milan Hejduk captain
November 14
Denver Post
 
"Finally, more than five weeks into the season, Avalanche fans have an answer: Milan Hejduk is next in line. Hejduk, the lone holdover from the franchise's last Stanley Cup in 2001, was named the third captain in team history, the Avalanche announced today. He follows Adam Foote?, who was captain for two seasons until he retired, and Joe Sakic?, who wore the C from 1992-93 until he retired in 2009, dating to the franchise's roots in Quebec."
Hejduk re-signs with Avalanche
May 12
Denver Post
 
"Milan Hejduk re-signed with the Avalanche on Wednesday, so a link to the Avs' last Stanley Cup team remains on the active roster. Hejduk, 35, the only player left from Colorado's 2001 Cup team, signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract that, with incentives, could reach $3 million. Eschewing free agency, Hejduk said he likes playing in Colorado, and his family likes living in the state, too much to go anywhere else. "It's always been my intention to play for the Avalanche for as long as I can," Hejduk said. "I had no interest in going anywhere else, but you never know how things will go. They had to be interested too." Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman, in a team release said: "Milan"
Avalanche signs Milan Hejduk to one-year deal
May 11
Denver Post
 
"The Avalanche this morning signed veteran right wing Milan Hejduk to a one-year, $2.6 million contract. With incentives, the deal could go as high as $3 million, the amount he made last season. Hejduk, 35, scored 22 goals for the Avs this past season. He has scored 20 or more for 11 consecutive seasons and can set a franchise record with a 12th."
Back injury keeps Stastny out of game; Hejduk out another week with shoulder injury
March 13
Denver Post
 
"Paul Stastny made the trip to Nashville with the Avalanche but didn't suit up against the Predators on Saturday and is considered day to day after leaving the Friday loss against Anaheim in the third period because of a back injury. Meanwhile, the team said veteran winger Milan Hejduk will be out about a week with a shoulder injury."
Jones stars for Avs in OT win vs. Vancouver
January 19
Denver Post
 
"David Jones' play had been as nondescript as his name much of the past few games, but not Tuesday night when the Avalanche needed a big-name, big-game performance. The British Columbia native, who grew up a big fan of the Vancouver Canucks, scored his second goal of the game in overtime to give the Avalanche a gritty 4-3 victory over the NHL points-leading Canucks at the Pepsi Center. Despite a crowd of only 12,791 for a game against their division foes, the Avs had everyone standing at the end when Jones put home a loose puck in the crease past Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo at 2:52 of OT. The Avs overcame three one-goal deficits and got tremendous games as well from John-Michael Liles"
Avalanche try to break winless slide vs. Thrashers
December 11
Denver Post
 
"If Matt Duchene were to put out a tweet on his new Twitter account of Friday night's Avalanche win over the Atlanta Thrashers, it might be something in today's teenage parlance like: "Gr8t win for the boyz in the ATL. Now on to Wash!" Via his vocal cords, Duchene afterward called Colorado's 4-2 victory over Atlanta at Philips Arena "our biggest win of the season." "We were a desperate team tonight. We needed a win and we got it," Duchene said. But for the Avs, there always seems to be a price to pay for any win, a sacrifice to the medical room. Right wing Milan Hejduk, who scored what proved the game-winner early in the third period, left the game soon after with a groin pull and didn't"
Duchene, Hejduk ready to go against Blackhawks
October 7
Denver Post
 
"Second-year Avalanche center Matt Duchene returned to practice today and said he should be close to 100 percent for Thursday night's season opener against the visiting Chicago Blackhawks. Duchene, who centers a line with Milan Hejduk and David Jones, missed Tuesday's practice because of an illness. "I just had the 12- or 24-hour flu," Duchene said. "I feel better now. I'm ready to go." Hejduk, who didn't skate last week because of a sore back, participated in his second consecutive practice, but this time without an orange no-contact sweater. "I'm fine," Hejduk said. Colorado coach Joe Sacco put his squad through a fast-paced 90-minute workout. He said it was good to end it with Duchene"
Shoulder injury, concussion keep Hejduk on the bench
April 25
Denver Post
 
"When the playoffs are over for a team, full disclosure can be given on injuries. After the Avalanche's 5-2, season-ending loss to San Jose in Game 6 on Saturday night, forward Milan Hejduk admitted it wasn't just a concussion that kept him out the final three games of the series. Hejduk also suffered a shoulder injury, which he said was more serious than the concussion when he accidentally skated into Paul Stastny in the first period of Game 3. "I'll have to go through some treatment with the shoulder," Hejduk said. "Hopefully, it's going to heal and be fine. But it was frustrating not to be out there.""
Avs' Mueller skates but "very doubtful" for Game 6; Hejduk ruled out
April 24
Denver Post
 
"He is officially listed as "very doubtful" to play Game 6 tonight against the San Jose Sharks. But the fact Avalanche left wing Peter Mueller skated for the first time in nearly three weeks Friday — and that the Avs left a tiny crack open in the door that he could play — might serve as optimism entering what could be the final game of the Avs' season. A team in desperate need of offense would gladly welcome back Mueller, who was the hottest Avalanche when he suffered a concussion April 4 against San Jose on a hit from Rob Blake. Mueller, who had 20 points in 15 games for the Avs before being injured, skated on his own Friday. In the shadowy world of NHL injury information in the playoffs,"
Avs' hopes riding high despite injuries; Mueller and Hejduk questionable for game five
April 22
Denver Post
 
"A best two-out-of-three series against the top team in the Western Conference, without home-ice advantage, might seem a tough predicament for a team. But Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said his young, inexperienced team can't help but feel good going into Game 5 on Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks. "I like where we are in the series," Sacco said today, prior to the Avs' charter flight to San Jose. "I think our guys are doing a good job as far as competing and dealing with some adversity." Some of the adversity is the team's ongoing injury problems. Veteran right wing Milan Hejduk will not make the trip to San Jose, Sacco said, with a probable head injury suffered in Game 3. Left wing"
Hejduk a no-go
April 21
Denver Post
 
"Avalanche winger Milan Hej-duk missed Tuesday's Game 4 against the San Jose Sharks because of an upper-body injury, the result of his collision with teammate Paul Stastny in Game 3. Stastny just shook his head at the bad luck of being involved in Hej-duk's injury. "I didn't even know I hit him. I was looking at the puck and he was looking over his shoulder and he just hit my shoulder," Stastny said. "Hopefully he can come back soon." Avs coach Joe Sacco said Hej-duk was "day to day" - the same listing for two other forwards who didn't play, Kevin Porter and Ryan Stoa. The Avs inserted Marek Svatos into the lineup for the first time in the postseason, along with Chris Durno. Svatos broke a"
Upper-body injury sidelines Hejduk
April 21
Denver Post
 
"Avalanche winger Milan Hejduk missed Tuesday night's Game 4 against the San Jose Sharks because of an upper-body injury, the result of his collision with teammate Paul Stastny in Game 3. Stastny just shook his head at the bad luck of being involved in Hej- duk's injury. "I didn't even know I hit him. I was looking at the puck and he was looking over his shoulder, and he just hit my shoulder," Stastny said. "Hopefully, he can come back soon." Avs coach Joe Sacco said Hejduk was day to day — the same listing for two other forwards who didn't play, Kevin Porter and Ryan Stoa. The Avs inserted Marek Svatos into the lineup for the first time in the postseason, along with Chris Durno."
Avs will go without Hejduk in Game 4
April 20
Denver Post
 
"Milan Hejduk will not be in the lineup tonight when the Avalanche hosts San Jose in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series. Hejduk is suffering from a probable head injury after colliding with teammate Paul Stastny in Game 3. Marek Svatos will be inserted into the lineup, along with Chris Durno, Avs coach Joe Sacco said. Sacco listed Hejduk as day-to-day. Sacco will make defenseman Ryan Wilson a healthy scratch, and play either Ruslan Salei or Brett Clark in his place. Sacco said seven defensemen would skate in the pregame warmup and he would decide after that."
Hejduk's status for Game 4 still uncertain
April 20
Denver Post
 
"The Avalanche probably will get one right winger back in the lineup for tonight's Game 4 with the San Jose Sharks. But it remains to be seen whether the Avs get two back. Third-liner Kevin Porter, who missed Game 3 with an upper-body injury, practiced Monday with seemingly no ill effects, and coach Joe Sacco said he might return tonight. The status of veteran Milan Hejduk, however, remains questionable. Hejduk, who suffered a probable head injury after colliding with teammate Paul Stastny in Game 3, did not skate Monday. Sacco listed Hejduk as day to day and did not rule him out for tonight's contest. "(Hejduk) will be re-evaluated tomorrow morning, and we'll know more then," Sacco said"
Colorado hoping to get Hejduk, Porter back for Game 4
April 20
Denver Post
 
"The Avalanche got what seemed some encouraging medical news today, when coach Joe Sacco said veteran right winger Milan Hejduk is "day to day" with an upper body injury, and that another right wing, Kevin Porter, could return for Tuesday's Game 4 of a playoff series with the San Jose Sharks. Along with Hejduk and Porter, Sacco said injured rookie Ryan Stoa is also day-to-day with a lower body injury. "Hejduk and Stoa will be both be reevaluated in the morning, and we'll know more then," Sacco said. Hejduk left game 3 after hitting his head against the shoulder of teammate Paul Stastny. Porter, who missed Game 3 with an upper body injury, practiced Monday with seemingly no ill effects."
Odd collision sends Hejduk out of game early in first period
April 19
Denver Post
 
"Usually, injuries happen because of hard hits from the opposition, but the Avalanche lost one of its best players Sunday night from a collision with a teammate. Veteran right wing Milan Hejduk was forced out early in the first period from Game 3 with San Jose after skating into Paul Stastny, coming over the Sharks' blue line on the power play. The Avs called it an "upper body" injury, but it seemed clear that Hejduk's injury was to the head. In the cloak-and-dagger world of injury information in the playoffs, Hej- duk's status can only be described as "unknown" for Game 4 on Tuesday night. Hall of Fame. The way this series schedule worked out, the Avalanche and Sharks will play Game 4 at"
Avalanche's Hejduk returns to ice for hard work
February 25
Denver Post
 
"Ringlets of sweat fell off Milan Hejduk's brow, like tears from a teen after a first breakup. His face was the color of uncooked salmon. Five minutes after leaving the practice ice with the Avalanche, a slight labor to his breathing was still detectable. He was beat, in other words, and it felt great. "Hopefully, the next few days, it gets a little easier," said Hejduk, who turned 34 on Valentine's Day. "But it's nice to be back on the ice with the guys in a real practice. It felt like a long time." Hejduk wasn't the only Avs player breathing heavier Wednesday. It was the first practice for the team since the NHL paused for the Olympics on Feb. 14, and it wasn't an easy one. Coach Joe"
Hejduk won't play until after the Olympics
February 3
Denver Post
 
"Tuesday morning, Avalanche coach Joe Sacco said "not to rule it out" when asked if veteran winger Milan Hejduk could return before the Olympic break. Later in the day, however, it had been ruled out. After consulting with Hejduk, it was decided the Avs would err on the side of caution and wait until the resumption of play, March 1, to get him back in the lineup. Hejduk has been out since Jan. 11 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Hejduk has resumed light skating and doing well in his rehabilitation."
Surgery to sideline Avalanche veteran Hejduk 2-4 weeks
January 18
Denver Post
 
"Plagued in recent weeks by pain in his right knee, Milan Hejduk has decided to undergo an arthroscopic procedure that will keep him sidelined from two to four weeks. Hejduk, 33, missed Saturday's game with New Jersey after feeling discomfort during the pregame warm-up and has missed action before that with the same ailment. Hejduk will have the minor operation performed in the next day or two. He had a more extensive surgery on the knee three years ago, but missed only seven games in the following three seasons. He has missed six games with the injury this season. For now, Hejduk's spot at right wing on the second line will be filled by rookie Brandon Yip. The line will feature Matt"
Injuries keep Avalanche's Hejduk, Svatos off ice
December 14
Denver Post
 
"Avalanche veteran wingers Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos missed Colorado's 3-2 victory over Calgary. Colorado coach Joe Sacco said both were considered "day to day" — Hejduk with a knee injury and Svatos with a groin problem. Hejduk earlier this season missed two games with a back injury and then three games with a knee problem. Until he was sidelined the first time, he had played in 170 consecutive games. With Hejduk and Svatos out, recent Lake Erie call-ups Ryan Stoa and Justin Mercier were in the lineup Sunday. Stoa, the Avalanche's first of four second-round draft choices in 2005 (the second was Paul Stastny), made his NHL debut after playing 25 games for Lake Erie in his rookie pro"
Injuries sideline Avs' Hejduk, Svatos tonight against Flames
December 13
Denver Post
 
"Avalanche coach Joe Sacco this morning confirmed that Colorado forwards Milan Hejduk and Marek Svatos won't play tonight against the Calgary Flames at the Pepsi Center. Sacco said of Hejduk: "He's still day to day with a knee." Sacco said he didn't believe the injury was serious, and was hopeful that Hejduk — who played nearly 18 minutes against Tampa Bay on Friday night — would be able to return to the lineup against Washington on Tuesday. The Avalanche coach also said Svatos was day to day with a groin injury. Svatos of late had been spending a lot of time on the fourth line and playing sparingly; he got 7 minutes, 16 seconds of ice time against the Lightning, but didn't play in the"
Avalanche's Hejduk might return tonight vs. Blackhawks
November 11
Denver Post
 
"Milan Hejduk, a late scratch against Edmonton on Sunday with a back problem, didn't practice Tuesday with the Avalanche at the Family Sports Center. But coach Joe Sacco said that primarily was precautionary and he was "hopeful" Hejduk would be able to play against the Blackhawks tonight in Chicago. "He came in this morning, and he was feeling much better than before the game against Edmonton," Sacco said after practice, which followed Monday's day off for the team. "We decided to keep him off (Tuesday)." Also, winger Darcy Tucker and defenseman Tom Preissing went through the full practice and are at least possibilities to play against the Blackhawks. Tucker immediately lost consciousness,"
Avalanche's Hejduk misses Oilers game with back injury
November 9
Denver Post
 
"Avalanche winger Milan Hejduk missed his first game of the season Sunday with a back injury. His absence was a surprise, given that he practiced Saturday and participated in Sunday's pregame skate. Hejduk, who on Friday played in his 800th career game, entered Sunday tied as Colorado's second-leading scorer with 14 points (seven goals). He was replaced by T.J. Hensick, who played for just the fifth time this season and scored a power-play goal. Coach Joe Sacco said he doesn't know how or when Hejduk was injured, or when he is expected back. "He took warm-up but wasn't able to play," Sacco said. Also scratched were Avs defensemen John-Michael Liles (shoulder) and Tom Preissing (knee)."
Avs add a year to Hejduk's deal
September 25
Denver Post
 
"The Avalanche on Thursday lessened the chances of Milan Hejduk's pending unrestricted free agency becoming a major topic this season when it announced the signing of the Czech right wing to a one-year extension. Hejduk will make $3.9 million this season, but accepted a cut to $3 million in 2010-11, while retaining his no-trade clause. If Hejduk, 33, hadn't been locked up, there might have been considerable speculation about his availability as the season progressed. "I didn't want to deal with this thing during the season," Hejduk said Thursday after he didn't suit up for the Avalanche's 3-2 exhibition loss to Dallas. "I don't like that stuff. It's better that you can concentrate on"
Hejduk gets extension from Avs
September 25
Denver Post
 
"The Avalanche today signed veteran right wing Milan Hejduk to a one-year contract extension, through the 2010-11 season. Hejduk is making $4 million this season on the last year of his current contract and will make $3 million next season. "It was important for me and my family to continue my career with the Avalanche organization," Hejduk said in a team release. "I'm excited about the direction of this franchise and look forward to being a part of it." Hejduk, 33, has spent his entire career with Colorado and is entering his 11th season. He ranks fourth in franchise history in games played and goals. He ranks fifth in points. Hejduk led Colorado with 27 goals in 2008-09. "Milan has been"