DALLAS (AP) - Anaheim Ducks defenseman Stephane Robidas is ready for another long rehab after breaking his right leg again. At least he will not need surgery this time.
“It’s going to be lots of hours in the gym to get the strength back,” Robidas said during Game 4 on Wednesday night. “It took me a while to get back where I was, but I did it once and I know what to expect, so that’s a good thing. It’s almost like I can do my own rehab.”
Robidas was hurt early in the second period of Game 3 against the Dallas Stars when he was undercut by Ryan Garbutt, who was diving for a puck.
It was the same leg Robidas broke in the same building Nov. 29 while still playing for the Stars, who traded him to Anaheim last month. Robidas says this break isn’t in the same spot where he had a rod surgically inserted for the previous break.
“It didn’t affect the rod or anything. It just kind of broke above. Above like where it broke before is so strong with the rod and the bone that’s forming around it is so strong that it broke higher,” Robidas said. “It broke the fibula as well. Fibula, I broke it the first time. The fibula you don’t fix, it’s a non-weight bearing bone so it broke again but it’s more like a minor thing.”
The only time Robidas got emotional while talking to reporters during the first intermission of Game 4 was when he was asked about the disappointment of missing the rest of the playoffs. He hadn’t been in the postseason since the Stars previous appearance in 2008.
“Yeah, for me it’s really hard. I’ve been waiting to play in the playoffs the last five years,” said Robidas, choking back tears while leaning on crutches. “Sorry. It’s tough you know. “
Robidas said Garbutt reached out to apologize to him Tuesday, and that he has no issues with his former teammate.
“He’s diving for the puck. It’s just bad luck. It could have happened in a different situation,” Robidas said. “It’s one of those things like you don’t control and it’s just bad luck. … Don’t worry about it. It’s part of the game and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
When asked about breaking his leg in consecutive games played in the American Airlines Center, Robidas said he had to look at it as “kind of lucky” that he was in Dallas.
“I have a home here. My family’s here and it’s much easier (than) if it would have happened somewhere else where it would have been a lot tougher,” he said. “I can’t really fly right now, so I’d be stuck in a hotel somewhere. The good thing is it happened where I still have my house here. The doctor that did my surgery, he’s here. They took good care of me and I can do rehab and I know I’m in good hands.”
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