In coach Mike Keenan`s opinion, Michel Goulet`s absence from the playoffs last season was critical. Keenan always points to losing the winger`s offense as one of the reasons Minnesota was able to upset the Hawks in the first round. Goulet sprained a knee on the last day of the regular season.
A year later, Goulet is sidelined again. This time it`s a groin muscle strain, and he said Monday he isn`t sure if he`ll be ready for the playoff opener Saturday against St. Louis.
Goulet last played March 31 in Detroit, the day before the strike. But he explained he didn`t hurt his groin in the game with the Red Wings, despite being jabbed in the groin area with a stick.
”That didn`t help, but I just aggravated it,” said Goulet, who sat out Monday`s two practices. ”I`d played the three or four games prior to that with soreness. It just got too bad to go on. It`s still not that good.”
Wounded knee: Winger Greg Gilbert isn`t expected to be able to skate for 10 days. Gilbert suffered a slight tear in the medial collateral ligament of a knee when he collided with teammate Tony Hrkac at practice last Saturday.
Although it`s possible Keenan will again scratch winger Rob Brown (ankle sprain) from Tuesday night`s game in St. Louis, as he did for Sunday`s 2-1 loss to Detroit, Keenan said Brown will be able to play when the playoffs start.
– Belley up: The Hawks have recalled goalie Roch Belley from the minors to be their third goalie for now. But coach Mike Keenan noted that he may be bumped out of that position later if Hershey, for whom Jimmy Waite is playing, is soon eliminated in the American Hockey League playoffs.
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Keenan hinted at the possibility of Belley dressing for Tuesday night`s game in St. Louis to back up starter Dominik Hasek. It all depends on how well Ed Belfour recovers from the flu.
Belley was the Hawks` eighth-round draft pick last June.
Hasek could see little action in the playoffs, maybe none, Keenan said. Asked if Belfour might play every game, he gave one of his roundabout answers: ”That`s not out of the order of things.”