Hasek out for season

[Chubby]

DETROIT -- Red Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek will miss the rest of the season because of an injured groin, although he hopes to play again.

``That's it for the season,'' Hasek said Tuesday. ``I cannot handle anymore. My groin, it cannot handle it. I hoped for two months it would get better every day. But it didn't get better, it got even worse last week''



The Red Wings have Curtis Joseph and Manny Legace in the net.



The 39-year-old Hasek ended his retirement after one year to return to Detroit, but he played in just 14 games before Tuesday's announcement. He was 8-3-2 for the Central Division-leading Red Wings.



``He really feels that he needs an extended period of time to give the groin a chance to heal,'' Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said from a meeting of GMs in Henderson, Nev.



Hasek has been the NHL's MVP twice and won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie six times.



``I think in the summertime he's going to decide whether he wants to officially retire,'' Holland said.



Hasek retired after helping Detroit win the 2002 Stanley Cup, and the Red Wings signed Joseph to replace him. After the Red Wings were swept in the first round of last season's playoffs, Hasek returned, and the team tried to trade Joseph.



But no one wanted to take on Joseph's $8 million contract, and Detroit must be relieved to have him now. Joseph is 13-9-2 with a 2.48 goals-against average this season.



``We're very, very lucky that he's been a real pro through this,'' Holland said. ``And luckily for us that nobody claimed him.''



Oh darn, I feel so bad. That ass gets what he deserves...

[Draft Dodger]

I called it first.

[JeeberD]

Hooray! Now I don't have to dump Cujo off of my fantasy team!!!

[sachmo71]

What a cluster-fuck.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Hrmmm... Hmm.

Well, it's all on CuJo now. That's a bit of a scary prospect. Then again that was the plan, so it's time to see the plan in action.