Brent Burns’ Agent Accuses Wild Of Negligence

19/04/2009 04:20

It appears the agent for defenceman Brent Burns is not happy with the medical staff of the Minnesota Wild.

According to the Star Tribune, Ron Salcer is accusing the Wild of negligence for allowing his client to play with a concussion for six weeks.

"They said he had sinusitis. I mean, come on," Salcer told the Star Tribune. "I'm not a doctor, but I've been around the game for over 30 years. It took me three minutes to know that he had a concussion. How they cannot know for six weeks is amazing."

Acting Wild general manager Tom Lynn, who has stepped in after the team decided not to renew Doug Risebrough's contract earlier this week, disputed Salcer's claims.

Burns was injured in practice on January 26 but continued to play until early March.

"I met with Brent in L.A. [March 6]," Salcer told the newspaper. "We're having lunch with him and [fellow client Derek Boogaard] and he's telling me about when he hit his head six weeks earlier. So I'm listening to him, and I'm incredulous listening to him."

The following day, Burns was sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Despite being poised for a breakthrough season, the Ajax, Ontario native only managed eight goals and 19 assists for 27 points in 59 games in a season where the Wild missed the playoffs.

"He's telling me how, 'Ronny, I'm an avid reader and I'm not able to read on the bus anymore. I get headaches that go all around my head. I can't sleep. During the game, I'm not focusing. I feel like everything is happening, but I'm reacting slow. I go, 'Brent, are you kidding me? You've got a concussion. You cannot play. You cannot play anymore!'"

"He's so loyal to the team, he was afraid," Salcer told the Star Tribune. "He said, 'I don't want to tell them that. I don't want to burn a bridge.' I said, 'Burn a bridge? They just exploded one on you. You cannot play.'"

Salcer is also the agent for Wild sniper Marian Gaborik, who has missed 86 games because of upper-leg injuries since the lockout. He underwent hip surgery this season which caused him to miss 10 weeks of action. Gaborik is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:

I’m sorry, but this story sounds like more typical agent “shenanigans” to me, folks.