Forsberg More Trick Than Treat - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

Colorado picked up a charity point but dropped a 3-2 decision to Minnesota today, which isn't all that surprising: Peter Forsberg did not play. The Avalanche's claim to a postseason berth can be fairly attributed to his addition to the roster, as they're an impressive 6-1 with Forsberg on the ice -- including playoff-picture altering wins against Edmonton and Vancouver (twice). But he's proved to be as fragile as some expected he'd be in his return to the NHL, missing seven games thus far with Colorado.

For Adrian Dater of the Denver Post, my favorite from-the-hip mainstream media blogger, this last absence from the line-up appears to have been the breaking point. The team had gone out of its way to explain that Forsberg was merely "out of gas" and not suffering through another injury; when he didn't go today due to an alleged wonky groin, Dater appears to have scratched this itch for the last time:

I'll go out on a limb and predict Forsberg will never play a five games in a row the rest of his hockey career. His body obviously just can't take it. He managed three games in a row when he came back, but that was it. Now it's the usual in-and-out routine for him, and it's nothing but a depressing distraction for the team and the fans. Too bad, too, because Forsberg was brilliant the last two games. But he's the ultimate, and I mean the ULTIMATE, trick-or-treat player. He teases and tantalizes you, then his health breaks your heart. Every time.

So, I don't care what the Avs say about him anymore. If he plays a game, he'll always just be "questionable" to play the next one to me, if I write anything at all about him.

Colorado has just two games left on its season: Tuesday at Vancouver, and then Minnesota at home the following Sunday. Perhaps those four days between games will do the trick for Forsberg.