"The numbers even impressed Ryan Whitney who knows only too well how fleeting offence can be for a defenceman. And that's what will gnaw at him as he heads into the off-season. Whitney put up 27 points in an Edmonton Oilers season that was shortened to 35 games because of a dislocated ankle tendon. "You can't expect I'll be on the same pace next year. I think I can play just as solid defensively and create chances, but it doesn't always go in when you pass it," said Whitney, who is now back on his skates but nowhere near ready to return. Despite last playing on Dec. 28, he is sure to be selected as the club's *defenceman of the year. That's how good his season was before the *injury. "I was on such a good pace offensively," continued Whitney, who *registered 25 assists and two goals. "It was nice to be on a roll like that." But instead of carrying on, he has been left with a scar that snakes around the inside of his right ankle. The area still remains tender to the touch, one more reason Whitney figures he won't get in a game before the off-season. That had been his hope before he underwent surgery in January." Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/spor...yan Whitney misses playing/4471923/story.html
