A surge in injuries is creating Olympic-size headaches just days ahead of the start of the men's ice hockey tournament at the 2010 Vancouver Games.
The list of Olympic walking wounded grew this week with Canadian forward Ryan Getzlaf going down with an injured left ankle while playing for the Anaheim Ducks in the National Hockey League.
Canadian general manager Steve Yzerman announced that Philadelphia Flyers forward Jeff Carter was put on standby in case Getzlaf can't play in Canada's first game against Norway next Tuesday.
"I talked to Ryan and his condition is improving. He will try to play this weekend. He needs to skate and see what he can tolerate. Healing is a slow process," Yzerman said.
Doctors carried out a medical scan on Getzlaf Tuesday which revealled no broken bones.
Injuries are not just limited to Canada with defending champions Sweden also suffering.
Forward Tomas Holmstrom is listed as day-to-day with a leg injury and defenceman Niklas Kronwall is out with a knee injury.
Sweden was given a scare last month when Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson separated his shoulder and ended up missing 11 NHL games before making his return to the Senators line-up.
The United States is one of the hardest hit teams by injuries in the weeks leading up to the Games.
Team USA lost defenceman Mike Komisarek due to a season-ending shoulder injury that will need surgery while they are also without defenceman Paul Martin of the New Jersey Devils with a broken arm.
Ryan Whitney of Anaheim and Tim Gleason of the Carolina Hurricanes were named as replacements by American general manager Brian Burke.
Finnish goaltender Niklas Backstrom has been battling a sore back but he is expected to return to the Minnesota Wild lineup this week.
Forward Teemu Selanne also vows to be ready for Vancouver despite breaking his jaw in a January 13 game against Boston.
He will wear a protective face guard over the jaw area.
It was the second serious injury this season for the Ducks star Selanne, who will be competing in his fifth Olympics, after missing 17 games earlier this season with a badly broken hand.
Slovakia is still waiting word on the status of superstar forward Marian Gaborik who is out of the New York Rangers' lineup after suffering a thigh laceration in practice on Tuesday.
The injury occurred when Gaborik collided with Swedish Olympic goaltender and Rangers' teammate Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist's skate sliced into Gaborik's thigh causing a deep gash that required stitches.

A surge in injuries is creating Olympic-size headaches just days ahead of the start of the men's ice hockey tournament at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

Injuries causing Games nightmares

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