Eric Wood can finally announce he’s retiring after the Buffalo Bills released the veteran center in a move considered a formality after
he was diagnosed with a career-ending neck injury in January.
The NFL transactions list on Thursday listed the Bills reaching an injury settlement and releasing Wood under the designation: ”Termination of vested
veteran.”
The decision by the Bills ends a lengthy waiting period for the team and Wood.
By waiting until Thursday
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in bonus money owed to Wood will now only count against the team’s salary cap
this year rather than be spread over the two years left on the contract.
Wood declined to comment on being released by the Bills in a text to The AP. Wood did say he’s planning to attend Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly’s annual
charitable auction and golf tournament in Buffalo this weekend.
Though Wood said he’ll never play again, the nine-year veteran balked at the last minute to announce his retirement during a news conference in January.
Wood read from a prepared statement and spoke for less than two minutes in revealing end of season tests discovered two discs being dangerously close to
his spinal cord.
”Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout my career. And because of that, I am here today,” Wood said. ”I’m sure there are a lot of unanswered
questions. I hope to address those at a later date. Thanks, and go Bills.”
According to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, teams could have asked for a portion of bonus money to be returned if a player retired before his
contract expired. There was, however, a gray area if a player retired as a
result of a career-ending injury.
Wood is from Cincinnati and spent four seasons playing at Louisville before being selected by the Bills with their second of two first-round picks in the
2009 draft. Wood earned a starting job entering his rookie season and appeared
in 121 games, including one in the playoffs.
He was a respected team leader, popular in the community for his charitable work
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Aside from Wood, Buffalo’s offensive line must also replace starting left guard Richie Incognito, who abruptly retired in April and was then released by
the Bills earlier this month.
—
Claude Giroux carried the Philadelphia Flyers into the playoffs.
The Hart Trophy candidate might be the reason they get knocked out in the first round if he can’t become the force the Flyers need to have a chance
against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Only six years ago, Giroux was dubbed ”best in the world” by former coach Peter Laviolette after he posted six goals and eight assists in six games and a
rare playoff series win over the Penguins. Playing in a major market, Giroux was
on his way toward NHL superstardom.
Six years later, the Penguins have won two Stanley Cups, the Flyers haven’t advanced out of the first round and Giroux’s standing as one of the NHL’s best
has wildly fluctuated: The 30-year-old followed two mediocre seasons with a
career year this season, reaching personal highs in goals (34), assists (68) and
points (102). He added a hat trick on the final day.
His production has again vanished in the playoffs.
The Flyers captain has no goals and one assist in three games – the Penguins hold a 2-1 series lead headed into Game 4 (7 p.m. EDT Wednesday, NBCSN) – in a
postseason slump that dates to 2014. He again had no goals and one assist in six
games against Washington in 2016 and scored two goals in seven games in 2014
against the New York Rangers. Giroux’s last playoff goal came on April
29
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In the Game 3 loss to Pittsburgh, Giroux took four shots on goal and led the Flyers with 10 shot attempts – four on goal, one that was blocked and five that
missed.
”There’s a lot of hockey left to play here,” Giroux said. ”I have no doubt that we’re going to come out strong in Game 4.”
Jake Voracek and Wayne Simmonds (who dropped from 31 goals in 2017 to 24 this season) are also scoreless for the Flyers.
”Our team’s got to elevate our play overall,” coach Dave Hakstol said. ”There’s nothing drastic that needs to be done.”
That didn’t stop Hakstol from mixing up his lines at practice Tuesday, when Sean Couturier was injured. There was no immediate word on his status.
The Flyers have hit these rough patches before, losing 10 straight games over November and December before bouncing back to land in the postseason.
”Our guys have been through similar situations,” Hakstol said. ”This one’s just a little bit more elevated.”
The Penguins will play Game 4 without Patric Hornqvist, who has a goal and two assists in the series and is out with an undisclosed injury. He was on the
top line with Sidney Crosby in Game 3 and was third in the league in power-play
goals this season. Hornqvist was checked from behind into the boards by
Philadelphia’s Andrew MacDonald in Game 3.
CLOSE IT OUT
Only four NHL teams have taken a 3-0 series lead like San Jose has over Anaheim and lost a best-of-seven series. The Sharks just happen to be one of
them, having collapsed against the Los Angeles Kings four years ago in the first
round. That’s one reason why the Sharks head into Game 4 at home against the
Ducks (10:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday
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”Enough has happened in this room where I think we understand the challenges that still lie ahead of us,” captain Joe Pavelski said. ”We want a good start,
we want to come out and put it on the line. We’re going to have to earn this
next game for sure.”
The Sharks have controlled the series, outscoring Anaheim 14-3 following an 8-1 victory in Game 3. Anaheim allowed four power-play goals as the Ducks lost
their composure as well as the game.
”I mean, we got to win a game,” captain Ryan Getzlaf said. ”Our focus has got to be to win that Game 4 and that’s all we can do.”
SPIRITED PRACTICE
Nashville turned up the intensity in practice Tuesday, complete with some light hitting and vigorous battles for the puck in front of goaltender Pekka
Rinne.
This is a reason for the stepped-up pace: Being outscored by a 5-0 margin by Colorado in the first period of the series.
”Today was a perfect practice for that. It wasn’t about easing into practice,” said Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis, whose team leads the Avalanche
2-1 heading into Game 4 (10 p.m. EDT Wednesday, NBCSN). ”It was about going full
speed into practice right away. We need that to translate into the game.”
Colorado went through an optional practice and had defenseman Samuel Girard on the ice wearing a non-contact sweater. He has missed the last two games with
an upper-body injury.
TRUST THE … PROGRESS?
Tampa Bay holds a 2-1 series lead over New Jersey headed into Game 4 (7:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday
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progress?
The Devils are owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the same company that also owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. Team owner Josh Harris
attended the 76ers’ Game 2 loss in Philadelphia on Monday.
Under Harris’ watch, his teams can orchestrate a turnaround. The 76ers, accompanied by the now-familiar ”Trust The Process” slogan, went from 10 wins
two seasons ago to 53 and the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference this year
while the Devils made a stunning run from the worst team in the East to the
postseason in a year.
All the Devils need is a catchphrase.
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