Sep
Als place Proulx on the 9 game injured list
Courtesy Montreal Gazette:
The story has now come full circle.
Etienne Boulay was the Montreal Alouettes’ starting safety before an unsuccessful tryout with the New York Jets last season. And now, he is again, after Matthieu Proulx on Monday was placed on the nine-game injured list, with a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
Canadian Football League teams have the option, once during each half of the regular season, to prematurely remove a player from that list before the nine-game period elapses, so Proulx technically could return early. If not, he isn’t eligible to play until Nov. 7, in the season finale.
By that point, he might well have lost his starting position permanently to Boulay — likely why Proulx is less than enamoured with the scenario, presented to him following a lengthy discussion with Als management.
Proulx, with a team-leading four interceptions, acknowledged the possibility the remainder of the season is now a writeoff, but he said nothing has changed from earlier this week, when he anticipated being out four to six weeks.
“My health’s the same. My body’s the same. And my rehabilitation’s the same,” he said, a contemptuous look on his face. “No one goes (on the nine-game injured list) with a smile.
“I feel great. I’m here to play, not to be on the sideline, if healthy. But the doctor’s in a better position to say how long it takes. I guess it’s a question of salary cap, the ratio and player personnel. The player wants to be on the field, but (management) has different considerations. I believe (management) made the decision in the best interest of the team.”
A team can put any player it wants on the nine-game injured list, whether he’s legitimately injured or not. The player must sign a form agreeing to the move, but has little recourse. Should he refuse, the team then is in a position to suspend the player. Players on the nine-game list receive their full salaries, but the contract doesn’t count against the $4.2-million salary cap.
“He possibly could be out four to six weeks, but it could also be eight or nine,” assistant general manager Marcel Desjardins said. “We’d be shooting ourselves in the foot if we didn’t put him on the nine-game list. We feel this is the best move as it relates to the cap and his health.”
Both Proulx and offensive-tackle Josh Bourke suffered similar injuries to the same knee in the Als’ last game, against Saskatchewan. Bourke also believes he’ll be out four to six weeks and will likely spend that time on the weekly injured list. But Bourke, with knee problems earlier in his career, already plays with braces and, as an offensive lineman, has different responsibilities than a safety.
Proulx, who also suffered a bruise to his bone, according to Dr. Vincent Lacroix, will require a brace when he returns to practice, but not necessarily when he plays. He’ll require time to get used to the brace, Lacroix said, along with feeling the knee’s stable.
“It can take time for the pain to go away because of the bruise,” Lacroix explained. “We estimate Proulx’s closer to six weeks (than four).”
The Als could well have first place in the East Division clinched by the time they travel to Toronto, Nov. 7, making the decision to play Proulx over Boulay easier. But head coach Marc Trestman can’t begin to speculate which player would start in the playoffs, although he likely would be reluctant to go with a rusty athlete.
“We lost a guy who was having a tremendous season,” Trestman said. “He was the quarterback of our perimeter and played on special teams. We lost a guy critically important. But Etienne’s played capably when in there, and this is a great opportunity for him.
“Etienne’s the guy who going to play for now. And when Matt’s back, both will play. How, will be a matter to be discussed.”
Proulx, who became a lawyer this year and has a job awaiting him, refused to immediately speculate on his future, saying this isn’t the time to make a drastic decision.
