By Tim Campbell

TODAY'S professional hockey is a cold-hearted game when it comes to sidelined players.

Plain and simple, the injured and missing become almost non-persons on any team that's determined to be a winner. The subject of injured players is even off-limits in conversation with many coaches.

Is it all too callous? Possibly. Is it personal? No.

"When you spend an awful lot of time dwelling on those guys who are out, the players who are still around and playing have a tendency to maybe get in their heads, 'Woe is us and how will we do without those guys?' " said Manitoba Moose coach Scott Arniel, asked to explain this modern attitude towards absentees.

"I'd rather have the emphasis on who's here and who's going to participate and who's getting the opportunity. (I'd rather have it) that those guys feel the team's falling on their shoulders.

"It's about spreading out responsibility and challenging these guys to step up and fill in some holes. In the past, we've done a good job of it and hopefully we'll continue to do that."

The Moose have no choice at the moment. In their last game, they were missing eight forwards considered regulars, either because of injuries or call-ups to the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.

With this serious problem, the team still had to play five games in six days and managed three wins. After a day off Wednesday, the Moose were back to practice Thursday at MTS Centre with one of the injured -- centre Brad Moran -- back in the fold and a likely starter tonight against the Rochester Americans. Even though the Moose are holding their own at 19-12-2-1, the news really only seems to get worse, not better, as four other team members were elsewhere.

Three, Rick Rypien, Mike Keane and Greg Classen, were all home with the flu while call-up Aaron Slattengren is home in Duluth, Minn., after the death of his father. Contrary to some coaches' wishes and popular belief, players are not robots and they do miss their comrades.

"With those guys, you'll mention them and I definitely think about the guys who are injured, have them in my prayers and all that stuff," said Moose No. 1 goalie Drew MacIntyre. "It's a shame they're injured... but I'm not thinking about them like, 'Poor us,' or 'Somebody's out to get us, what's the deal?'

"It's part of the game and I really think this is going to make us stronger in the long run."

Arniel said there's no need to worry about his players in sick bay developing complexes about being ignored or disregarded.

"I talk to them every day," the coach smiled. "I go visit them in the weight room or in the medical room and check up and see how they're doing and give them a little hug.

"Then we move on and we forget about them until practice is over."

MacIntyre said he doesn't want any of his teammates spending time on the what-ifs of injuries or call-ups.

"If we had all our guys, we might have done better but we might not have because we might not have battled that hard," MacIntyre said. "Things happen for a reason.

"I'm a faithful guy and there's no what-ifs in my life. Hopefully the guys are doing the same. I like the way we've responded but there's still more to this; it's not over yet."

After the home doubleheader (including Saturday night at MTS Centre), the Moose and their makeshift lineup embark on a four-game road trip next week.

None of this is bound to elicit any sympathy from the Americans tonight, as they have lost nine of their last 10 and slid into last place in the AHL's North Division.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

Forgotten forwards?

RW Jozef Balej Oct. 26 Ripped up ACL, tried playing for seven games but will have season-ending surgery next week.

LW Jannik Hansen Dec. 27 Concussion-like symptoms, will not return until next week at the earliest.

C Brad Moran Dec. 21 Concussion-like symptoms have cleared up, may return tonight.

C Ryan Shannon Dec. 27 Re-injured knee originally injured Oct. 26; was out 18 games, returned for three,

may need a couple more weeks again.

RW Colby Genoway Dec. 22 Hot start but suffered upper-body injury, nowhere close to returning.

RW Mike Brown Nov. 20 Recalled by NHL's Canucks and has now played 12 games.

LW Mason Raymond Dec. 11 Recalled by Canucks for a second stint, now 10 games into it.

LW Jason Jaffray Dec. 11 Recalled by Canucks, has now played his first 10 NHL games.