Valimaki Returns to Ice Following Off-Season Injury

Juuso Valimaki is back on blades.

The Calgary Flames defenceman was finally able to dust off his skates earlier this week, a positive sign as he recovers from a major knee injury.

"I know the first question is going to be, 'Well ... when is he back?' " said Flames general manager Brad Treliving. "There is still no timeline on that, but this is a significant next step to get him back up and going.

"I've said all along, we're going to be real cautious with him. He's an important young guy and we want to make sure this is healed properly and rehabbed properly. But it's arrows up when you get to the point of skating, so that's really good news."

According to Treliving, Valimaki's recovery is on or even ahead of schedule.

The 21-year-old; so far, with just 24 nights of NHL know-how — was penciled in to be a regular on the Flames' blue-line this winter, but he has instead been sidelined for the entire season so far after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in an August training session.

He needed surgery to repair the damage and couldn't skate for five-plus months.

"It's a significant injury. Every morning, he's here early and he's here late, and it's as much a mental grind as it is a physical grind," Treliving said. "You can train in the gym all you want, but until you can put your pads on and you're skating around the ice, the end doesn't seem near.

"Now, you're not going to skate twice and be back in the lineup — let's not be confused that there is still a long way to go here and there is still a process to go through; but once you have gear on and you're skating, you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. That's sort of where he is at, so it's meant a lot to him."

COURTESY: Wes Gilbertson - Calgary Sun