Calgary Flames F Kris Versteeg could be back sooner than we thought

After requiring hip surgery, Kris Versteeg could be back in the Calgary Flames lineup sooner than we initially thought.

After a five-game losing streak, Calgary Flames fans are finally getting some good news. In last night’s broadcast vs. the Vegas Golden Knights, Cassie Campbell announced that Kris Versteeg has been progressing well. After the Flames placed him on IR in late November, he saw a doctor and required hip surgery. He was then claimed at month-to-month, but rumour had it that he’d be out for the season.

It was assumed that the only way Kris Versteeg would most likely play again this season was if the Flames were to make the playoffs. But he’s been training a lot since seeing his surgeon who told him everything looks great and he’s been recovering well. He’ll also start skating next week and even travel with the team on their Eastern Conference road trip next week where they’ll stop in New York and Versteeg will meet with his doctor again.

He could be back as early as mid-March (knocks on wood). The Calgary Flames have definitely been feeling the effects without Versteeg. Especially on the powerplay. He’s one of the better right-handed shots on the team and their powerplay has been feeling the effects without that strong right-handed shot. At a point, when Johnny Gaudreau was going through a bit of a slump, I looked into his numbers. I found something interesting, in that his points on the PP went wait down, and thus, his points went down. And I looked at how he performed with every player on the PP and the best player he performed with was with Versteeg.

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So it may have been a bit of a stretch, but Gaudreau and Sean Monahan may have also been feeling the effects without Versteeg.

Apparently, with all his free time he’s had lately, he’s been quite active in the Flames group chat.

Via Calgary Sun:

"“I’m usually the only one that texts,” said the 31-year-old winger, grinning as he stood outside the dressing room Tuesday. “I think I kind of text to myself.”"

But of course, he misses playing.

"“You just want to be out there,” Versteeg said. “You want to be playing. It’s something I’ve been through before, and it’s difficult, but it’s about understanding that you’re getting better for a reason.“You feel good, but you also understand that you’re not ready. There’s times during the rehab process when you need to push it or you have to pull back. Or sometimes you pull back so you can push it more. It’s always a fine line of finding where you can go in the process.”"

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Let’s just hope that Versteeg pulls some superhero-like abilities and recovers by tomorrow. The Flames could desperately use some PP points right now.