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Former Flyers goalie Ray Emery is rounding into shape for a comeback

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Last season the Flyers thought they saw their chances at a run for the Stanley Cup go down in flames as then starting goalie Ray Emery went down with a hip injury. The Flyers fixed their issues in goal through a patchwork of solutions and ultimately getting Michael Leighton to carry them into the Stanley Cup finals.

Meanwhile, Emery was diagnosed with a degenerative disease that could cause his career to end. It’s the same condition that caused the end of Bo Jackson’s football and baseball careers.

CBC’s Elliotte Friedman caught up with Emery as he defies the odds and gets himself into shape so he can once again get back on the ice and play in the NHL. As Friedman finds out, the means for Emery to get healthy and get around his disease was a bit awful to hear about.

Diagnosed with a degenerative disease called avascular necrosis, the former Senator/Flyer was given three surgical options to try and fix the problem. He chose door No. 3, which meant the bottom of his fibula was moved into his hip to improve essential blood flow.

“A rod was put in to replace it, right?” he’s asked.

“No,” Emery replies.

“So, what’s there?”

“Nothing.”

“There’s nothing in your leg where that bone used to be?”

“Nope, but it’s not a load-bearing bone. So it’s not a big deal.”


So much for ever sleeping normally again. That’s nightmare inducing. It also makes us think of Ray Emery being built like an old house with that talk of load-bearing and whatnot. What’s important for Emery though is just getting back to the NHL. He’s shown in previous stints in Ottawa and his short time in Philadelphia that he can be good and help a team win. Where would he go though?
If he could pick a team, it’s an easy call: The Flyers. “I loved it there. Great group of guys, always hung out together. No small groups of four or five, split up from everyone else.”

If Emery could come back this season, and it sounds like he’s getting into form to try and do that, would it be unreasonable to think that Detroit took a flier on him? After all, they tried to get Evgeni Nabokov on a whim to plug him in as a veteran backup to Jimmy Howard while Chris Osgood is out with a sports hernia. Detroit offers a similar type of locker room situation and with Emery being a bit older and wiser now, it could make a good fit. With Osgood due back by March though it likely wouldn’t make sense in the long run for the Wings.

Getting the quirky Emery back into the NHL would make for great theater as he’s got one of the more interesting personalities around. When he’s on top of his game he’s also one of the more entertaining goalies in the league to watch. Here’s to hoping his comeback doesn’t go all for naught.