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Peverley upbeat about recovery, but future’s still uncertain

Rich Peverley

Rich Peverley

AP

As of last Thursday, it has been four months since Rich Peverley collapsed while on the bench during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets because of a cardiac event. That led to him having a corrective procedure on his heart and since then he’s been cautiously rehabbing with the goal of continuing his NHL career.

He feels the process is going really well, but it’s not to the point yet where he can make a prediction about his future.

“I’m not exactly sure what’s going to happen, but I’m hoping to play and it’s got to be under the right circumstances,” Peverley told The Ticket 1310 AM in Dallas, per NHL.com.

Peverley is still on medication to control his heartbeat, but he thinks the next step in his recovery will be to discontinue that. From there they’ll be able to see how his heart responds to him exercising. If that goes well, then he will still need to take other steps before he’s cleared to play.

“I think I’m lucky to be here and you definitely don’t take very many things for granted, if you take anything for granted. I definitely put my family and my wife and my close family in perspective, that they’re the most important thing in the world,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can to play hockey, but like I said, under the right circumstances. There is a chapter after hockey if that’s the road we go down.

“But we’ll wait and see what happens. I’m just excited to see where it’s going to take me next.”

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