Carl Gunnarsson had hip surgery at the end of the regular season, before he was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the St. Louis Blues.
At the time, the Leafs said he’d be ready for training camp. And in an interview with the Post-Dispatch, Gunnarsson confirmed he was “on schedule” in his recovery.
That’s good news for St. Louis, because the 27-year-old is expected to play a big role on the Blues’ defense next season. If all goes to plan, he’ll be paired with with either Kevin Shattenkirk or Alex Pietrangelo.
“Shattenkirk and Pietrangelo — two great D-men — if I play with any of those guys, it’s going to be a fun season,” he said.
Gunnarsson also said he thought the Blues were “the toughest team” the Leafs played last season, with both meetings ending in dominant St. Louis victories.