Michal Rozsival’s long recovery from a broken ankle is nearing its end, but there’s still more work to be done before he can rejoin the Chicago Blackhawks.
Although he was able to take part in Chicago’s morning skate on Saturday, he only has about 85 percent of his original range of motion in his left ankle. The 37-year-old defenseman opened the campaign on the long-term injured reserve list, which a player must stay on for at least 24 days and 10 games, but he’s likely to remain on it for more than the minimum.
“I can’t tell you how long but it’s definitely not ready now. It may be a few more weeks before I can actually go out and play an NHL game,” Rozsival told CSN Chicago.
Still, he’s made significant strides since reporting to training camp. At the time he had swelling in his ankle and the area was stiff.
The Chicago Blackhawks’ defensive depth was dealt a significant blow when Rozsival broke his ankle in Game 4 of the second round on May 7. He underwent surgery less than a week later.
He agreed to a one-year extension in September that comes with a base salary of $600K and can pay him an additional $200K in performance bonuses, per General Fanager)