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MATT SLOCUM \/ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Haydn Fleury returned to the lineup for the first time Sunday after suffering a freak injury on Jan. 6.<\/p>\n
\u201cHappened fast. I was just going back for a puck, and just an unfortunate play, really,\u201d Fleury said Monday, reflecting on the Jan. 6 collision with Vegas Golden Knights forward (and Winnipegger) Keegan Kolesar.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was extremely winded, but knew I was alright. But I couldn\u2019t really get any words out of my mouth to tell Mullet (head trainer Rob Milette) that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The impact left Fleury with multiple injuries to his neck and head, including a broken nose caused by his own legs folding into his face from the force of the crash.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not the most flexible guy either,\u201d said Fleury.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was really quiet. Once Mullet got out there and he just kind of laid me down, the whole building is quiet. I\u2019m in my own little zone, but you can also just feel the stuff around you. You could tell everybody was worried and I really appreciate all the messages I got from people from Winnipeg, from Uber Eats gift cards to barbecue brisket.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleury\u2019s wife was at the game that night and joined him in the ambulance as they went to hospital, where he was kept for observation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that point I was able to tell her that I was okay and I could move and there wasn\u2019t going to be any life-damaging things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that, kind of took it day-by-day, and slowly got back in the gym. Kind of like the beginning of summer stuff. Kind of got a re-start, kind of build everything back up. I was able to get back on the ice the week before the Olympic break. And then felt really good that week, so I knew coming off the Olympic break it wasn\u2019t going to be too much longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleury returned to the lineup on Sunday in San Jose. He even got some time during the three-on-three overtime session, with top blue-liners Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk currently sidelined with their own injuries.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife was extremely nervous for that game (Sunday),\u201d said Fleury.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think she watched too much. Me, it\u2019s just getting back out there, seeing the progression day-by-day. Probably should have done a better job of communicating that with her, take a little bit of nerves off her. But no, it was probably a more nerve-wracking day for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t the first time Fleury has been involved in a scary on-ice collision. While playing with the Tampa Bay Lightning in April 2024, Fleury accidentally ran into referee Steve Kozari, who suffered a head injury and was also stretchered off the ice, ultimately making a full recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was probably more aware this time than the last one. Hopefully just avoid that kind of stuff for a little bit here,\u201d said Fleury, who has also battled several concussions over his career including one earlier this season.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t want to disclose exactly what injuries he suffered in this latest incident.<\/p>\n
\u201cMullet and the staff here did a really good job at just wanting to be patient and just letting it kind of run its course, and then building it back up from there and being able to feel good,\u201d said Fleury.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd walking around day-to-day with no pain is the biggest thing.<\/p>\n
Did he ever have doubts about returning?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a hockey player,\u201d he said, shaking his head. \u201cDefinitely extremely lucky. Could have been a lot worse. I\u2019m just extremely thankful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fleury, 29, has been limited to just 18 games with the Jets this season. The Saskatchewan product has one year left on his current contract.<\/p>\n
While Pionk is still considered week-to-week, there was some good news on Monday about Morrissey. He skated on his own for a third straight day and is expected to join the team in a non-contact jersey for Tuesday\u2019s morning skate.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t \u201cHe\u2019s probably getting real close to the weekend,\u201d said Jets head coach Scott Arniel.<\/p>\n \u201cThursday, there\u2019s a chance, but hoping Vancouver (on Saturday), if not then we have two more days off before next week. It\u2019s also a situation where I need him, but I also don\u2019t want to lose him again. It\u2019s just making sure he\u2019s comfortable to be back out there doing what he needs to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Morrissey suffered an upper-body injury during the first game of the Winter Olympics, missing Canada\u2019s five other contests including the gold medal game.<\/p>\n Jets defenceman Colin Miller is also currently sidelined but participated in Monday\u2019s optional skate in a non-contact sweater. The Jets are also without injured forwards Vlad Namestnikov and Nino Niederreiter, who are both considered week-to-week. Arniel said he\u2019s hopeful they could return before the end of the regular season.<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/mikemcintyre<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Reporter
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