Top OHLer Alex Formenton is back on the ice in London.
“To have a stick back in my hand and skating it feels really good,” says the 19-year-old from King City.
Formenton suffered a knee injury in mid-December at the World Junior Selection Camp and for the past seven weeks he’s been in Ottawa working with the Senators' physical therapists.
Now he’s been sent back to London where trainer Doug Stacey will keep a close eye on his progress.
“Now that he’s here, it’s more the functional stuff,” says Stacey. “Any of the extra stuff is getting back to regular strength training, regular movement patterns and picking things up on the ice so that he feels like he’s 100 per cent.”
Formenton has been keeping a close eye on his junior club, by watching games on his laptop. Management has also been awaiting his return.
He's expected to inject immediate offence, and it’s like acquiring a star player without having to subtract from the lineup.
“He brings NHL atmosphere back our dressing room as well as leadership” says Rob Simpson, the Knights' associate general manager.
“His speed is a difference-maker, and adding him to players like Liam Foudy and Billy Moskal, we are going to play a little faster.”
Simpson adds they will monitor his practices throughout the week and he could return to game action Friday against Owen Sound.
From scoring an NHL goal, to getting sent back to junior, to the injury, Formenton has been through a roller coaster of emotions over the past few months.
“There has been a lot of ups and downs. That rehab process was tough to get through but we did a good job at getting back quick,” he says.
