Last off-season, the Chicago Blackhawks brought in winger Taylor Hall from the Boston Bruins to team up with star rookie Connor Bedard.
But Hall's season was cut short in November when he tore his ACL, requiring surgery that ended his playing for the year.
Hall told the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope that he's almost done with his rehab and expects to be ready before training camp.
He mentioned taking it easy at times during his recovery to avoid getting tired out before the season starts.
«I'm trying to take some rest breaks here and there because I've been working out and rehabbing for eight months now. You want to peak when training camp starts, and you don't want to be worn out from working out all summer. I'm figuring that out. But, overall, it feels like a normal offseason for me.»
Hall hasn't yet started full-contact drills. The injury has added challenges for him, especially since Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson has signed wingers Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen, which means Hall will have to compete hard to earn a spot in the top six and prove he's still got what it takes to play at a high level.