Nov. 14--Michal Rozsival didn't want to ride off into the sunset on the three-wheeled scooter -- complete with a Blackhawks sticker affixed to the front -- he was using to get around after surgery to repair a broken ankle.
So even though the 37-year-old faced an arduous rehabilitation after the serious injury he suffered during Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Wild on May 7, 2015 and the thought of retirement "crossed my mind," Rozsival persevered.
That determination paid off as Rozsival was activated from the long-term injury list Friday and will make his season debut -- six months and two days after surgery -- when the Hawks visit the Blues on Saturday night. Also scheduled to be in the lineup is Duncan Keith, who missed the Hawks' previous 10 games while recovering from knee surgery.
"I knew I wanted to come back and keep playing if I could," said Rozsival, who has appeared in 890 career games and won two Stanley Cups. "Thinking about all the time I've played and all of a sudden it wouldn't be the best ending for me leaving the game on a wheelie with a broken ankle.
"I'm very grateful that this organization gave me another chance. I wanted to get back and I worked hard. Thanks to the trainers and doctors and people in the organization. With their help, I feel like I'm able to do it again."
Said coach Joel Quenneville: "(Rozsival) is pretty experienced in a lot of ways and gives us an element on the back end. He has good patience, play recognition with the puck. Defensively, he has a nice gap and we could use some experience as well."
Rozsival's road to recovery wasn't easy from the moment he lost his balance while trying to get back on defense during a Wild rush into the Hawks zone and his left ankle buckled. Rozsival described the rehabilitation process that at times included skating with a parachute attached to him to offer resistance and hours of solitary time on the ice as "tough."
"I'd been off the ice for a long time and I couldn't really do the proper training in the summer," Rozsival said. "I just focused on rehab. It's something everybody has to go through to get back into game shape."
The first game figures to be a difficult one.
"I haven't played for a long time. I've been skating but it's never the same," Rozsival said. "I don't think I'm going to feel the greatest the first game but I've been through this before and I know it's going to get better."
Now that Rozsival is back, it likely will be in a part-time role with Quenneville determining his playing time on matchups and the need for plenty of rest.
"I'll just leave it up to the coaches and what they see out there," Rozsival said. "Whatever role they think I can in a certain game, I'll do it. Obviously, any time I'm on the bench I want to be playing. We'll see how it goes."
To make room for Rozsival on the active roster, the Hawks reassigned Erik Gustafsson to Rockford. When Keith came off the injured list later Friday, Viktor Svedberg was sent down.
Tribune reporter Chris Hine contributed.
ckuc@tribpub.com
