The Dallas Stars are turning their attention to next season after falling to the Anaheim Ducks in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. But as the Stars look ahead, Rich Peverley is facing tough questions.
The 31-year-old former Boston Bruin collapsed on the bench during a March 11 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and underwent surgery days later to address an abnormal heart rhythm. Peverley has resumed skating and helping out with practices, according to the Dallas Morning News, and although he’s hopeful he can return to the team next season, he can’t say for certain if that will be the case.
“There are a lot of unknowns still,” Peverley said. “I’m optimistic. … We’ll have to wait and see. I’m literally taking it day to day.”
Peverley said during the Stars’ exit interviews Tuesday that not much has changed since his surgery, but before he can begin entertaining the idea of returning, he’ll have to start doing activities that would raise his heart rate.
“The first main thing is I’m going to have to do testing with getting my heart rate up, and then we’ll go from there,” he said. “I’m not sure when that will be, but that will be the first thing.”
While the entire hockey world is rooting for Peverley’s comeback, Tyler Seguin — who has played with him throughout the course of his four-year career — especially would love to see him back on the ice.
“It’d be amazing,” Seguin said. “Obviously, it’s something that will always be hard for me to talk about. He’s been my stallmate for four years, and to see what I saw. He’s a guy that works really hard away from the rink, I can see him coming back, but obviously I don’t know what will happen.”
