Ethan Bear skated for the Vancouver Canucks final season and has been in West Kelowna recovering from low season shoulder surgical procedure since June.
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Ethan Bear is sort of able to return to the NHL and his agent says there are a number of groups all in favour of his service.
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The veteran free agent defenceman has been rehabilitating a surgically-repaired shoulder for the previous six months or so. He damage the shoulder — the precise nature of his harm has by no means been revealed — final Might taking part in for Canada on the IIHF World Championships, aggravating a long-standing difficulty.
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Bear, who’s from Saskatchewan however who now makes his low season residence close to his spouse’s household in West Kelowna, opted to get the shoulder repaired in June, regardless of figuring out this would depart him as a free agent by means of the summer time and fall.
He had been in contract talks with the Vancouver Canucks final spring, however these talks broke off after Bear suffered the harm.
He did know that his sturdy play to shut the 2022-23 season for the Canucks would preserve groups, together with Vancouver, all in favour of his providers.
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And it’s clear the wager on himself has doubtless paid off.
Jason Davidson, who represents Bear, advised Postmedia Thursday afternoon that at the least 4 groups are anticipated to come back watch his shopper’s on-ice exercises in West Kelowna, to allow them to assess his readiness for NHL motion.
The Canucks are all in favour of re-signing Bear — GM Patrik Allvin indicated as a lot final weekend — however with their cap state of affairs they wouldn’t have the ability to make rather more than a league-minimum provide to Bear, except they can make different strikes that will clear up cap area.
“I’ve stayed involved together with his agent and we’ll see. He is aware of what we’re and the way we play. That’s one factor that would profit him. We’ll see when he’s prepared after getting back from harm and proceed to speak,” Allvin mentioned on Sunday.
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Bear has been fairly open about his want to play for the Canucks.
“I’d love to come back again to the Canucks. I’d like to,” he advised Postmedia in August.
However he additionally knew it was doubtless different alternatives would emerge and left the door open to the likelihood a greater match could be discovered with one other workforce.
“The way in which the league goes. We’ll see what occurs. Somebody goes down, a workforce will get determined, we’ll see what occurs then,” he mentioned.
“I’m not anxious or actually apprehensive in the intervening time. For me, I get all this time to actually care for my physique and get it to the place I would like it, earlier than I’ve to begin competing once more. I see it as a blessing, not a curse.”
@risingaction.bsky.social
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