After suffering a second major injury in as many seasons, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect is aiming to make a comeback, for real this time.
On Wednesday night, the QMJHL's Blainville-Boisbriand Armada announced that defenseman Spencer Gill, the standout Flyers prospect, is returning to the team's lineup this weekend.
Gill, 19, has not played for the Armada since suffering an upper-body injury on Oct. 5 in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Gatineau Olympiques. Gill's only other appearance this season was on Oct. 3, and before that, his last competitive game was played on Feb. 28.
In layman's terms, Gill has played two non-preseason games in the last 50 weeks between this injury and his broken ankle. That's a lot of lost development time for a teenage defenseman, but he'll now have the opportunity to make up for all those months on the shelf.
PHLY's Charlie O'Connor further reported that Gill had surgery to repair a torn sheath in his wrist, which explains the long recovery time.
In severe cases, it can take somewhere between 6-12 months for a full, symptom-free recovery.
Gill and the Armada are heading into a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday, during which they'll face the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Which of these games Gill will play in, if not both, is currently unclear, but it should be a huge relief to the Flyers to have the 6-foot-4 defender back in action.
Injuries have, unfortunately, been a bit of a theme for the young Flyers this season.
Fellow defense prospect Oliver Bonk didn't make his pro debut until Dec. 6, and forward Alex Bump has been on the shelf for the last six weeks and counting.
Regardless, Gill's imminent return is the latest progress on the Flyers organization inching its way back to full health.