A Healthy TJ Brodie, Gains Perspective As He Prepares For Return

TJ Brodie’s collapse during a recent Calgary Flames practice scared his team, scared fans, and most importantly, scared his family and friends.

Sunday morning, Brodie got back onto the ice with his team in Pittsburgh, even though he isn’t quite ready to rejoin the active lineup.

“It’s good to be back, feeling good, it would be nice to get back on the ice with the guys again, and try to get back up to speed,” Brodie said prior to the skate.

It has been a long week for the Dresden, Ontario product, which involved many tests and visits with team medical staff and doctors.

“A lot of tests in the hospital trying to figure out what exactly happened, it took a little bit of a toll on the family, but thanks to the medical staff and the guys and all the support in Calgary and back home it made it a lot easier,” said Brodie.

Now, as he prepares for his return to game play, the perspective Brodie gained from this experience, and the lessons learned are keeping him grounded.

“The biggest take away is I’m still here and I still get to play hockey, and at the end of the day family is the most important thing.”

“It is a job, it is just a game,” he said. “I think it sort of opened my eyes to how serious I’ve taken it throughout my whole life, and how much I’ve maybe brought home with me depending on how the game went. Maybe the more I can let things go the better it will make me as a person and player.”