TORONTO -- Jonathan Drouin said Sunday that he is getting closer to taking the ice with the Canadian junior national team.
Unfortunately, that won't happen before the Canadians depart for Europe later today. He does, however, plan to skate during the team's run-up to the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins Dec. 26 in Malmo, Sweden. Canada has a week-long European training camp and also plays three exhibition games.
Drouin has been sidelined for nine days with a concussion, but he has ridden a stationary bicycle for each of the past two days and has not reported any symptoms related to a concussion. Drouin said he has experienced no post-concussion symptoms for the past three days.
"Riding the bike is not the funnest thing, but it is part of the protocol," Drouin said Sunday, the first time he has spoken to reporters since he arrived for the three-day camp on Thursday evening. At that time, he said he was still experiencing light headaches, but was hopeful that they were the result of the flight from Halifax, Nova Scotia. "But, I'm getting used to it and hope to get on the ice soon."