'Grateful For Everything'

It’s been a two-month stretch unlike any other in A.J. Greer’s life.

But Saturday night, he was just happy to share the ice with his Flames teammates.

Greer made his return to the Calgary lineup against the Montreal team he grew up watching, after missing the better part of those two months with a fractured foot.

In all, he logged 8:30 of ice-time, with a couple of hits thrown in for good measure.

“It was a special feeling being back on the ice with the boys, being able to put that jersey on and play in front of our fans, it’s always a good feeling,” Greer said Sunday after the Flames practiced at the Scotiabank Saddledome. “I was fortunate enough to be (looked at) by a really good training staff, both in the gym and medical side; did the things that needed to be done and got back out there.

“It was a good first step to play my first game, now I want to build off that and be more impactful for sure.”

He was originally hurt Jan. 25 against Columbus, but Greer says that from the moment he got his return-to-play timeline, he was bent on being back in the lineup ahead of schedule.

“I’m a competitor, I looked at the schedule and they told me six-to-eight weeks and I was aiming for five,” he said. “Once we got to that five-week mark, it still wasn’t fully ready, I did everything that I could but at the end of the day, it’s a bone and it needs time to heal.”

His minutes Saturday were managed by head coach Ryan Huska, who said Sunday Greer was committed to returning to the lineup ahead of schedule.

“He put a lot of time and a lot of effort into it; some of the things those guys do when they’re fighting to come back from an injury, you have to give them a lot of credit because oftentimes, they’re by themselves with just the strength coach, and they have to go on the ice with just the skills guys,” Huska said. “It can be a mental challenge for guys, but I think he handled himself really well and he put himself in a position to be ready to play, and ahead of schedule which is great for us.”

In all, Greer missed 18 games, but with his ailment came the added stress of not only being sidelined, but also being concerned whether the injury might impact his future.

The 27-year-old is an unrestricted free agent come the summer.

“Obviously you never want to get injured, especially at this time of the season and heading into next season without a contract, that’s always in the back of your mind,” he admitted. “You’re watching from the press box, kind of waiting for the day that you’ll feel good; there’s just so many emotions that went through my head the last two months.”

But amid those anxious moments, Greer’s found solace in family, even if his sleep schedule is off-kilter.

You see, he and his wife welcomed baby boy Jackson into their lives in February, while Greer was sidelined.

He’s quick to give all the credit to his better half.

“My wife has done such an excellent job of being a mother these last couple weeks, I’m so grateful to have her around,” he said. “Our baby boy, Jackson, is doing great; it’s definitely a blessing because the last two months there’s so many emotions, highs and lows."

But for now, when he’s not attending to his duties as a new dad, Greer can focus on the task at hand with the Flames: finishing the campaign the way he began it, with energy and physicality, along with a renewed sense of gratitude.

And all the while, he’s keeping everything in perspective.

“There’s just so many emotions that went through my head the last two months,” he said. “We had our baby boy which was probably the best day of my life.

“I’m so grateful for everything.”