Kesler takes first full practice
Ryan Kesler is finally back at practice. His teammates good-natured ribbing of him is in playoff form, mind you.
Kesler took to the ice in a Vancouver Canucks’ full workout for the first time this season on Sunday. He led the opening stretch sequence, prompting both a rousing stick tapping from his teammates and Kevin Bieska to sneak up from behind him and drape a white cape with Kesler’s No. 17 on over his back.
When Bieksa was approached by a gaggle of media afterwards and the first question was regarding Kesler, there were chuckles from teammates nearby and a couple of “I told you so’s.”
Kesler, a member of the Canucks’ core group for the past few seasons, underwent surgery on his left shoulder on May 8 and on his left wrist on June 27.
“It was great to have him out there,” said Bieksa. “He was flying around out there.