Coyotes center Alexander Burmistrov didn’t think he’d play again this season.
His body ached, and he wasn’t moving like he should.
But he had hope.
And motivation.
Before getting leveled by the Bruins’ Colin Miller on Feb. 28 with an open-ice hit that sent Burmistrov to the hospital, the 25-year-old had been given the chance to revitalize his career with the Coyotes after stalling with the Jets.
With his contract up at the end of the season, it was important to him to prove he belonged – an opportunity that still exists as Burmistrov returned to the lineup Monday after a nearly month-long recovery from the collision.