Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone didn’t know how his left knee would react when he returned to action.
He’d never had his ACL and MCL repaired, so the recovery was a new experience.
What Stone did expect, though, once he resumed playing in October after undergoing surgery in April was that his game would pick up where it left off – as a mobile, hard-nosed defender with a heavy shot that can spark offense.
But re-emerging as that player has taken time.
“I haven’t played to my capabilities,” Stone said. “Obviously, you saw the kind of player I was last year and I’m not that player right now.