When Justin Sourdif hit the ice on Sunday, it was a long time coming.
After the Checkers’ season ended abruptly with a first-round playoff exit, Sourdif put in work over a long offseason, only to then suffer an injury early on in Florida’s training camp.
That ailment relegated the forward to the sidelines as the Checkers kicked off their season, but he was finally able to return to game action this past weekend.
“Obviously going so long without playing is hard,” said Sourdif. “I got that one preseason one in, but that was the only one since April. So I was definitely a little nervous coming back in this weekend, but I felt pretty good.”
The sight of number 24 back on the Bojangles Coliseum ice was a welcome one.
“It was great,” said head coach Geordie Kinnear of having Sourdif back in the lineup. “There’s a lot of belief from me in the level that he can get to. I’m excited to have him back and to keep pushing him to get to the next level.”
Jumping back into the swing of things after such an extended amount of time off is certainly a challenge, but not one that Sourdif shied away from as he took on a full workload over the Checkers’ two-game split against Toronto and notched a pair of assists.
“I feel like that’s the only way to do things,” said Sourdif. “It’s trial by fire, just kind of throwing yourself out there instead of easing your way back into it. That’s the best way to approach things. [Kinnear] threw me back out there and I just ran with it. I knew that with the group of guys we have in the dressing room it was going to be OK and I could lean on them.”
The patience around Sourdif’s recovery was by design, paving the way for as seamless a return to the ice as possible.
“If you kind of ease into it and you’re a little bit hesitant it’s tougher,” said Kinnear. “I got him right in there, I didn’t really ease him into it at all and I don’t think he eased into it. When you have that kind of mindset you can get to the next level a lot quicker than if you ease into it. We waited a little bit longer to make sure that he was 100 percent healthy.”
Now that he’s back in the mix, the 22-year-old forward is embarking on a pivotal third season in the pros.
“Right now I’m just focused on doing my best,” said Sourdif. “Just trying to improve every day. That’s all I can really do.”
Sourdif raised his totals in goals, assists and points from his rookie to sophomore campaigns, including ranking third on the team in helpers last season. For year three, the expectations continue to elevate - specifically in one key area.
“I know the level he can play at - we’ve seen it in spurts,” said Kinnear. “That consistency is the hardest thing for a young player. That’s what we’re looking for from Sourdy and that’s what he’s looking for - most importantly - from himself. Consistency, the physicality that he brings, the game-breaking ability that he brings - when he does that he’s a pretty special player. Third year pro, the expectation is more consistency.”
Sourdif, a third-round pick by Florida in 2020, made his NHL debut and appeared in three games for the Panthers last season. While his eyes are set on those aspirations of the next level, the young forward - now fully healthy - is ready to prove that he can be that special player right now.
“I’m just looking to compete,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where I’m at. Whatever happens in the future, I’ll wait and see. I’m just going to try and be the best player that I can be.”
