[mile]

https://calgaryherald.com/sports/hoc...juniors-belief

“It’s been great, honestly,” Parekh told Postmedia. “Injuries suck, but we have a great team here and they keep it light every day, keep it positive, and I think it’s been a good breather for me. I think I just needed to take a step back and relax a little bit.”

The 19-year-old Parekh, feeling “pretty much back to normal” after four-plus weeks of rehab on his upper-body injury, departs later this week for Hockey Canada’s world-junior training camp.

A few days ago, in a one-on-one interview with Postmedia, Parekh seemed as relaxed as he has at any point this fall.

They were apparently commenting on the same in the coaches’ offices after he was green-lighted to participate in Friday’s practice in a yellow no-contact jersey, another important step in his recovery.

“We talked about him this morning, watching him around the room … ” Flames bench boss Ryan Huska said. “His swagger is back with the smile on his face.”

“Just making plays and playing my game … You know, I haven’t really been able to do that (this season),” Parekh said, adamant that nobody else is to blame for his frustrating fall. “And it’s not really a coaching thing. It’s on me and just trying to not make mistakes. I think that’s been the biggest issue.

“I think it will be good to slow the game down a bit and find my game. I remember last year, coming in at the end of my year in junior, and I really felt untouchable. When I came up, I still felt great and the confidence was at an all-time high. I know if I get back to that, I’ll be fine.”