By Kris Smith
The Stony Mountain, Manitoba native picked up a lower body injury in Belfast and missed four weeks of the season before making his return two weeks ago at home against Sheffield Steelers.
After making his return, Brett said: “It is great to get back out there, it is always tough to be sitting on the side lines and just watching.
“Even in practice it is tough to just sit and watch what guys are working on because you just want to be out there working on your own game.
“The first few games back were very difficult because after a month out and not doing any cardio because it was a lower body injury, you comeback and you are pretty gassed.
“So, it is pretty hard to get up to the pace of the game when everyone else is in mid-season form.”
Since making his return, Stovin has netted two goals and both were against the Steelers, as he scored one at home and one away.
“It was nice to contribute in a way and get some confidence back but obviously we didn’t win so that is still kind of a tough return but it’s just one of those things where you just have to keep on working at it”, added Brett.
It is always hard to be sitting out and watching your team succeed but the versatile Canadian didn’t find it as hard but was frustrated to see all his summer training go to waste.
The 24-year-old said: “In a way, it is easier to be on the side lines when the team is having success, you don’t actually feel the need to be out there as much when they are winning.
“Obviously you never want to get hurt and especially at the start of the year when you’re fresh and you work so hard over the summer on previous injuries, getting your strength back, getting cardio up and then you’re ready to go but then you get injured right at the start of the year.
“Now it is something I will have to play with for the rest of the season but all the cardio and weightlifting I did in the summer, goes out the window because I spent a month rehabbing one injury.
“So, it is extremely frustrating and difficult to come back from but it is just one of those things and you just have to stay focused, put it behind you and try to improve every day.”
Some players go through a tough period of time when they are injured but Stovin stressed the importance of remaining positive.
He said: “There is not really much you can say to yourself, I mean you can get down on yourself but that is just going to have a negative impact on your rehab and the mental side of things.
“So you want to stay as positive as possible, it’s not my first injury, I have been playing with a career-long injury for the last five years now.
“I am pretty used to managing my injuries, my therapy and stuff like that and staying positive but it is all about your internal drive and just wanting to get back out on the ice but also being smart about it.
“You don’t want to come back too early and cause future injuries and things like that.
“We have a good system in place here and smart people around us that help us out, so it was just about being positive for the last month.”
Brett also praised the medical treatment he received here in Scotland and the Stars medical staff for their major help in getting him back into game shape.
Stovin added: “I was very impressed, to start with Airlie, our trainer from AB Performance is unbelievable, she knows what she is doing and anytime your hurt she lets you get in right away the next day.
“She is very smart, she is trained well and she knows a hockey body, so she understands everything like that and right from the start, she has been incredible with helping me get back.
“Also, the chiropractors have been very good, they do an important job for me because with my injuries, I needed to get some bone adjustment, so Alba Chiropractic Clinic has been a huge help for me as well.
“We have a very good system in place here and I am very impressed with it because if we didn’t have these people then there is no way I’d be on the ice.”
Brett and the rest of the Stars team are back in action this weekend with a trip to Belfast on Friday night before they return home for a massive clash with the Glasgow Clan at the Dundee Ice Arena the following night.
You can get your tickets for Saturday’s home game HERE.
