In the eight games since he returned to the Canucks’ lineup, Mason Raymond has been great. At times he’s been their best player. He’s moved seamlessly up and down the lineup. His three goals and six points slot him fourth on the team in points-per-game average.

He is, not surprisingly, pleased with his production so far. But, hockey aside, he’s also thankful just to be healthy.

“You appreciate the use of your arms and your legs and all the little things that allow you to live everyday life,” Raymond said. “To be able to play a high-level sport and to be successful, that’s a whole other level. I’m very pleased with where I’m at considering where I was a short time ago.
Where he was a short time ago was in a back brace.

Raymond sustained cracked vertebrae when he was hit into the boards awkwardly June 13, Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final. He spent two months in the brace before slowly returning to train. Talk to people around the team about his return and the discussion quickly turns to how hard the 26-year-old has worked to get back to where he was before the injury: A key component in the Canucks’ attack (the team has earned at least a point in all but one game since his return).

“I watched him for almost three months in the gym,” said coach Alain Vigneault. “You have to give him a lot of credit because he really put in the time and effort.

“Everyone is really pleased with where he’s at considering he was coming back after that serious injury. He put in so much time with the people who worked with him, from our trainers and conditioning coaches to his own physio people. He came in prepared and confident. And he’s played extremely well.”

Healing after a major injury must occur between the ears, too. There was no doubt Raymond and the team would make sure everything was OK with him physically prior to allowing him to return. But how would he react when thrown into game action? Would he be tentative?

The answer has been a resounding no. Raymond is diving into the dirty areas and has not shied from the physical side of the game.

“I’ve been through a lot mentally and that’s part of being in a good shape physically, too.”

His return puts the team, slowly creeping back up the Western Conference standings, in good shape as well.