Just two weeks after having a cancerous tumour removed from his thyroid gland, Olli Maatta is set to return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup.
The defenceman confirmed to reporters in Montreal that he will suit up Tuesday when his team takes on the Canadiens.
“I’m just excited to be back,” Maatta said. “I can focus on hockey again.”
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The 20-year-old skated on a pairing with Christian Ehrhoff at Tuesday’s morning skate.
Maatta, who underwent successful surgery to remove the tumour Nov. 4, had one goal, five assists, four penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating in 10 games this season prior to his procedure.
“I look at it as a bump on the road,” Maatta said of his cancer scare last week. “It’s really good that we found it early. It hasn’t really bothered me before. It’s not going to bother me again. It’s just another bump in the road. I got over it. I can start playing hockey again.”
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