Jaxan Kaluski is on the road to recovery.

The Moose Jaw Warriors’ 17-year-old forward has rejoined the team as he finishes his rehab from a fractured ankle suffered against Seattle Thunderbirds on Nov. 5 and the surgery to repair that injury.

It’s been a long process for the rookie, but one that he said is going well.

“I’ve got a lot of my mobility back now, which is a nice thing; I’ve been able to start walking, that was a huge step for me, I was looking forward to that all of January,” said Kaluski. “January was a little slow, but it’s going better now and hopefully I’ll get back on the ice here by the end of the month.”

Kaluski broke his ankle on a fairly harmless play. He went in for a hit on a Thunderbirds’ defenceman and his foot stuck on the boards with the force causing the break.

Kaluski had to be stretchered off the ice, but remained remarkably calm through the whole ordeal.

“I’ve watched it a few times now, I had some friends back home that were wondering how it went down and I didn’t remember too well... it didn’t look too bad,” he said.

“It was a little crazy for everyone that I talked to that saw it happen. It happened pretty quick and nobody really knows what happened exactly, but I’m happy it’s over and I’m starting towards getting back on the ice.”

Kaluski was able to have surgery in Saskatoon a few days after the injury and then spent the next three months recovering at home in Lloydminster. Now that’s cast-free and able to walk, Kaluski has rejoined the Warriors to spend time with the team over the final two months of the regular season and into the playoffs.

He’s also back at school here in Moose Jaw at Vanier Collegiate.

“It’s good to be back,” said Kaluski. “It’s huge for my mental state, it’s nice to be back with the team, be with the guys and be in that hockey state of mind again where I have something to look forward to each day when I wake up.

“It was good to be back at home for a while and spend some time with my family, but it’s good for me and my parents to get a little separation again, I was getting on their nerves a bit.”

The focus for Kaluski now is getting back to 100-percent and get back on the ice.

“I come in the morning before school to do some rehab with (Warriors trainer Brooke Koslofski) and then head to school and then come back to work on mobility and working out with my upper body during practice and getting back in shape as best as I can,” he said.

“I can start riding the bike and do little things like that for cardio.

“It’s all about comfort right now, just making sure that I can walk comfortably before I start putting on skates. Once I can walk without a limp than that will be the time to start gliding around the ice and getting a feel for things again.”

Kaluski had just recorded his first WHL point in the game before being injured and he said he’s going to use this time around the team to learn the game better by watching the games closely.

“I like to watch guys that play the same position of me and see the little things like mistakes or good plays that they make that I can throw together to complement my game and make me a better player when I’m back,” said Kaluski.

The goal is to be back on the ice at full speed with the team for the start of next season and right now it just continues to be a waiting game for Kaluski.

The Warriors are in Brandon on Wednesday for an interesting doubleheader against the Wheat Kings, click here for more on the game.