Alex Galchenyuk did not have it easy lately

He is currently in his second stint with the Arizona Coyotes who have offered him what could be his last chance in the NHL. He played his first game of the season yesterday, as he had to go through a rehabilitation process due to an upper body injury.

He admitted that it wasn't easy to get back to his usual physical form.

"It's been a long five weeks, a lot of preparation," he said after Friday's loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. "At the same time, even if you're well prepared, it's always hard to come back and get used to certain things. It felt good to come back and compete with the guys."

His return to form will be gradual, as he played about 11 minutes Friday night. One thing is for sure, the worse is behind him, so it will only get better for the American forward.

"I'll probably feel even better. After this first game, I'll get used to playing. I've had a lot of practices, a lot of alone time, so it's great to be back in a team environment, a game atmosphere. I'm looking forward to contributing more," he mentioned, regretting not being able to capitalize against Chicago.

"In a close game like that, I would have liked to do more. [...] Now I'm in the lineup, so that's how I can help my team," Galchenyuk concluded.

Galchenyuk currently has a golden opportunity to get his career back on track. The Coyotes don't have a great offensive line, so "Chucky" is bound to have an opportunity to prove to André Tourigny that he can take on a lot of responsibility.