Marc-Andre Bourdon making progress after 2012 concussion

The Philadelphia Flyers were welcomed with a surprise as they practiced Sunday morning. Defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon was on the ice in a tinted visor skating with the team. This is Bourdon's first practice with the flyers since April of 2012.

The now 24-year-old defenseman is just getting back into regular practice and workouts after sustaining a season-ending concussion while playing with the Adirondack Phantoms. He sustained the concussion on November 30th, 2012 and is happy to admit almost two years later his brain feels normal.

"I feel good. I've been spending the last two months in Michigan with the same doctor [Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher] and it was really, really good. There was a lot of stuff going on in my neck and in my spine in general, which was causing most of the headaches and dizziness left. My brain is OK. It’s been a long time since my brain was fine. I don’t know how long, but everything that was left was related to peripheral stuff. That’s why it took so long." Quote via Tim Riday

Bourdon realizes now how serious head injuries are and how dangerous it was to keep a concussion from the Flyers in the 2011-12 season. He told Tim Riday, "My career was on the upswing and I was getting to the NHL, that was my goal, and I didn’t want to lose my spot. I think everybody knows the story. That’s all the past for me."

Now that Bourdon is cleared to play again, he is thankful for the team that helped rehabilitate him and it was an extensive team. "There were six people following me all the time. There was a guy I worked out with, two therapists, a guy for my neck, spine and pelvis, the main doctor and a massage girl. They did tremendous work."

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren wants to see if Bourdon can work his way into the Flyers lineup, but knows there's a long road ahead just yet.

"He's going to see Dr. Dorshimer tomorrow morning. Hopefully he can get clearance. He's did pass all his baseline tests, his psych tests. The next step is practice and see if he can work his way into the lineup. We have our fingers crossed that everything goes all right. There are a lot of people rooting for him." Quote via Tim Riday

With the extensive absence due to severe head trauma, Bourdon is happy to be back doing what he worked his whole life to do. "I’ll go wherever the organization sends me. I'm glad I can play hockey and have a good life. I'm ready to roll wherever they name me."