Cory Sarich hopes to make comeback after recovering from cycling accident

Former NHL defenseman Cory Sarich is looking to make a comeback more than a year after suffering serious injuries in a cycling crash.

“(I've) spoken with a few teams,” Sarich told Scott Cruickshank of the Calgary Herald at an informal skating session in Calgary.

“That’s been obviously the goal - to try to see if there’s any interest out there. Nothing so far. I’m just going to keep skating … trying to get my legs underneath me.”

The 37-year-old suffered five cracked vertebrae, muffler burns on his shoulder and wrist, and severe road rash after being hit by a truck while biking in British Columbia in July 2014.

He missed the entire 2014-15 season, but says he's now recovered.

“I’m doing well. Everything is back to normal," Sarich said. "Conditioning-wise, I feel great. Overall health is fantastic.”

Sarich isn't opposed to playing in the AHL if it helps him get back to the NHL, but has yet to receive an offer. The 15-year veteran's optimism is shrinking with training camps opening soon.

“I really was (optimistic) in August,” Sarich said. “Now that it’s, all of a sudden, September? You realize there’s only 15 or 16 days to training camp and things start to look a little more bleak. I’m a realist, though. If nothing happens, that’s the way it is. At least I’m in good shape. It was a fun summer."

Sarich has played 969 regular-season games for the Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames, and Colorado Avalanche. He was a second-round pick of the Sabres in 1996.