Normally in life, when you make mistakes, there’s a price to pay for them. Ask Raffi Torres.
Torres had to serve a 21-game suspension for a vicious hit he laid on Chicago Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa in their playoff series last April.
Torres is set to end his suspension on Saturday night, as the Coyotes host the Dallas Stars in the second of a back-to-back series.
“I’m excited to get back and start helping out and start working again,” Torres said. “It’s been a long time but I feel like I’ve done the right things off the ice to make sure I’m focused when I get on there.”
Things like talking with head coach Dave Tippett about what it’ll be like on Saturday with the target squarely on his back.
“Me and Tip sat down and we went over that kind of stuff, [that] there might be a little bit of a magnifying glass on you for your first couple games,” Torres said. “There’s no need to go out there running around like we talked about, just go out there and play the game and make some plays.”
Tippett is looking forward to having Torres back, because he knows what Torres brings to the team.
“He’s gonna be a very energized player,” Tippett said. “You watch him practice, he gives us energy every day in practice and I think you’re gonna see him give us energy on Saturday night.”
“The time off has given me a new found love for the game,” Torres said. “I’m enjoying coming to the rink right now, I’m at a good place right now mentally. For me, I don’t really look at it like a bad thing, I just go out there, be a kid and work hard.”
