By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Vandervlis thriving in return to ice following ‘freak accident’

Jan 13, 2019 | 11:03 AM

Last June, Ryan Vandervlis awoke from a medically-induced coma after suffering severe burns in a freak campfire incident in June involving other current and former members of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in southern Alberta.

Not only did he survive that incident, he is thriving.

Earlier this month, the 20-year-old Red Deer native returned to the ice for the first time in close to 14 months, lacing up the skates for the Red Deer Vipers of the Heritage Junior Hockey League.

In three games, he’s notched five goals and five assists, including four in one game last week.

Prior to the campfire incident, Vandervlis had played parts of four seasons with the Hurricanes, but after leaving hospital came to a mutual agreement with GM Peter Anholt that playing in his hometown would be best for his lengthy recovery.

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Vandervlis said he’s just happy to be playing hockey again.

“I remember coming back here to catch one of these (Vipers) games and thought I was capable of playing at this level, so I called coach JD (Morrical) and he was more than happy to have me. It was a pretty easy decision from that point to be playing again,” the 6’3”, 220 lb. forward says.

“It’s awesome to come to a winning team. I think I didn’t recognize about four guys in the locker room that first time I walked in.”

“He’s a great player and it’s going to take him a little while to get back to 100 per cent, but he’s looking pretty close to that already,” Morrical believes.

“We’ve got a really good leadership group, and they’ve done a great job, but getting a guy like Vandervlis that’s played at a higher level than where we’re at, just the little things we try to stress for our team, he doesn’t need to be taught that stuff. It’s almost like getting a star player and another assistant coach, so it’s a huge help all around.”

One major factor which went into the decision to not continue in the Western Hockey League was the timeline for Ryan’s injuries to fully heal.

“They said it’ll take upwards of two years to fully mature and heal. My scars are pretty young still, but my body is capable of playing at this level, so that’s what I’m doing,” Vandervlis explains. “As the scars mature, it’s a matter of the toughness of skin, as they become more pliable, like my normal skin, that kind of thing.”

While he does want to continue playing hockey after this season, Vandervlis says he’s fully focused on helping the Vipers win, and also on the calculus, psychology and macroeconomics courses he’s taking through Red Deer College.

“There are a lot of things that are out of my control still with regards to the injury. I came back here to continue my rehab journey and heal as well as I can, so a big part of me playing next year will depend on where my body’s at,” he says. “If it’s an option, it’s something I’ll consider.”

As for the support he’s received since the ugly incident occurred, Vandervlis is grateful.

“The amount of people that have reached out, especially in Red Deer and the people I’ve known growing up, the tweets, the hugs, you know, it means a lot to me,” he says. “I don’t think I’d be doing as well as I am today without the support from this community and the hockey world in Lethbridge.”

The Vipers currently sit second in the HJHL’s Northern Division with a record of 22-6-1, behind only Airdrie, and have nine regular season games remaining.