Forsberg faces months of rehab before returning to NHL

Peter Forsberg wants to return to the NHL for another season, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be available in October.

After consulting with doctors in his native Sweden, Forsberg was told he would need several months of rehabilitation before he could return to an NHL game, according to the Denver Post.

Forsberg, who turns 35 next week, has been plagued by ankle injuries the past few years, which have also caused other injuries, such as pulled groins.

The Swedish star returned to the Avs in February and played nine regular season games and seven playoff games. He posted a total of 19 points in those games.

Currently an unrestricted free agent, Forsberg’s preference is to re-sign with the Avs. The rehabilitation program mapped out by his doctor, Bertil Romanus, is expected to take several months, meaning Forsberg may not be available to play until Christmas.

According to Swedish newspaper Expressen, a muscle on one side of Forsberg’s foot doesn’t function normally because a muscle on the other side has caused an imbalance.

Forsberg told the paper that if the program doesn’t work “I’m happy with the career I’ve had.”

Originally selected sixth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1991, Forsberg has 885 points in 706 career NHL games.