Former Viper Volpatti ‘In Charge’ Of Return From Conditioning Loan:

Here is an article on former Vernon Vipers forward Aaron Volpatti who was recently sent down to the American Hockey League for conditioniong is close to returning to the NHL after undergoing a neck-fusion procedure over six months ago.

Volpatti is in his third season with the Washington Capitals has spent the past five years in the NHL with the Capitals & Vancouver Canucks.

Volpatti never drafted spent four years with Brown University before signing as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks on March 22, 2010. Volpatti played parts of two and a half seasons with the Canucks before being claimed off waivers by the Washington Capitals on February 28th 2013. Volpatti played three seasons in Vernon (2003-2006) In 137 regular season games with the Vipers Volpatti collected (13-goals-24-assists-37-points).

Aaron Volpatti's Player Profile:

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=39059

This is in the Washington Post Newspaper:

Trotz: Forward Aaron Volpatti ‘in charge’ of return from conditioning loan

By Alex Prewitt December 9, 2014

Capitals Insider

(Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

TAMPA – With forward Aaron Volpatti shipped to Hershey on a conditioning loan, still working toward full health after undergoing neck surgery, Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said the organization will take a wait-and-see approach concerning his return, with the timetable dictated by Volpatti himself.

“Aaron’s pretty close and it’s more in terms of – medically he’s very close – now it’s the confidence game that he has to deal with,” Trotz said. “We told Aaron plain and simple, he’s in charge of when he’s ready to come back. Comfortably, medically, getting the okay from the doctor, but also when he’s mentally ready to be back into it.”

During a road-heavy December, with Washington closing the calendar year with six of seven away from Verizon Center, the Capitals wanted Volpatti to receive more intensive work now that he recently began skating without a non-contact jersey during practice. Tuesday, Volpatti worked out with the American Hockey League-affiliated Bears, who for the second straight weekend will play three games in as many days.

Trotz planned to communicate with Volpatti either Wednesday night or Thursday morning to gauge his health. According to the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, Volpatti can play up to three games on a long-term conditioning loan to the AHL, but the Capitals can file a request for two more.

“He might decide to play one game, then see how it feels or where he feels mentally, then go from there,” Trotz said. “It’s really in his hands and the trainers and doctors’ hands. When he’s ready, we’re not pushing him to play or anything. When he’s ready to go, he’ll tell us. He’ll give a shot at it and then probably play the three games, then we’ll have to evaluate at that point if we request to have two more games for him and for us, or he’s back with us.”

Before the season began, the Capitals shelved Volpatti on long-term injured reserve as he handled covering from disk fusion surgery in his neck. Since Washington claimed him off waivers from Vancouver in 2013, the left winger has played 58 games for the Capitals, logged 56 penalty minutes and registered three points.

If the current forwards remain healthy, Volpatti’s return would give the Capitals 14 bodies, one more than what Trotz has preferred. Tuesday in Tampa Bay, however, Trotz declined to give that much though.
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“I just got to worry about today,” he said. “Biggest thing today is Tampa Bay and they’ve got a pretty good team. We’ve got to worry about them. I try to not worry about the guys who aren’t able to help us today, even though I like them all and they’re a big part of our team. We just got to concentrate on the group here.”