Joey Hishon recalled from Lake Erie

It's been a long, painful process for Joey Hishon, not just physically, but emotionally. The first round pick (17th overall) of the Avalanche in the 2010 draft looked to be on top of the world until a cheap, dirty "I didn't mean to do that" elbow to the head left him concussed and bleeding on the ice during the Memorial Cup in 2011.

It took nearly two years for Hishon to make it back to professional hockey. He played a few games at the end of the 2013 season, but another head injury cut that return short. He missed training camp in Denver in the fall of 2013 due to a groin injury, and it took some time before he got back on the ice with the Lake Erie Monsters. He's spent the 2013-2014 season in and out of the line up because of more injuries, but when he's played, he's been rock solid.

Will Hishon see any playoff ice time? Probably not, but his shot at it is nothing short of amazing. He'll finally get practice time with an NHL team, something long-anticipated by him, the team and the fans alike. If he does get to see some playoff action, his skill set, added to a team with Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, should make opposing teams crap their pants.

Welcome to Denver, Joey. So happy you've made it!