Ducks' Kesler had to learn 'how to basically skate again' after hip surgery

The 2017-18 season was a lost one for Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler.

He missed the first half of the regular season after undergoing offseason hip surgery, playing in just 44 games and picking up only 14 points. It was his lowest point-per-game average since his second year in the league.

Kesler opened up about some of the challenges he faced following the surgery.

"Learning how to basically skate again, and coming back behind the eight ball when everybody is in mid-season form and you're in training camp mode, is hard," Kesler said. "It's not an excuse. I'm way better off now than I was before the surgery."

Kesler added that he lost 20 lbs in an effort to regain some of the speed he lost from the surgery. He plans to play at the same weight again next season.

NHL.com, Hockey Reference, and HockeyDB all have Kesler listed at 202 lbs. Assuming these weren't updated midseason, that means Kesler played at nearly 180 lbs this year.

Even though Kesler will be entering his age-34 season, it wouldn't be surprising if he returned as one of the game's better two-way centers in 2018-19.