So it's been 30 hours since I was able to get off the crutches and I can honestly say I feel amazing.   Although I am very tight in my hip-flexors and other muscles key to walking, just the feeling of being independent has me at ease.    Now that these 14 weeks of crutching around are behind me I can look to the future.  After talking with my doctor yesterday, I was given the best news a hockey player returning from an injury can hear, the exact day were you are allowed to return to the ice