Sheffield Steelers' Aaron Johnson relieved to be back in the thick of it

In what has been one of the most frustrating seasons in his 18-year professional career, the 36-year-old has made just eight appearances under head coach Aaron Fox.

Two injuries to the same hand had kept Johnson on the sidelines for all but two games since mid-September before his return to the fray came in a commanding 5-1 victory over Glasgow Clan in the first leg of the Challenge Cup final at Braehead Arena on Wednesday night.

Understandably buoyed by his return, Johnson is now intent on sticking around for the Elite League title run-in which has the Steelers in a three-way battle for the regular season title with Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants.

“The body was a little sore after the Glasgow match, but it always takes a bit of time to get back up to game speed, but it was so nice just to be out there playing again,” said Johnson, who is also an assistant coach.

“It almost feels like four months that I’ve been off - I came back for a couple of games in November, but that doesn’t really help you in the long run, so it will definitely take a bit of time to get back to where I want to be.

“Any injury throughout the season is frustrating but then to go through it twice was tough mentally, but, fortunately, we have a good group of guys and great training and medical staff that kept things going the right way and continued to push me.”

Johnson’s return from injury is well-timed, coming ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Cardiff before hosting third-placed Belfast on Sunday (4pm face-off).

The Steelers are braced for being without forward Anthony DeLuca for those games, but for how many more after remains unclear after he was helped off the ice during the win in Glasgow after a nasty crash into the boards during the first period.

DeLuca met with doctors yesterday, but the full extent of his injury will only become clearer after further tests are carried out on Friday. Johnson is hoping, like everyone else connected with the team, that it is not a long-term layoff for the 24-year-old, who has enjoyed a pivotal role this season.

Johnson knows all about being on the sidelines and, while he was happy to develop his coaching skills alongside head coach Aaron Fox and fellow assistant Carter Beston-Will, there was still only one place he wanted to be.

"To be honest, it was nice to have that (being behind the bench) because normally, being injured, you’re not around the guys very much because you are in the gym and you’re only really at the games as a spectator," added Johnson.

"So to still be involved on the coaching side was very beneficial in that way - keeping me involved, keeping me mentally charged and making me feel part of things still. It’s like I never left the room. Sometimes that is the hardest thing about being out injured - getting back in your groove and being with the guys.

"You want to be there with the guys, you see the guys go through struggles and you see them enjoy success and you want to be a part of that - that’s the whole team mentality that I’ve had through the past 20 years of playing.

"The best part is being with those guys, playing and battling alongside one another and getting through tough situations together. So you miss that side of things, you get a taste of it behind the bench but there is nothing like being right in the middle of it."