is excited to be making a return to the Kelowna Rockets乌鸦传媒� lineup this week. For the Western Hockey League team, the feeling is mutual.

The 19-year-old forward, who hasn乌鸦传媒檛 played with the Rockets since Dec. 9 when he joined Canada乌鸦传媒檚 national junior team, will suit up for Kelowna Wednesday night at Prospera Place against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 excited to be back,乌鸦传媒� Dube said following team practise on Tuesday. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 going to be good to get back home for that first game, Footer (Cal Foote) and I are both back, as a team we乌鸦传媒檙e battling a couple of injuries but we乌鸦传媒檙e closer to a full team than we乌鸦传媒檝e been for a while. I乌鸦传媒檓 excited and happy to be back.乌鸦传媒�

Much has happened for Dube since his last game in Rockets乌鸦传媒� colours. After being named captain of Team Canada, the Cochrane, AB native helped lead his country to a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo.

Along with Foote, a fellow gold-medal winner, Dube was to have re-joined the Rockets for last week乌鸦传媒檚 game against Spokane, but was sidelined by a virus he actually contracted midway through the world junior hockey championship.

It乌鸦传媒檚 only this week that the Rockets乌鸦传媒� veteran has started to feel more like himself.

乌鸦传媒淚 was playing sick (at world juniors) and my immune system got pretty run down after that,乌鸦传媒� said Dube who returned to Kelowna Sunday. 乌鸦传媒淭en days was maybe too long to be off the ice, but in the end probably good for me to have the time off and a nice break.

乌鸦传媒淚 felt pretty good at practise (Tuesday) and feel ready to go.乌鸦传媒�

Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton said Dube乌鸦传媒檚 return will pay dividends for his club, on and off ice.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檒l be great having him back, he乌鸦传媒檒l bring energy to our team just by the way he plays,乌鸦传媒� Hamilton said. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檒l help get some of our other guys going who have maybe been spinning their wheels a bit.乌鸦传媒�

While the initial thrill of winning the world junior championship earlier this month has abated somewhat, Dube said striking gold with Canada is a moment in time he乌鸦传媒檒l never forget.

乌鸦传媒淕etting back to Kelowna, I kind of forgot about it a little, but I know those memories will be with me for a long time,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淏eing able to achieve one of the biggest goals there is in junior hockey is an unbelievable feeling.乌鸦传媒�

ALSO READ: Gold medal still sinking in for Rockets乌鸦传媒� Foote

During his absence, the Rockets hardly missed a beat, going 9-2-0-0 over the last 11 games and in the process moving into top spot in the B.C. Division.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 so proud of them,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淭hey乌鸦传媒檝e been unbelievable, guys have been getting it done and have propelled us into first place. You can乌鸦传媒檛 ask for any more than that.乌鸦传媒�

The Rockets will honour both Dube and Foote for their world junior victory prior to Wednesday乌鸦传媒檚 game. Face off is 7:05 p.m.

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