UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Aarne Talvitie feels the best he's felt in a long time and his eyes remain set on a big second half of the season.
The junior forward is just about two years removed from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament after injuring it in the gold-medal game of the 2018 World Junior Championships. An Espoo, Finland native, Talvitie was captaining his home country to a gold medal when he suffered the injury.
He made his return on opening night last year against Sacred Heart and even added a goal. He continued to have a solid season on the ice. Talvitie had 19 points over 30 games, but he is continuing to take it to a whole new level this season. That is due in large part to his knee injury finally being a thing of the past. The junior forward is tied for second on the team with three goals while adding two assists for five points over the first eight games this season.
"It's nice to go out there and know I'm at 100% now," Talvitie said.
While he played in nearly every game last season, Talvitie never truly felt like the player he was prior to his injury. Some nights his knee would be sore during games, and others it would consume his mind while skating.
Having a full offseason to improve and not focus on rehab contributed in a large part to the success Talvitie had on the ice during the first semester of play.
"I think [having a full offseason] was absolutely massive.," Talvitie said.
With all of that now behind him, Talvitie can feel 100% confident and fully healthy. He spent his summer back in Finland working out and improving his game. One of the areas Talvitie worked to improve was his speed, which was something he could not focus on previously.
When he came back to State College, Talvitie knew this season was going to be an adjustment. Nobody has ever experienced playing through a pandemic before, so it was going to be a learning experience for Talvitie and his teammates.
Getting back on the ice to practice and play the first phase of the season with his teammates was awesome for Talvitie. But for him, just being out there and feeling good made him feel the best.
"I can notice the difference right away when we've been practicing," Talvitie said. "Last year it [the knee] was in the back of my head and I could notice when it was sore."
Talvitie was also rewarded for his leadership and resilience by being voted as an alternate captain by his teammates. He joins Alex Limoges and Paul DeNaples as the other two captains.
This is not the first time Talvitie has been in a position like this before. He was the captain of Finland's junior-national team, so this is not an unfamiliar feeling for the New Jersey Devils prospect.
"I've been in that position a couple of times in my career," Talvitie said. "It's nothing new and I think it gives me a little extra bump."
With so much turnover from last season and eight new freshmen, the importance of leadership is amplified. Talvitie knows that and it is a challenge he is more than excited to take on. Ultimately, he knows it'll be his actions, and not his words, that the younger players look at.
"The big part of being a good leader is being an example of how to work for the team and helping the freshmen out," Talvitie said.
With the first phase of the season complete, Talvitie was excited to finally play for the first time in nine months. He was excited to get out there and finally put his knee injury behind him, while getting to spend quality time with his teammates.
The early road trips and subsequent home matchups were the first times the Nittany Lions were able to bond as a whole team. That is something that Talvitie was looking forward to. While he understands that the fate of the season can be ripped from him at any moment, Talvitie is trying to take everything one day at a time.
"When we go out there, we have to play like it's our last games," Talvitie said. "It's important for us to be present and focus on the things we know now."
And when Talvitie takes the ice throughout the season, he's looking forward to attacking every game and being the best player and leader, he can be.
