What has been a patience-testing wait for Jason Jaffray is being extended a bit longer.
The St. John’s IceCaps captain, who hasn’t played a game of hockey since late March, was counting on returning to action Friday, when the IceCaps make their 2012-13 American Hockey League home-ice debut against the Adirondack Phantoms. But despite an intense lobbying effort from Jaffray, the team has decided to delay his comeback until next week.
St. John’s head coach Keith McCambridge acknowledges the veteran forward has fully recovered from spinal fusion surgery and has been cleared to play, but that the coaches, trainers and doctors have decided it would be prudent to put back his return until next Wednesday, when the IceCaps play the fourth game of a six-game home stand.