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Not that long ago, Gianni Baldassari couldn’t be sure he’d ever see his teammates again, or step on the ice sheets he’s called home most of his life.

The Ice Dogs captain couldn’t be sure he’d make it out of the intensive care unit alive.

That’s why now, every practice is a dream come true, every chance to interact with his teammates a prayer answered.

“It’s a huge emotional lift just to be able to be around everybody, be practicing,” Baldassari said. “Especially after everything I went through.”

What the forward went through were two emergency surgeries — neither of them routine — in two different hospitals. One of them put his life in the balance, the other saved it.

Baldassari’s ordeal started last November, just after Thanksgiving, as the Ice Dogs wrapped up a five-game road swing through Texas. What he thought at first was a simple stomach ache turned out to be appendicitis and he found himself in a Dallas hospital for an emergency appendectomy.

He was told everything was fine, and he left there with a clean bill of health.

But what neither Baldassari nor his doctor knew was that during the operation, the surgeon sliced part of Baldassari’s colon, opening up a leak that wouldn’t be closed for two weeks.

“I was actually getting ready to come back up (to Fairbanks),” said Baldassari, who went to his parents place in Kansas City to recuperate from the surgery. “I was having flu symptoms; it wasn’t getting any better. The fever was starting to come back again.”

Still, Baldassari’s desire to see his team was so strong that he still wanted to return to Fairbanks. His parents, John and Jackie, had to convince him to stay home.

“Both parents said it was not a good idea, even if it’s just the flu, you can’t travel all the way up here,” Baldassari said. “Luckily I didn’t.”

Baldassari’s “flu” just kept getting worse.

By the time he decided to go to the hospital, this time in Kansas City, Mo., he had no energy and he had to “crawl” out of bed because moving caused almost unbearable pain.

“I almost died. I was very close to death, it was scary for a while,” he said. “I was in the ICU, they were the worst days of my life.”

What Baldassari thought would be a one-day stay ended up lasting 15, while he dropped 35 pounds.

“When I got out of the hospital, the doctor said, ‘You’re going to recover, it’s just going to take some time,’” Baldassari said. “I didn’t know what to expect.

“It was tough, because I couldn’t be around everybody. I wanted to, and I was trying to force the issue to get back. But in the end, it just wasn’t going to happen. I thank God every day that I’m still alive, that the doctor in Kansas City went in and fixed everything.”

While his parents could talk him out of coming back to Fairbanks once, Baldassari’s recovery went so well they never had to do it again, and by the start of March, he was back in Fairbanks — and ready to get back on the ice.

“It’s unheard of where one day his parents don’t know if he’s going to make it through the night, and then a few months later he’s out there skating, trying to get in game shape,” Fairbanks defenseman, and Baldassari’s roommate, Matt Carlson said. “Having Baldi back means a lot. He’s obviously the captain off the ice, and on the ice, too, we know in our hearts he’s the captain. He’s a good team leader. He knows everything.”

A player who the Ice Dogs coaches look at as a born leader, Baldassari is still trying to feel out his new role on the team. He’s with the guys in the locker room, but not getting ready to play. He’s with them on the bench, but he’s standing behind them in a suit.

“I just try to continue the leadership role in the locker room, away from the rink,” Baldassari said. “I’ve had the chance to stand on the bench the last couple of weeks. I try to give positive encouragement there, keep talking to everybody, keep them moving in the right direction.”

Baldassari, who will head to the college ranks next year to play with Holy Cross, added that he’s “doing a little coaching” in his head, though he leaves the real thing to head coach Rob Proffitt and assistant coach John Hauge.

Still, watching his teammates play hasn’t been easy for Baldassari. He’d love to be doing more for his team, picking up his fourth goal or tallying his sixth assist.

Especially now that the playoffs are starting.

“It’s difficult. (But) it’s better than the alternative,” Baldassari said. “If I can make it back, I’ll be very happy. If not, I’ll continue what I’m doing.”

Either way, the Ice Dogs are just happy to have their captain back.

“It’s definitely nice having Baldi back. He’s just a great guy in the locker room to have, even if he’s not suiting up every night,” said forward Andrew McCabe, who wears the captain’s C out onto the ice in Baldassari’s place. “He’s just got such a great positive attitude. Just having him here is uplifting to the team.”

Playoffs

Baldassari and the Ice Dogs open the North American Hockey League playoffs against the Wichita Falls Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.

According to Proffitt, tickets are selling fast, with over half the tickets already sold.

“I really encourage people to get playoff tickets from the office or Sport King,” Proffitt said.

Proffitt is also asking all fans to wear white to the games — an idea started by goalie Cody Reichard.