Entering his 13th season in pro hockey, Eric Fehr is fired up.

Fired up about his new team and fired up about how he feels at the ripe old age of 31 (he'll be 32 in early September), coming off his latest injury.

“I did a few things differently,” Fehr, the Winkler, Man., product, said of his off-season after a skate at the Iceplex this week. “I won't get into too much detail on it, but I feel really good. I feel strong on the ice, I feel quick and balanced.

“I feel the best I've felt in a long time.”

Feeling good hasn't always been Fehr's strong suit. His career has been pocked with injuries. But it was also marked with a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, in 2016.

Instead of enjoying the Pens' repeat this past spring, Fehr found himself traded to Toronto at the deadline.

Fair enough. A fresh start with an exciting new team heading to its first playoff, right?

Right, except the injury bug bit Fehr in his first game with the Maple Leafs, and he missed the rest of the season plus the post-season series against Washington, another former team.

“First game, I blocked a shot with my finger and broke it, smashed it up,” he said. “And that was it. It's been extremely frustrating. I feel I do all the right things, and when I finally get rid of the nagging injuries that I've had, put those behind me, I get a freak accident injury, like breaking my finger.

“I'm just always trying to come back stronger, and I think I've been doing that so far.”

Since he could still skate while recovering, he worked on that, and feels like he can keep up with the warp speed some of the younger Leafs bring to the table.

Fehr still marvels, though, at the talent he'll play with this season.

“The young guys come to the rink with a lot of energy every day,” he said. “These guys are coming in with a whole new set of skills. It's fun to watch them in practice and just every day ... they're quick and they're darty. But, I like to think I have a little more experience, some long reach, a wily vet.

“I actually feel like as they're getting quicker, I'm getting quicker as well. I'm training a little differently, trying to adapt. I feel my speed is right up there.”

Where he'll fit in with his new team, Fehr's not sure. He's just looking forward to a fresh start with such a promising bunch around him.

“It's a great place to play hockey,” he said. “The way we came together down the stretch with the playoff run, the team's really exciting. But it seemed like none of the players got bothered by the big-game situations, which is great to see. Because we're expecting a lot of those down the road.”

It's been a lengthy and, at times, bumpy road for the former Brandon junior.

He's never played a full 82-game season, ranging from a low of 35 with the Jets in 2011-12 to career highs of 73 and 75 games with the Capitals from 2013-15.

Still, five times he's hit double digits in goals, and scored as many as 21 in a season.

So give Fehr this: through more shoulder surgeries than any one man should have to bear, a disappointing and injury-hampered campaign with his favourite team growing up and a stint in the Swiss league in 2012-13 to prove he wasn't finished, he's persevered.

He has a Cup ring to show for it, and a career most players would kill for.

But done? Not a chance.

“I feel like I have a lot of miles left,” Fehr said. “I've been injured so much, my games are relatively low, considering my age. I feel like I can play, and I'm super-excited for this season, the way the off-season training has gone.”

With one year left on his contract, this season carries a familiar theme for Fehr.

“Re-establishing myself,” he said. “Last season the whole second half was gone through injury. The game I played with the Leafs I thought I was playing well, and found myself in a spot where I feel like I could contribute.

“So, I'm looking forward to re-establishing that this year.”

pfriesen@postmedia.com

THE FEHR FILE

Position: Right Wing

Age: 32 in September

Size: 6-foot-4, 212 pounds

Career NHL Stats (regular season)

Season: Team GP / G / A / PTS

2005-06: Washington 11 / 0 / 0 / 0

2006-07: Washington 14 / 2 / 1 / 3

2007-08: Washington 23 / 1 / 5 / 6

2008-09: Washington 61 / 12 / 13 / 25

2009-10: Washington 69 / 21 / 18 / 39

2010-11: Washington 52 / 10 / 10 / 20

2011-12: Winnipeg 35 / 2 / 1 / 3

2012-13: Washington 41 / 9 / 8 / 17

2013-14: Washington 73 / 13 /18 / 31

2014-15: Washington 75 / 19 / 14 / 33

*2015-16: Pittsburgh 55 / 8 / 6 / 14

2016-17: Pittsburgh 52 / 6 /5 / 11 and Toronto 1 / 0 / 0 / 0

*won Stanley Cup