The Thunderbirds expected to enter their second-round series with the Everett Silvertips shorthanded, knowing that their top two goal scorers in Ryan Gropp (injury) and Keegan Kolesar (suspension) would miss at least Game 1. What Seattle didn’t expect was the absence of Jerret Smith, its 20-year-old captain and leader who has been one of the WHL’s most consistent defensemen since he entered the league as a 17-year-old in 2012.

As with any injury during the playoffs, details provided by the team were sparse. Head coach Steve Konowalchuk described it as an illness following the 3-0 Everett victory. The assumption was that Smith – who took warm-ups but did not play – was ill, tested his readiness prior to the game and was deemed incapable of playing to his normally high standard.

It turns out that it wasn’t your typical bug or common cold that kept Smith out of the lineup.

“(Smith) came to the rink on Wednesday and was not feeling well,” said T-Birds general manager Russ Farwell. “Everything he described to our trainer pointed to appendicitis, and upon having him checked, he had surgery to remove his appendix by late afternoon Wednesday.”

Smith returned to the rink Thursday, took a light skate Friday and played over 20 minutes Sunday night.

If you’re keeping track, the timeline looked something like this:

• April 6: Smith feels discomfort in the morning, has surgery in the afternoon;

• April 8: Smith takes warm-ups with the team prior to Game 1, but does not play;

• April 10: Smith returns to game action, logging over 20 minutes of ice time and a plus-two rating in a 3-1 victory.

In a span of just over 100 hours, Smith went from having an inflamed appendix to being a key contributor on Seattle’s top defensive line.

While Smith – who had missed only seven games in four regular seasons – has been known to battle through injuries, this case is particularly remarkable. According to webmd.com, after having your appendix removed, “you can usually return to normal activity within two to three weeks.” Smith was back in four days.

“This is not out of character for Smith as we have seen him play hurt or return quickly from injury before, but this occurrence has really set him apart,” Farwell said. “He is a leader and his will to win and compete is extraordinary. He played very well on Sunday and was very good last night (in Game 3) again in Everett, and it surely sets an example for our entire team.”

Smith’s absence in Game 1 was noticeable as Seattle struggled to muster much of anything while getting shut out. The tables turned in Game 2, a transition that Smith no doubt played a part in. If you watched either game since his return, you might have a hard time believing he’d gone through surgery only hours earlier, as his play has resumed right where it left off before the operation.