Ducks center Rickard Rakell said Saturday he never regained his fitness after undergoing an appendectomy near the end of the regular season. He said he wasn’t himself for the Ducks’ first-round playoff loss to the Nashville Predators. Here’s more of his conversation with reporters:

“I don’t want to used it as an excuse, but I didn’t feel the same as before it happened. I tried to do everything I can to come back as good as I can. Obviously, I wish I could have helped the team a little bit more. … I got tired quicker and just battling with other players, I felt like I was stronger and could have protected the puck better (before the surgery). … There was a lot of pain in the end. The first few days, I still had holes in my stomach and it was hurting a little bit, but it was manageable and nothing I really tried to think about during the games.”