It's been 16 days since Darren Mattocks fell to the BC Place turf against San Jose Earthquakes clutching his hamstring and having to be taken off just before the half hour mark.
With Kenny Miller and the Caps parting ways the next day, the extent of Mattocks' injury was still unknown but you felt it was going to be a big blow to Vancouver's firepower.
That in itself is a phrase I didn't think I'd be using just a few months ago, but a new attitude both on and off the pitch has seen Mattocks score two goals, lead the Caps with three assists and become a key team player.
The injury has turned out not be as bad as first feared and now the Jamaican is pushing to be a surprise inclusion in the Caps' squad for Saturday's first Cascadia Cup clash of the season against Seattle.
It's been some turnaround for the player and you just have to watch Mattocks interacting at training with his teammates to see the difference. It's almost as if the Whitecaps have a new player on their squad.
"He's different. I think it's clear for everyone to see," was Caps' coach Carl Robinson's take on the player when speaking with reporters at training on Monday. "I think he's in a good place and I think it's important my job, and Gordon and Martyn, that we keep him in that good place."
"Seeing Darren smiling, seeing Darren talking in the group within the changing room and giving his voice and opinions, as well as seeing Darren run. Usually last year it was like, come on Darren you need to do this and this. Now we're not saying too much to him and he's actually taking it on board himself and running. It's a big part of the game these days and it's a big strength of his."
Mattocks' well publicised strop in front of Jamaican television cameras tarnished his reputation with many here in Vancouver in the offseason.
Petulant and egotistical were certainly words that could have been used to describe the 23-year-old. Many, myself included, felt that he was in last chance saloon in Vancouver and that there would be no way back into the first team reckoning.
But hard work and a completely different attitude both on and off the pitch have seen the Jamaican become very much a team player and not the individual performer that sometimes came across.
Mattocks 2.0 is a much more likeable person. So what's been behind the change in Mattocks' attitude?
"Me!" Robinson said with a laugh. "It's difficult, it really is. Darren's the same person this year as he was last year, but the dynamics are slightly different.
"All credit to Darren. Last year was tough year for him, it really was, and with some players, with young players especially, they need to learn what it's like and how it's like to deal in certain situations.
"After his first year which was great, I think he scored 7 or 8 goals, and then he came back with a spring in his step and then it didn't quite take off as much as he would like. I think he did a lot of self reflecting in the offseason.
"Obviously having a manager that believes in you does help and it's important how you deal with these young players. Young players do go through consistency spells where they're high and low, but so do senior players. As long as you're open with them and you tell them as it is, then they'll go to war with you.
"It's all credit to Darren at the moment because he is in a good place. It's important I keep his feet on the ground but maintain the focus with him and he can maintain his own focus because when's he's like that and focused, he's very hard to play against."
Mattocks in full flow is certainly a handful for most defences in MLS. He just needs to work on that clinical finishing touch but he has shown, especially in his rookie season, that he is a player for the big occasion and they don't come too much bigger than the back to back games coming up against Seattle and Portland.
Robinson would certainly love to have him in his armoury for the battle at BC Place against the Sounders at the weekend. So is there a chance or is it just a game too soon?
"We'll look at it and evaluate it on Thursday," Robinson said on Monday. "I won't take a risk on Darren. If Darren's not ready then I won't push him into it but it would be nice to have him available."
With two big Cascadia Cup clashes now coming up Mattocks is desperate to play a part in the matches he describes as being that "little bit extra special", but he knows that rushing back too soon and risking further damage and missing more gametime does nothing to help him or the team in the long run.
That said, the Jamaican has made great inroads with his injury recovery and is feeling good.
"It's coming on. I'm being optimistic. I think it's where I want it to be. 15 days in, or something like that," Mattocks said after a light training session on Monday.
"I'm just going to take it day by day this week. Obviously I want to play in every game, but I'm not going to rush it. I don't want to try and come back too quickly and it sets me back for another couple of weeks. For me, it's just day by day and see how this week goes."
So how close to being ready does he feel he is?
"There is no pain. I haven't felt pain in the last five days. The guys on the medical staff have been doing a fantastic job trying to get me back. Got to give them credit. It's better than I expected.
"At this point I think my most important asset is will I be able to sprint full out and make sure I've turns? I've been there so far but let's see how the next couple of days in training goes.
"I'm being optimistic but I'm also being realistic that if that it's not ready by Saturday then it's just not ready."
Mattocks won't train on Tuesday and will do some light work on Wednesday. You have to feel that Seattle may just come a few days too soon. It would be a major surprise to see him take the field in that one, especially on turf, but Portland the week after is certainly a far more realistic proposition now.
For a player that always wants to play, it's been hard for Mattocks to sit out Vancouver's last three matches, which has seen the Caps' first away win of the season and a brave, but ultimately heartbreaking, two game series against Toronto.
He's been enjoying what he's seen as a spectator though.
"The guys have been phenomenal. A very young team over the last couple of games. To see the guys respond like that, especially in the return leg, over 120 minutes and into PKs, I think that shows the desire and the depth.
"I think we've got pretty good depth and that's what we need going forward into the season."