Lynn, the Highlanders midfield back who played every minute for the side last season, is on the road to recovery after a nasty neck injury had him questioning his playing future.
Lynn was cleaned out at a ruck by All Black prop Ben Franks in the first pre-season match of the season against the Crusaders in Greymouth early last month.
Not surprisingly, Lynn came off second best to the rugged Franks.
"I never felt any crack and never lost any feeling. But once I got off and they had a look at it, I knew it wasn't good," Lynn said.
He had fractured the C7 bone at the base of his neck and, for the next 10 days, did not know where his future lay.
He could barely move his neck and exercise was out of the equation.
"It was pretty scary. When I first found out I had broken something in my neck, I thought it would be all over. So I took it pretty seriously."
But Lynn saw his surgeon and the diagnosis was more sunshine than rain.
"He is feeling positive about it and it should not affect my function at all.
"This is pretty much the ideal spot to fracture my neck, which sort of seems hard to believe. Once it is healed it is healed and I shouldn't have any problems with it.
"Now, I'm back running and what I can do is very much pain-dependent. I got a baseline with my strength in my neck from when we got tested back in November, so I know where I have to get back to."
He was aiming for three sessions a week with a muscle therapist, along with liaising with medical staff, and hopes he will be back on the field sooner rather than later.
"I'm not rushing it to get back out there. I want to get it right. But I'm hoping to be back about the time we go to Africa. That is pretty much halfway through the round robin.
"Because it is such a long season, I have still got plenty of time to make a comeback and get back in there.
"Last year we got off to a flier. One thing, though, that we have learned is you have to have a big squad. To go deep in this competition you need to have plenty of players. With the guys we've had injured they can come back in and be a bit of a spark and bring some enthusiasm to the squad."
Lynn was joined in the backs casualty ward by Shaun Treeby (knee), Siale Piutau (ankle) and Kade Poki (knee), while Chris Noakes (ankle) has also been hobbled. Colin Slade has just got back on to the field after troubles with a groin and hernia.
So Lynn has not exactly been struggling for company while watching in the stands.
"The boys are going awesome. Last weekend, we were right down behind the bench and the noise was just amazing. The guys get a real kick out of it."
Lynn is coming off contract with Southland but is looking no further ahead than getting back on the field for the Highlanders.
Lynn has already had one highlight this year - he got married to Rebecca (nee McDowell) at the start of the year.
But with flatmates Phil Burleigh and Josh Bekhuis living with the couple, his new wife finds she is outnumbered around the house. Throw in James Haskell living nearby and the new Mrs Lynn is the odd one out in the household.
"She's been great about it. But Phil has been real value to the flat. He's keen to cook and clean."
Kendrick Lynn
At a glance
Age: 29.
Position: Midfield/outside back.
Born: Tokoroa, Waikato.
Educated: St Peter's College, Cambridge, University of Otago.
Highlanders: 34 caps.
Province: Southland, 52 caps.
Super rugby debut: v Hurricanes, 2009.
New Zealand sevens team: 2008.