Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov is expected to be back in the lineup Friday when the Canes host the Montreal Canadiens.
Svechnikov, 25, has missed the team’s last six games due to an upper-body injury suffered on March 9 against the Winnipeg Jets.
"I just got crunched and hurt my upper-body a little bit," Svechnikov said. "It's just been tight all these days as there's lot of muscles and stuff going on. Just been tight and sore most of the days, but it's kind of going away."
"The doctor said two to three weeks and I said, 'No. No way that's gonna happen,' but that's how it ended up. I should have listened to doctors."
While Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour hoped the Russian winger would have been ready at some point on Carolina’s three-game California road trip, it just wasn’t in the cards and neither was it when they returned home to host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday either.
“We’re at a point now where he probably could have went [Tuesday], but just the way that he hasn’t had a really good practice, the way that travel was, it just didn’t feel like [Tuesday] would be the right night," Brind'Amour said.
“But I would anticipate, if everything keeps going the right direction, that he’d be in next game.”
Svechnikov was once again taking part in a full practice with the Hurricanes on Thursday, however, this time he was back skating on a line and taking part in power play work as well.
"We'll see tomorrow," Svechnikov said. "Should be ready. Felt good today and the last couple of days. Hopefully, you know?"
The winger was skating on the fourth line alongside Mark Jankowski and Eric Robinson at Thursday's practice, but that won't be where he primarily plays according to Brind'Amour.
"I don't know where I'm going to end up sticking him, but he's definitely not going to be where I had him today, but I just have to make sure he's fine," Brind'Amour said. "He's been out for a while so maybe you start him there for a few shifts, a period or two, a game or two, who knows until we figure all the other stuff out. You have to get him going first."
So it does seem that, barring any major setback, Svechnikov is indeed in line to return to the Canes lineup, where he will provide a good boost.
The 6-foot-3 power forward has 18 goals, 43 points and 131 hits in 63 games this season.
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