Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov took part in a full team practice Sunday afternoon in a yellow, non-contact jersey.
It's the first time the Canes' Russian star has been on the ice with the team since his last game on Jan. 19 against the Detroit Red Wings.
"I'm still not there yet," Svechnikov said after practice. "Just taking it day-by-day and we'll see if I'll be ready for our next game."
When asked if he felt like he'd be ready in the next week or so, Svechnikov seemed confident that it wouldn't be that long.
"Hopefully it's going to take a shorter time," Svechnikov said. "Like I said, I'm just going day-by-day and hopefully it'll be better tomorrow. Every day it's gotten better. We'll see."
"I was hoping that he'd be 100% and ready to go, but obviously he's not quite there yet," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour. "So I guess it's day-to-day with him."
According to Svechnikov, the injury, which is to his side muscle, was a new one and unrelated to any of his previous ones.
"It's a tough one," Svechnikov said. "Can't really skate or shoot. Movement stuff. So it's kind of hard. Just trying to work out and stay in shape and try to get back to it."
Svechnikov isn't quite sure what happened to cause his injury, but he did say that he noticed it in the second period of the Detroit game.
"I don't know how it happened, to be honest," Svechnikov said. "Just randomly, as I came off from a shift, I felt it and thought, 'That's kind of weird,' and after a couple of shifts I was like, 'Yeah, it's kind of hurting me.'"
Despite realizing it halfway through the game, Svechnikov still went on to finish the game, scoring the game-winning goal in the third period.
It's been a tough year for Svechnikov who is already dealing with his third injury of the season.
"Very frustrated, but there's nothing I can do," Svechnikov said. "I cannot control it. Hopefully it's going to turn the other way."
Carolina will hope his fortunes do turn the other way as when he's been available, the Russian star has been fantastic with 11 goals and 30 points in 29 games.
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