Two Hurricanes sidelined by injuries rejoin practice, igniting hope for their swift return to the ice.
The Carolina Hurricanes had a bit of good news on Friday as both Charles Alexis Legault and Noah Philp both returned to practice following extended injury absences.
Legault, 22, appeared in eight games for the Hurricanes this season before a gruesome injury to his hand shut him down for multiple months.
The physical blueliner was fighting Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann when he fell and sliced his hand open on a skate on Nov. 9.
Legault then had surgery on Nov. 11 to repair the tendons in his right hand and was given a 3-4 month timeline for recovery.
He's been in Raleigh ever since and while he's been skating, he hasn't been able to practice with the team until today.
"Those injuries just take time to heal," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour when asked if Legault was ahead of schedule. "He's been skating for months just hasn't been out there with a puck or anything. When they give him the green light to go, which I think is just a timing thing, it shouldn't be long after that [before he's fully back]."
Philp, 27, was claimed off of waivers by Carolina from Edmonton on Dec. 29.
The centerman then played in just two games before suffering another concussion on Jan. 6, which has sidelined him since.
However, it's a good sign that he was back on the ice, albeit also in a yellow, non-contact jersey.
Brind'Amour also gave more updates on forward Eric Robinson and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who have both been out of the lineup as well.
Robinson, who was injured on Monday against Buffalo, isn't expected to be available until after the Olympic break and Gostisbehere, who's missed the last four games with lingering injury issues, could potentially return before the break.
"I was hoping he's be in the lineup earlier, but obviously with an issue like that, you have to let it totally, 100% heal because it just seems to be reoccurring," Brind'Amour said.
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