The Winnipeg Jets will have a shiny new addition to the lineup for Game 5 on Wednesday night.
Okay, he may not be glistening, but Gabe Vilardi will certainly give the Jets another option on offence, in the neutral zone and on the power play.
He may not provide Winnipeg with an immediate spark as he works his way back to playoff form, but Vilardi does have a heightened ceiling that the team has been missing since he went down with an upper-body injury on March 23.
Working his way back into the lineup through individual strength and conditioning sessions, physiotherapy, massage and other off-ice regiments were the first step.
Skating solo was the next, followed by his insertion into practices. It was time spent in a non-contact sweater at first, before he switched into a regular jersey to initiate contact and physical altercations in practice.
He was cleared in advance of Sunday's Game 4 for a return to action. He was deemed a game-time decision and even took warmups prior to puck drop in St. Louis, but he did not participate in the team line rushes and was held out of the contest.
His presence continued to be missed, as Winnipeg fell 5-1 to the Blues, which knotted the best-of-seven series up at twos.
On Tuesday, both Vilardi and head coach Scott Arniel confirmed the top-line winger would return to regular duties for Game 5, marking the conclusion of his 15-game injury absence.
"I’m hopeful to make a big impact," Vilardi said Tuesday. "I don’t know. I have to go out there, I’m not going to be superman or anything like that. I’m just going to go play and hopefully I can help those two out and help the team out.
"Hopefully we can get back and get a win tomorrow. But I’m not thinking too much about stuff like that. just going in there, playing my game and hopefully making some good plays out there."
Still without Nikolaj Ehlers, who continues to work his way back from a lower-body injury suffered in early-April, Winnipeg's strength and conditioning coach Jake Wolff took a light twirl with the usually speedy forward prior to the start of Jets' practice on Tuesday.
It was the first official sighting of Ehlers since getting tangled up with a linesman vs. Chicago, to which the 29-year-old was unable to put any pressure on his injured leg.
Having just returned to the lineup after missing two games with a lower-body injury, the initial thought was a re-aggravation to that injury. Sources later indicated damage to Ehlers' tibia from the collision - unrelated to the previous injury. On Tuesday, Arniel revealed that Ehlers had actually skated already prior to Tuesday morning's appearance, but still has considerable time from making his return to the lineup.
Whether or not the injury pertains to the foot, the leg, the muscle, tendons or other pieces of the puzzle, the fact that he is on skates just over two weeks after going down in considerable pain is a very positive sign. Should the injury be a crack along the tibia, his recovery would appear to be well ahead of schedule. If it is just a soft tissue problem, he is likely on pace.
Originally given the glum prognosis from Arniel that he was still 'a ways away' just last week. this recent development may even have Ehlers ready for a return at some point in the second round, should the Jets find their way past the Blues. A four-week recovery is likely still the goal for the Danish speedster.
He will begin wearing a non-contact jersey Tuesday and onward.
“He will be in a yellow jersey tomorrow... Somehow he snuck out in a white one today," Arniel laughed. “He'll be on the ice tomorrow with us, and in a yellow (jersey).”