Columbus Blue Jackets star Patrik Laine is on track to return to the lineup Thursday against the Nashville Predators, head coach Brad Larsen announced.
Laine has only appeared in nine games this season and last played Nov. 3. He was initially out of the lineup while recovering from an oblique injury but that rehab was interrupted by the death of his father. Laine travelled home to Finland to be with family and rejoined his teammates shortly before the NHL paused team activities due to rising COVID-19 cases.
“It’s just up to the coach when he wants to put me back in,” Laine said Monday. “I’ve been feeling really good the last week, week-and-a-half, but I feel ready to go.”
In addition to Laine’s return, Larsen said the Blue Jackets may have some other regulars back in the lineup depending on how the day’s COVID-19 tests go. Among those players are captain Boone Jenner — who was in protocol — and defenceman Adam Boqvist, who missed most of the month of December with an upper-body injury. Elvis Merzlikins will start in net for the Blue Jackets while forward Emil Bemstrom is on track to make his season debut.
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