Getty Images Vancouver center Ryan Kesler will play in his first regular season game of the year on Friday when the Canucks take on the Dallas Stars at Rogers Arena.
Kesler, 28, spent the offseason and lockout recovering from shoulder and wrist injuries — both of which required surgery — and returned to practice in a non-contact capacity last week.
On Thursday, Kesler doffed his non-contact jersey and skated on a line with Chris Higgins and Zack Kassian.
“I flipped AV’s coin and it said I’m playing,” Kesler told reporters on Friday, alluding to head coach Alain Vigneault’s ongoing joke that he flips a coin to decide which goalie to start on a nightly basis.
His return will be a huge boost to the Canucks lineup. The former 40-goal scorer had 22G-27A-49PTS last season while averaging over 20 minutes per contest.
Kesler represented the Canucks at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game and also won that year’s Frank J. Selke Award, given annually to the league’s top defensive forward.
To make room for Kesler, the Canucks put center Manny Malhotra on injured reserve yesterday, announcing that the 32-year-old veteran would not play for the remainder of the season.
Ryan Kesler: “I’m fully convinced it’s not too early. It’s pretty exciting for myself. It’s been a long road.” #canucks
— Elliott Pap (@ElliottPap) February 15, 2013
-
An apology was issued.
-
Discuss: Sharks take Game 4, even semifinal series against Kings
May 22, 2013, 12:54 AM EDT
Getty Images
Turning into a heck of a series.
-
Getty Images
Lots happening in this one. More highlights coming, by the way.
-
Getty Images
Been dealing with plenty of traffic in front of him all throughout playoffs.
-
Video: Kings’ Brown shaken up after collision with Sharks’ Marleau
May 21, 2013, 11:14 PM EDT
Getty Images
Does the league take a look at this?
-
Getty Images
Where did this scoring come from?
-
Getty Images
The comments are now open.
-
Getty Images
Both make their series debuts tonight.
-
That’s a long way up to do that.
-
Getty Images
This might be getting old to him by now.
-
AP
He was banged up roughly in Game 3.
-
Getty Images
A 13-percent rise from last year.
-
Getty Images
Off to a surprising 2-1 series lead over Chicago.
-
He’ll replace Peter Horachek, who was fired yesterday.
-
Now Stephane Roy says he doesn’t know if the Avs will hire his brother
May 21, 2013, 4:49 PM EDT
(His brother is Patrick Roy.)
-
Dallas to unveil new uniforms, make ‘significant announcement’ on June 4
May 21, 2013, 4:20 PM EDT
Ooooh, intrigue.
-
Getty Images
Meanwhile, Logan Couture says he’s “all good.”
-
Jackets GM Kekalainen: ‘I really don’t care’ if Johansen was unhappy in AHL
May 21, 2013, 4:01 PM EDT
Jarmo, talking tough.
-
Montreal’s 27-year-old defenseman was hurt in April while trying to hit Milan Lucic.
-
Must win? Sharks’ Boyle says series ‘has to be 2-2′ after tonight
May 21, 2013, 3:02 PM EDT
Getty Images
San Jose hasn’t lost at HP Pavilion this postseason.
