Forward Tyler Pitlick will be back in action when the Montreal Canadiens face the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday in Raleigh.
This was confirmed by the team’s interim head coach, Martin St-Louis, at a press conference on Wednesday.
Pitlick has missed the Habs’ last two games with an upper-body injury.
Acquired on February 14 in the transaction that sent Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames, Pitlick was limited to just over one meeting with the Montreal team.
He played his first game last Thursday against the Florida Panthers after recovering from an undisclosed injury. He then fell in action on his second appearance on the ice, when he took a body check from Ilya Lyubushikin during the first period of the Canadiens’ future victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Pitlick has two assists in 27 games this season. He has 86 points in 313 career NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, Flames and Canadiens.
Forward Ryan Poehling also practiced with his teammates at the PNC Arena, but St. Louis said he’s not ready to return to action just yet.
Poehling has been sidelined since March 13, when he suffered an upper-body injury in a 4-3 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
In 45 games this season, Poehling has five goals and seven assists.
Reintegration “Plan”
Meanwhile, forward Jake Evans did not practice a day after suffering an upper-body injury in the Habs’ 7-4 loss to the Panthers.
For his part, defenseman Jordan Harris, who signed a rookie contract with the Canadiens on Saturday after a four-year internship at Northeastern University, took part in a first training session with his new teammates.
St. Louis said he has a “plan” to gradually integrate Harris into the roster. He didn’t say when he might play his first NHL game.
Team 2018 third-round pick, 71and in total, Harris had five goals and fifteen assists in 39 games this winter with the Northeastern Huskies. He was the team captain this season.
Harris participated in the World Junior Hockey Championship in 2020. The United States had been eliminated in the quarterfinals.