Good news for Ducks all around
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Bruising defenseman Francois Beauchemin, out of the Ducks’ lineup since he suffered a knee injury that required surgery in mid-November, and fellow defenseman Bret Hedican, who has missed 17 games because of back spasms, are close to returning and might be in uniform Friday when the Ducks play Dallas at the Honda Center.
Their return could provide a boost for the Ducks’ playoff hopes, which rest on the outcome of the season’s final games.
‘Beauchemin and Hedican have taken some steps forward and they’re possibilities for the weekend,’ Coach Randy Carlyle said Tuesday after putting his team through a grueling practice at the Honda Center.
For Beauchemin, playing Friday or at Phoenix on Saturday would represent a slightly early return from a debilitating injury. If Beauchemin doesn’t play, Carlyle said, ‘It won’t be because of lack of conditioning from his perspective. It will be because of lack of timing or not enough practice time. Right now he’s probably in the best shape of his life. He’s worked extremely hard.’
Beauchemin and Hedican were paired in practice Tuesday and emerged none the worse for wear.
‘I met with the doctor Sunday and we came to the conclusion that I can go hard this week and if there is no soreness and no setback maybe a possibility I can play this weekend,’ Beauchemin said.
‘It’s still going to be hard going to the playoffs, even if I play one game. You don’t get your game conditioning back in one game, but at least I would have the feeling of the regular season of how my knee would react and I would have an idea of what it would feel like. Hopefully everything goes well this week and I could get a game or two this weekend.’
Hedican was a bit more cautious, saying he wanted to see how his back feels tonight before looking ahead to the season’s last two games. ‘I’m just trying to build one day at a time,’ he said. ‘The only thing I’m thinking about right now is trying to get back in there to help at the level I know I can help at.’
Two more items:
- A league spokesman said there will be no supplementary discipline imposed against the Ducks or Sharks for the scuffle at the end of San Jose’s 3-2 victory Sunday.
- The Ducks announced they have signed right wing Dan Sexton of Bowling Green to a two-year entry-level contract. In 38 games this season he had 17 goals and 39 points with 20 penalty minutes.
More later at www.latimes.com/sports.
-- Helene Elliott