ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle, out since Oct. 5 with a sprained knee, took part in his first morning skate since the injury Thursday as the Wild prepared for their game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Xcel Energy Center.
Wild coach Mike Yeo said Coyle skating with the team Thursday was another positive step in Coyle's rehabilitation of the injury sustained against the Anaheim Ducks in Minnesota's second game of the season.
"It's a good first step. I don't think he's too far away," Yeo said. "We've held our head above water with him out, but we haven't exactly dominated this last little stretch. But that's a big loss for us and we're anxious to get him back."
Coyle will not play Thursday, and Yeo said he'll need to see Coyle take part in a couple of practices before putting him back into a game situation. With no setbacks that could still be a week or two away.
"He's going up and down the ice right now but there's no battle," Yeo said.
Coyle skated for the first time this week and it was announced Wednesday that he would skate with the team Thursday morning. He said gaining confidence in the knee will be his biggest challenge as he continues to get closer to playing in games again.
"Not worrying about the injury, that's why I want to be 100 percent when I get back out there," Coyle said. "I can take my mind off it and focus on the game and helping my team win."
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.