Top 2015 NHL Draft prospect Connor McDavid was a full participant at Canada practice Monday as preparations continued for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, according to TSN.
Canada is working out at Meridian Center in St. Catharines, Ontario.
It was McDavid's first practice since he broke his right hand in a fight Nov. 11 playing with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.
The original estimate was that McDavid would be out five to six weeks; Tuesday will be five weeks since the injury.
Canada hopes the high-scoring center will be ready for the opener of the WJC; Canada plays Slovakia on Dec. 26. There's a chance McDavid could play in an exhibition game; Canada plays Russia on Friday and Sweden on Dec. 22.
At the time McDavid was injured he was leading the OHL with 51 points in 18 games; despite not playing in more than a month he's now fifth in scoring. The 6-foot, 195-pound center earned an A rating from NHL Central Scouting on its November players to watch list and is expected to be one of the first two players picked at the 2015 draft.
McDavid also is expected to play a major role for Canada at the 2015 WJC. He had one goal and four points for Canada at the 2014 WJC as the sixth 16-year-old to play for Canada at the tournament.
At practice Monday, McDavid was centering a line with Nicolas Petan (Winnipeg Jets) and Robby Fabbri (St. Louis Blues).
Other lines Monday saw Sam Reinhart (Buffalo Sabres) between Anthony Duclair (New York Rangers) and Max Domi (Arizona Coyotes); Frederik Gauthier (Toronto Maple Leafs) with Jake Virtanen (Vancouver Canucks) and Lawson Crouse (2015 draft eligible); Nicholas Paul (Ottawa Senators) centering Nick Ritchie (Anaheim Ducks) and Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning); and Jason Dickinson (Dallas Stars) between Michael Dal Colle (New York Islanders) and Rourke Chartier (San Jose Sharks).
On defense the pairings were Darnell Nurse (Edmonton Oilers) and Shea Theodore (Anaheim Ducks); Samuel Morin (Philadelphia Flyers) and Madison Bowey (Washington Capitals); Joshua Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets) and Haydn Fleury (Carolina Hurricanes); and Dillon Heatherington (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Joe Hicketts (Detroit Red Wings).
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