RALEIGH, NC. - For the first time in 230 days, Andrei Svechnikov is back in the Carolina Hurricanes' lineup.
Finally ready to make his return after an ACL injury suffered on March 11 against the Vegas Golden Knights, the 2023 All-Star is expected to add a big boost to a lineup that has had its share of struggles out of the gate.
"He's a big part of our team and you know when he's on the ice. It's something that we've been missing, for sure," Rod Brind'Amour said when he met with the media pre-game.
Confirming that Brendan Lemieux will be the odd man out to make way for Svechnikov, it is expected that #37 will slot in alongside Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen, to start.
Easing into the lineup, Brind'Amour said that he's not married to keeping the star winger anywhere, and where he'll play depends on how he feels as the game goes on.
In the crease, Antti Raanta will be back between the pipes for the first time in eight days.
32 is hoping for a bounce-back performance after being pulled from his most recent start, last Thursday in Seattle. The veteran netminder, should, however, enter tonight's contest with some confidence, having earned the win over these same San Jose Sharks last Thursday.
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Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Teravainen - Aho - Jarvis
Bunting - Kotkaniemi - Necas
Martinook - Staal - Fast
Svechnikov - Drury - Noesen
Defense
Slavin - Burns
Skjei - DeAngelo
Orlov - Chatfield
Goaltenders
Raanta
Andersen
Injuries
Brett Pesce (Lower-Body)
Healthy Scratches
Dylan Coghlan
Brendan Lemieux
