Forsberg could return for Predators on Tuesday

NASHVILLE -- Forward Filip Forsberg could return to the lineup when the Nashville Predators host the Chicago Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, after missing 10 games with an upper-body injury.
Forsberg, who was injured in a 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 29, skated without a non-contact jersey for the first time since the injury, on a line with Ryan Johansen and Victor Arvidsson at practice Monday.

"It feels good, it feels good," Forsberg said. "But at the same time, [playing Tuesday isn't] entirely up to me."
The Predators originally gave a 4-6 week timeline for recovery and Monday was exactly one month from the date he sustained the injury.
"It was a good day for him today at practice," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "We took the [non-contact] jersey off of him. It's really the first time that he's had an opportunity to do that. He looked good, but we'll talk after practice here and see where he's at."
Forsberg is tied with Arvidsson and Craig Smith for the team lead with 15 goals and is second on the team with 34 points in 37 games played.

"He's a big part of our team," Laviolette said. "He's a big piece. He's been our top scorer for a few years now and a guy who makes a difference scoring goals and making plays, taking down the minutes that he does. So when that day comes, we'll be happy to have him back."
Nashville, which has gone 7-2-1 in Forsberg's absence, is 29-11-7, one point behind the Winnipeg Jets with three games in hand for first place in the Central Division. Forsberg played in 325 consecutive games before his injury, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and hadn't missed a game since April 13, 2014.
"It's not fun to sit out but at the me time, I've been fortunate to play a lot of games in a row," Forsberg said. "Obviously it wasn't fun but at the same time, guys played unbelievable and that made it a lot easier."
Nashville had a week between games from Jan. 9-16 and was off for the All-Star break this weekend.
"Not that I planned on it, but it could have been a way different time at least," Forsberg said. "We had eight days off in whatever weeks it's been since I've been hurt. It couldn't have been better timing, for sure."
If Forsberg is able to return against the Blackhawks, the Predators will have all of their players available to them for the first time this season. Defenseman Ryan Ellis missed the first 38 games of the season and played four days after Forsberg's injury.
"Teams go through stuff like this up and down throughout the year, and obviously we've been playing well through injuries," Forsberg said. "We played well when [Ellis] was hurt. We played well when everyone's been hurt, and obviously guys have played unbelievable now since I've been hurt. That proves that we're a really good team and it's not about one guy."