The Montreal Canadiens will have their new captain back with plenty of time to spare before the start of the regular season.

Head coach Michel Therrien told reporters on Wednesday that Max Pacioretty will be in the lineup on Thursday on a line with Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher when the Habs face the Ottawa Senators in their second-last pre-season game.

Pacioretty has missed most of the pre-season due to an off-ice knee injury sustained while training in Florida in July and was expected to need 12 weeks of recovery.

Montreal's first game of the regular season is next Wednesday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.

Pacioretty led the team with 37 goals and a career-high 67 points last season and added another five goals and two assists in 11 playoff games. It was his second straight season with more than 35 goals.