According to Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis, injured forward Daniel Sedin should be ready to return to the lineup for the opening of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Sedin suffered a concussion on March 21 when Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Duncan Keith elbowed him in the head. Consequently, Keith was handed a five-game suspension for his actions.
"It's risky to make projections with these things because one day the player just may not feel right, but he's going in the right direction," Gillis told The Vancouver Sun. "He's feeling a little better each day. We're hopeful if things keep going the way they are that he'll be available [for the first round]."
According to The Sun, Sedin has been resting and getting treatment, including on his neck, and his post-concussion symptoms have been improving.
Defenceman Keith Ballard, out since early February with a concussion and neck injury, is also aiming to return for the start of the playoffs.
"We all know how badly those two guys want to play," Gillis told The Sun. "Daniel's on the right track."
