RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes will get a lineup boost for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, as winger Teuvo Teravainen is expected to return from injury.
Teravainen, 28, broke his hand on a slash from New York Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau in Game 2 of their first-round series. He had surgery to repair the hand and missed the remainder of that series and the Hurricanes' six-game second-round series win over the New Jersey Devils.
There were encouraging signs for his progress this week. On Monday, he shed his no-contact jersey and participated in a full practice. Then it became a matter of whether the hand was rehabbed enough to play.
"I'm not going to throw him in if he can't shoot," coach Rod Brind'Amour said.
Teravainen was an active participant in the Hurricanes' morning skate ahead of Thursday's Game 1 against the Florida Panthers. He took line rushes with center Eric Staal and winger Martin Necas.
"He should be ready to go. He gave me a thumbs-up yesterday, and I think he was fine this morning. We've got to get him in," Brind'Amour said.
The coach said Teravainen is an elite passer and "one of our better defenders."
Teravainen had 12 goals and 25 assists in 68 games this season and was scoreless in two playoff games.
There were concerns that the Hurricanes' offense would suffer with Teravainen joining scoring wingers Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty out of the lineup with injuries. But Carolina is fourth in the postseason goals per game (3.64).