Arizona Coyotes: Christian Dvorak could be close to returning
By James Reeve
The Arizona Coyotes have been without Christian Dvorak for the entire season so far, but it looks as if he is close to finally making a return.
Christian Dvorak has not yet taken to the ice for the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018/19 season, but he recently returned as a full participant to the team’s practices.
The former London Knights star has been in injured reserve since late September after undergoing surgery for a pectoral injury.
It was expected that he would miss the entire season, but it appears that the 23-year-old may be ready to return in time for the team’s final regular season stretch.
Christian Dvorak is skating without a non-contact jersey at the morning skate
— Craig Morgan (@CraigSMorgan) February 7, 2019
Per The Athletic’s Craig Morgan, Dvorak has skated with the Coyotes this week and is no longer wearing a non-contact jersey.
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This change could signal that Dvorak is ready to play for the Coyotes, though it is more than likely that he will be given a conditioning stint to bring his game-readiness up to scratch.
The Coyotes’ second-round pick in the 2014 draft has played sparingly in the AHL before, when the team’s affiliates were the Portland Pirates, but has predominantly been a main fixture of the NHL club since 2016.
Dvorak has registered back-to-back 15-goal seasons with the Arizona Coyotes and is a key piece to Rick Tocchet’s puzzle, so having him back on the ice will be a huge boost.
Sending the Illinois native down to Tucson would be a smart move by the organisation, ensuring he gets plenty of minutes in the minors to build up his strength with a view to having him back in the Coyotes line-up within a couple of weeks.
The Roadrunners would benefit from having Dvorak with them for a few games, getting a solid NHL player for a handful of games to help continue the team’s strong seasons to date.
While it is still early days in Dvorak’s return, there will be plenty of hope that he will be in an Arizona Coyotes jersey far sooner than originally expected.
Next. Kyle Capobianco out for the season. dark
What do think of this positive news? Should Dvorak have a conditioning stint to help him return to action? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!