Bennett, Montour Close to Returning to the Florida Panthers

SUNRISE — Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice said that Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour could return from their respective injuries during their California road trip next week.

Ekblad and Montour have been out of the Florida lineup since the start of the season after having shoulder surgery in the offseason.

Maurice said his two star defensemen would most likely return for the final game of the road trip against the Anaheim Ducks next Friday, if they return before the team returns from the trip. 

“We are not putting five months into this to bring him back a day early,” Maurice said.

“We are going to be as comfortable and confident that they are ready to go… It’d be a chance for one, possibly two. I wouldn’t put them in at the start of a back to-back so it may only be one, but we’re in the 10-day window where I think we are going to see these guys back.”

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Bennett, who has played one period this season after sustaining an injury to the same leg he injured during the preseason in Boston on Oct. 30, could be back even sooner.

He practiced with the main group for the first time since the injury on Friday and could be back in the lineup as soon as Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Bennett will not be in the lineup Friday night against the Carolina Hurricanes.

“He is going to get a full, hard practice in tomorrow, and he feels good today, so if he feels good coming off that, it’ll be up to the medical people and him to decide what game he wants,” Maurice said.

“There is a chance it would be Chicago, but I doubt that. I think because of what happened I think we are going to sit back and give him at least one more day, but he is going to be on that road trip for sure.”