Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that forward Teuvo Teravainen will return to the lineup for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
Teravainen has not played since suffering a broken hand in Game 2 of Carolina’s first-round playoff series against the New York Islanders. The 28-year-old underwent surgery on April 20.
“He should be ready to go,” said Brind’Amour. “He gave me a thumbs up yesterday, and I think he was fine this morning, so you gotta get him in there…When he’s at his best, he’s an elite passer. He’s actually one of our better defenders. Great penalty killer, can obviously make plays, so you definitely want him in the lineup if he’s ready to go for sure.”
Teravainen played in 68 games for the Canes during the regular season, recording 12 goals, 25 assists, and 37 points. He was held scoreless through his two postseason appearances.
FanDuel Sportsbook currently has Carolina at -152 on the moneyline.