Andreoff recovering well from thumb surgery, could play next week

Andy Andreoff’s second period departure from the October 30 game in Chicago was a little bit of a mystery. It wasn’t easy to discern where exactly he had suffered what was described as an “upper-body” injury, and how long it would keep him out of action.

As it turns out, the forward entered a corner in the second period and attempted to finish a check on a Blackhawk but did so awkwardly.

“I guess I just kind of jammed it, and it ended up being a lot worse when I took my glove off,” said Andreoff, who had dislocated his thumb and tore a ligament. “Surgery went well. They did a great job. I’m on a fast track right now, so it’s good.”

He certainly is. Though Darryl Sutter told reporters 12 days ago that he was amongst a group of players that was roughly four-to-seven weeks away from playing, Andreoff’s return could come earlier, once he earns a spot back in the lineup.

“I’m getting better every day,” he said. “It looks like I should be able to be cleared for next week, [Wednesday’s] game [against the] New York [Islanders]. I think a couple more conditioning practices, and I should be ready to go.”

The 25-year-old had been skating at Toyota Sports Center while his teammates were on the road.

“It started with a little bit of stickhandling,” he said. “I have a little splint on right now, so a little bit of stickhandling last Thursday, and working my way up to a little bit of shooting, and then shooting a little harder, and then today was a pretty full, really good practice – a lot of shooting, a lot of stickhandling, a lot of skating – so I think the main thing right now is just getting my timing and my conditioning back and then I should be good to go.”

That, again, could be next week.

“Yeah, it looks like it,” he said. “We’ll see how the team’s doing and everything. I’ve still got to get back in the lineup and see how everything’s going.”

Scoreless in nine games this season, Andreoff has 10 goals and 13 points in 87 career games, all with Los Angeles.

“I think [I’ll need] just a couple good practices with the team, getting the conditioning back, and I’ll be good to go.”