Injured Calvert nears return

Blue Jackets left wing Matt Calvert participated in a full practice Thursday for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury Nov. 4, and he is close to returning to the lineup.

“We’re kind of at that stage where it’s day-today,” Calvert said. “You do a hard practice, you wake up (Friday) morning, see how you feel, and you re-evaluate then.”

Calvert probably won’t play Friday against the Anaheim Ducks at Nationwide Arena because he wasn’t on a forward line full time during rushes Thursday, but Saturday’s game at the Washington Capitals is a possibility. Coach John Tortorella noted that Calvert “did some battling” in practice, but Tortorella wasn’t sure when Calvert will return.

Regardless, “it feels great” to skate with teammates again, Calvert said. “It gets a little lonely when you’re out. As much as you don’t want guys out with you, I had (Alexander) Wennberg for about a week or so, and (Lukas Sedlak). But when you’re by yourself, it gets pretty lonely.”

Calvert, who has missed 11 games, was injured in the third period at Tampa Bay when Dan Girardi dealt him a shoulder-to-shoulder blow that knocked off Calvert’s helmet and sent him crashing onto the ice. The Jackets placed Calvert on injured reserve two days later and announced that he’d be out three to four weeks.

Tortorella deemed the hit clean at the time. Calvert concurred Thursday, saying he should have had his head up more before “one of the harder hits I’ve ever had in my career.”

Calvert has three goals, five assists and a plus-3 rating in 14 games. Before his injury, he had been “our best 200-foot player all year long,” Tortorella said.

Murray misses practice

Defenseman Ryan Murray didn’t practice after sitting out Tuesday’s game against Carolina because of an upper-body injury. Scott Harrington, who filled in for Murray as Markus Nutivaara’s partner, is expected to play again against the Ducks.

Tortorella said the Jackets will carry seven defensemen for the second half of this weekend’s back-toback, meaning there will be a minor-league call-up if Murray is unavailable.

Praise for Schroeder

Tortorella said he had “a long conversation” with Jordan Schroeder before the forward was sent back to Cleveland on Wednesday, and the coach encouraged him to remain positive despite the demotion. “I’m really excited about how he played,” Tortorella said.