Injured Rakell rejoins Ducks

IRVINE >> Rickard Rakell returned to the ice Wednesday and skated with his teammates for the first time since suffering an upper-body injury during the

Ducks’ overtime loss Oct.

28 to the Buffalo Sabres. He participated in a limited part of the practice, performing a series of non-contact drills before departing.

They were the first positive steps for Rakell, who has been sidelined for nine games and isn’t expected to play tonight, when the Ducks play host to the Carolina Hurricanes and seek an extension of their eight-game winning streak. It’s uncertain when Rakell might play again.

“As soon as you see them on the ice with their teammates, they’re getting closer,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “It’s just time. I asked him the other day, ‘How long have you been out?’ He said, ‘Three weeks.’ It seems like he’s been out for six or eight. It always seems like they’ve been out longer when they’re so valuable to your team. He’s right on time. He might be ahead.”

Eakins said he wasn’t sure where he might slot Rakell when he is sound enough to play again. Rakell, a right wing, formed a productive pairing with rookie center Trevor Zegras, scoring four goals in eight games before he was hurt. They could be reunited, forming a line with Sonny Milano.

“In my head, he was doing great there in that slot,” Eakins said of Rakell. “It not only gives us another scorer there, but a really responsible player. There’s been three really good pairs: (Ryan) Getzlaf and (Troy) Terry, (Isac) Lundestrom and (Jakob) Silfverberg and Zegras and Rakell.

“We’ve got good options.”

No fun league

Referees Michael Markovic and Ghislain Hebert didn’t let Zegras get away with tossing his stick into the crowd in celebration of his game-winning goal in overtime Tuesday. Zegras was given a 10-minute misconduct for repeating Jack Hughes’ OT stick toss for New Jersey on Oct. 15.

Eakins said he didn’t see the point of penalizing Zegras for violating the NHL’s rule against throwing equipment into the crowd, and that Markovic and Hebert should have used better discretion and looked the other way. Hughes wasn’t penalized by referees Chris Rooney and Kevin Pollock.

“I know they’re calling the rules, but I think there’s a big difference between chucking a stick in the stands because you’re frustrated and mad and maybe in enemy territory,” Eakins said. “After the game, we go out and hand out sticks. In warmup, I see guys tossing pucks over the glass.

“I think there’s a big difference in what the player is trying to accomplish. What he did was no different, to me, than when they hand over those sticks during the three stars. It’s no different than tossing pucks over during warmup. It’s a big difference when a guy turns and chucks his stick. Or shoots a puck into the stands on purpose.

“But I do understand. The refs are doing their best. Hey, that’s a rule. We’ve got to enforce it. That’s the league. They’ve got to enforce certain things. But I do think there’s a big difference in what’s going on. We’re handing out sticks. We’re tossing pucks into the crowd before and after the game.

“The kid just ended the game. The game is over.”