The veteran forward completed his first full practice in a regular jersey after missing nine games with a lower-body injury

TORONTO — NHL HOCKEY – John Tavares is expected to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs lineup Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens after completing a full practice in a regular jersey Friday.

The 36-year-old forward has missed nine games with a lower-body injury sustained Oct. 15 in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres. His return remains subject to final clearance, but both Tavares and the team indicated he was moving toward playing in the 7 p.m. ET rivalry game at Scotiabank Arena.

A new role on the wing

Tavares practised at left wing beside centre Nick Paul and right wing William Nylander. He has spent most of his Maple Leafs career at centre, but said his focus is on helping the team regardless of position.

Before the injury, Tavares had two goals and five assists in seven games. He has 1,192 points in 1,273 NHL regular-season games and has been one of Toronto’s most durable players, missing only 21 of a possible 635 regular-season games since joining the club before the 2018-19 season.

Toronto needs his strengths

The Maple Leafs are 8-7-2 and have lost three of their past four games. Coach Jim Hiller pointed to Tavares’ ability to win puck battles, extend offensive-zone shifts and get to the front of the net as areas Toronto needs to improve.

The timing is important. Saturday begins a five-game stretch against teams that entered the weekend in playoff positions. Montreal arrives at 10-3-3 after winning six of seven, including a 5-4 overtime victory over Utah on Thursday in captain Nick Suzuki’s return from injury.

What it means

Tavares gives Toronto another proven scoring option and a strong net-front presence for a demanding part of the schedule. Starting him on the wing may also allow the Maple Leafs to keep Paul in the middle while easing Tavares back into game action.

The club will still have to confirm his status after its medical and performance staff assess how he responded to Friday’s practice. If cleared, his return adds another layer to an early-season meeting between two Atlantic Division rivals.