Michael Hutchinson - also sidelined with a concussion - skated by himself this morning for the first time since sustaining the injury Mar. 13 against Nashville.
"He's got a test in the next couple of days - he's got to pass it - before he can start taking shots," said Maurice. "If he passes it, then we'll start having some pucks go his way."
Speaking of goaltenders, Steve Mason is also getting close to returning to the ice after having his knee scoped a few days after shutting out the New York Rangers on Mar. 6.
"Mason will skate in the next couple of days. There's not a healing time that we need in terms of the injury itself," said Maurice. "You have to heal off the scope. In the next few days we're hoping he gets back on the ice."
Jack Roslovic didn't practice on Thursday. The 21-year-old was under the weather, and his availability for Friday against Anaheim depends on how Roslovic feels in the morning.
"He's about the seventh or eighth guy we've dealt with on that," Maurice said. "If he feels strong tonight and he feels good tomorrow morning, he'll be in. If he doesn't, he won't.
"We've had a bunch of guys play that next day. They haven't been flying, but it's possible."
As for Laine, Maurice has ruled him out for Friday's game. The coach also said he isn't "shooting for" Sunday's game against Nashville as a possible return date either.
"We'll see. … We don't know how quickly these things drain. It's not really about pain tolerance. The way we're going right now, we don't want him hobbling around the ice," Maurice said.
"As soon as he can put his foot back in the boot and skate, he'll be back playing."
Nikolaj Ehlers shed some light on how his teammate, and good friend, is handling the injury.
"He's not happy. But I think he's going to spend his time doing something that makes him happy too, playing video games," said Ehlers.
"It sucks. Being injured is never fun. But he took one for the team, and he'll be fine."
