Matt Duchene will return to the lineup against the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, NHL.TV).
The forward missed 22 games with a lower-body injury. He has scored eight points (three goals, five assists) in 23 games.
"It's play fast, tenacious, he's got to skate on the forecheck, he's got to win puck battles, he's got to reload and track above pucks if there is a loss of possession in the offensive zone," coach John Hynes said Saturday. "When you're called upon to defend, there is commitment to detail in your game. That's what we're looking for him to do."
Nashville, which was 10-13-0 when Duchene got injured, has gone 14-7-1 without him.
"The team is playing differently than when Matt was playing when he got hurt," Hynes said. "There is a different level of commitment to the way we want to play, particularly with our forward group."
Nashville (24-20-1) is fourth in the eight-team Discover Central Division, four points ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks. The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. -- Kurt Dusterberg