Tarasenko missed 10 games after being hit in the head by Avalanche forward Mark Olver on Feb. 20 in Colorado. He had been experiencing concussion-like symptoms but has been skating with the team for the past week.

“I’m not sure what we’re going to get, but we’ve got to get him back in and playing to make him part of the team again,” Ken Hitchcock said after Saturday’s morning skate. “He was a very good player for us, obviously.

"We’re not sure how much we’re going to play him, how much we’re going to play him on the power play, but he was an awful good player until he got injured, so hopefully we can get him up and running again and get him back to where he was before.”

Tarasenko played on a line with Vladimir Sobotka and Jaden Schwartz on Saturday.

“I need a couple games, maybe one game, to remember the speed, passing and timing,” Tarasenko said before the game. “It’s an unbelievable feeling…I’m real happy to come back.”

In 17 games prior to the injury, Tarasenko had six goals and six assists (12 points).

He was named the NHL Rookie of the Month for January.