Emerson Expected to Return Tonight

Nelson Emerson, sidelined since suffering a concussion in a Sept. 29 exhibition game against the Colorado Avalanche, is expected to make his season debut tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“I’m really eager,” said the veteran winger, who rebounded from one of his least productive seasons to be one of the Kings’ most effective forwards during the playoffs last spring. “But with a head injury you’ve got to be very careful.”

Emerson, 34, said that he has suffered at least five concussions in 10-plus NHL seasons.

But he said this one, inflicted upon him when he took a blindside elbow from Avalanche defenseman Pascal Trepanier, was different.

“My symptoms didn’t go away as fast,” he said, recalling the lingering headaches, dizziness and nausea. Last week, though, he passed the test mandated by the NHL for players returning from concussions and begin participating in full-contact drills.

“Now it’s time to play,” he said.

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Defenseman Mattias Norstrom, who has sat out the last three games because of a rib injury, also hopes to return tonight. “I know it’s going to be sore for a while,” he said, “but that’s OK as long as I don’t re-injure it.” ... Brian Putnam, an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut last season, has joined the Kings as an amateur scout primarily responsible for evaluating college players. He replaces Mark Bavis, killed aboard a hijacked airliner in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

TONIGHT

At Columbus, 4 PDT

Fox Sports Net

Site--Nationwide Arena.

Radio--KSPN (1110).

Records--Kings 2-4-1-1, Blue Jackets 1-3-4-0.

Record vs. Blue Jackets (2000-01)--3-1.

Update--The Blue Jackets were 19-15-4-3 in Nationwide Arena last season, including a 4-1 victory over the Kings last Oct. 31, becoming the first expansion team in 21 years to post an above-.500 record at home. But they are 0-2-2-0 at home this season after Saturday night’s 5-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.