Niedermayer Might Make Early Return

With his knee faring better than anyone anticipated after arthroscopic surgery, Mighty Duck captain Scott Niedermayer isn’t ruling out being in the lineup for Wednesday’s home game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Niedermayer took part in his first full practice Monday since having torn cartilage removed from his knee on Feb. 13. He had opted for surgery instead of playing for Canada at the Winter Olympics.

When asked if there was any chance he would play Wednesday, Niedermayer said, “I guess there’s a chance, sure.”

He said he plans to do more in today’s practice before consulting the training staff and team doctors whether he can be activated.

Based on the original prognosis, Niedermayer was expected to miss at least a portion of the Ducks’ upcoming four-game homestand. He said he figures to be ready for Friday’s game against Minnesota if he can’t go against Detroit.

Duck Coach Randy Carlyle wouldn’t commit to having Niedermayer available Wednesday.

“That is totally speculation at this point,” Carlyle said. “There’ll be a number of conversations that’ll take place between himself and myself and the medical staff and the doctors before any conclusion [can be made]. We would never put a player back in a situation where he’s not fully recovered.”

Carlyle, though, welcomed the return of his star defenseman to practice.

“Any time a player gives you the green light to come back to practice after an operation, it’s a tribute to the conditioning level he’s attained and the ability he has to recover,” Carlyle said.

Said Niedermayer: “It’s been going really well from the day after [the surgery] until now.”

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It appears that Duck prospect Jordan Smith has suffered serious damage to his left eye after being struck by a puck from a deflected shot. It happened Friday night in the first period of an American Hockey League game between the Portland Pirates and the Manchester Monarchs.

Smith, 20, is expected to remain at Maine Medical Center in Portland through the weekend after undergoing emergency surgery Friday. The defenseman was a second-round draft pick of the Ducks in 2004 and is in his first pro season.

“This is a difficult injury for Jordan, his family and our entire organization,” General Manager Brian Burke said before flying to Portland to visit Smith.

Smith was operated on by Dr. Jeffrey Moore, a retinal specialist, and Dr. Natan Kahn, an orbital specialist, at Maine Eye Center before being transferred to the medical center. The extent of the damage is still undetermined.

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Ilya Bryzgalov’s initial Olympic experience is something he’d like to forget.

Bryzgalov started the first game in goal for Russia and was saddled with a 5-3 loss to Slovakia. The 25-year-old rookie said Coach Vladimir Krikunov was so dissatisfied with his performance that he told the media Bryzgalov would not play another game in the tournament.

Bryzgalov watched Russia’s remaining games from the stands. After the game against Slovakia, Krikunov was reportedly quoted as saying that it was “my mistake” to start Bryzgalov.

“I play one game,” Bryzgalov said. “I’m real disappointed about that because I expected more.... He can’t say it like that.”

The usually affable Bryzgalov has turned his attention back toward the Ducks. “I’m happy I’m back,” he said. “I want as soon as possible to forget about it.”

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Center Todd Marchant said his infected left elbow has improved enough to where he may no longer need antibiotics and could be in the lineup Wednesday....Forwards Teemu Selanne, Samuel Pahlsson and Jonathan Hedstrom are expected to arrive from the Olympics by today. Hedstrom was a late addition to Sweden’s taxi squad. Pahlsson’s Sweden team defeated Selanne’s Finland squad, 3-2, for the gold medal.