Ducks defenseman Simon Despres is cleared to play

Ducks defenseman Simon Despres is in a good place when he’s alongside his teammates, whether working through a long season on the ice or enjoying loose moments off it.

Unfortunately for him, that camaraderie has been scarce this season, but he was back in his element Monday after he was cleared to play from an upper-body injury, Coach Bruce Boudreau said.

“To be able to come back on the ice with my teammates means a lot to me,” Despres said. “I went through a lot of injuries this year, and just to be healthy and playing again is something that has no price. I appreciate every moment I get on the ice.”

Despres missed 42 games earlier this season with a concussion. Boudreau alluded to it when Despres was sent home to be evaluated following a hit in a March 22 game at Montreal, and since has missed six games.

His return gives the Ducks almost a full complement of defensemen with four games left in the regular season and the Pacific Division title on the line, starting with Tuesday’s regular-season home finale against Winnipeg. Despres is a big-bodied defender and penalty killer, and Anaheim is 18-5-2 with him in the lineup since his Jan. 26 return.

But even if he finishes the regular season, Despres will have played in only 32 games, fewer than half of the 75 games he played last season. He also missed two games in early March with illness.

The remaining four games give Despres an important window, though.

“I definitely want to get some games in before the playoffs, and get ready as much as I can to get to the top of my game,” he said.

Etc.

Goalie Frederik Andersen participated in part of practice and Boudreau said Andersen has not had any setbacks from a concussion. ... Defenseman Kevin Bieksa and forward Brandon Pirri did not practice. Both have upper-body injuries. ... The Ducks signed Minnesota Duluth defenseman Andy Welinski to a two-year entry-level contract. Welinski was their third-round pick in the 2011 draft.

NEXT UP

DUCKS VS. WINNIPEG JETS

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m. PDT.

Where: Honda Center.

On the air: TV: NHL; Radio: None.

Update: Injury-riddled Winnipeg is out of the playoff picture, but the Jets beat Minnesota and took Chicago to overtime in their last two games. Jets forward Blake Wheeler has an eight-game point streak. The Ducks beat the Jets on Jakob Silfverberg’s overtime goal on March 20.

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