Chris Nichols

­Chris Nichols is Sportsnet.ca's fantasy hockey writer.

Twitter: @Nichols_NHLPool/ Email: chris.nichols@sportsnet.rogers.com

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Just before publication today, word came out that Penguins centre Sidney Crosby had been cleared by doctors to actually practice with the team. The superstar had been skating prior to practices and has missed an extended period after sustaining a concussion. He hasn't played since January 5.

Today was a scheduled off-day for Crosby anyway, but he'll join the team for practice either tomorrow or Friday.

The Orange County Register believes that it is stunning, really, how one of the greatest stories in the NHL — no, one of the greatest stories in sports — has gone under-reported.

Today, of all times in our history. In the age of Twitter and YouTube. But that's the NHL, and that's the NHL in America and especially the NHL in Southern California.

The most improbable tale of this unlikely Ducks season, a story more inspirational than Teemu Selanne's brilliance on 40-year-old legs, more amazing than Corey Perry's bolt to sudden stardom remains tucked behind a mask, existing day-to-day under unassuming quiet, lost in the shadow of team.

"It is somewhat of a, I don't know if you want to say miracle, but it's something that's never happened before," Coach Randy Carlyle says. "It's a great story and one the individual should be recognized for because it's something no other athlete has done."

He has made history, that's all — sports history, medical history, human-interest history. The fact Ray Emery is playing professional ice hockey again is nothing short of extraordinary. And yet, even the men who have spent nearly every day with him the past several weeks, don't know Emery's story.

"I know he was out a year, had surgery and came back," teammate Bobby Ryan says. "But I can't elaborate. Sorry about that. I'm guessing nobody in this room really knows the details."

Well, The OCR writes, for everyone's benefit then... here they are:

Friday will mark the first anniversary of Emery's operation, the one during which a portion of his fibula was inserted into a hole drilled in his hip and locked in place with a pin. The process halted the advancement of avascular necrosis, a disease that cuts off the blood supply causing bone tissue to wither and, ultimately, collapse.

It is the ailment that derailed the double-sports career of Bo Jackson, the ailment that — as in Jackson's case — typically requires joint replacement.

Emery is the first pro athlete to come all the way back without the aid of an artificial joint.

"I knew the success rate for the procedure I had," the goalie says. "It puts a doubt in your mind, but maybe it makes you work a bit harder, too."

Emery spent a week in the hospital and three more weeks in a bed in his parents' living room in Ontario, Canada. Then came five months on crutches, a period so long that, by the end, he had developed calluses on his hands and in his armpits. At one point, progress meant being able to move his toes.

Sleep came in fitful one-hour chunks, the pain stirring him awake night after night. The time it took to be weaned off one medication to begin another "was not fun," Emery says.

The Register notes that given the distance to be covered, the fact he returned to the NHL in fewer than 12 months is startling; the fact Emery arrived in the middle of a playoff chase is remarkable. He is 5-0 — all his victories coming in one-goal games — with a 1.88 goals-against average for a team desperately grasping for anything it can reach.

"Ray has been an absolute presence back there for us," Ryan says. "We're happy he's overcome whatever he had to overcome, I know that."

So now this, until further notice at least, is Emery's story. And that's a major development, too, a second example of significant rehabilitation.

It's not about his temper. Not about his fighting — with opponents in games and teammates in practice. Not about his suspensions nor his fines nor his stick-wielding incidents.

Emery is about perseverance and perspective, the story now about his will and his won't, as in he won't allow his emotion to pour as graphically as blood spilling onto the ice any longer. At least, that's his intent.

"You know, you grow up," Emery, 28, says. "You don't realize some of the ramifications and how people are going to see them. I'm glad to have gone through that and now know how to avoid that type of stuff."

Veteran winger Teemu Selanne, who has garnered a fair amount of media attention of late for his excellence at the age of 40, offered this: "People, when they get older they get smarter. They get more experienced, and they know what's right and what's wrong. So it's an even better situation when they've been through all that. Ray is a great story. He really is."

He's one of the greatest stories, in all of sports. And the best part is there's still room for Emery's story to grow. In this season. For this team.

The Calgary Herald gave this update on injured Flames centre Brendan Morrison, who hurt a knee during the March 2 game at Chicago and only started skating recently.

“It’s improving, which is good,” said a grinning Morrison. “It’s nice to be on the ice, but there’s still a ways to go. There’s still some swelling lingering, but it feels pretty good on the ice.

“I’ve skated on it a couple times this week and I guess that’s a good sign.”

Whether or not the No. 1 pivot will get back into a game before season’s end remains questionable, but there’s little doubt the pending free agent is working hard to get back sooner than later.

The Herald also writes that acting GM Jay Feaster recently said the team would be able to get veteran centre Daymond Langkow in the lineup once he was ready, which shoots down considerable speculation among some media the team is being handcuffed by the salary cap.

Langkow, who was felled by a fractured vertebrae a little more than a year ago, has been practising with the team for almost two weeks, but apparently isn’t quite ready.

“I’d like to think you guys know the situation,” said Flames head coach Brent Sutter, in response to a question regarding Langkow’s status. “There’s been enough talk, so I’m not going to comment on it. We’re where we’re at right now because of circumstances and situations and it is what it is.

“Jay’s talked about it, so there’s no sense me talking about it. We’re going with the same lineup we’ve had and we’ll move forward with that and see what happens as we go along.”

Fire & Ice reports that Devils coach Jacques Lemaire said left wing Zach Parise will not play tonight against the Islanders.

Parise is looking to make his return from Nov,. 2 arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Lemaire said he met with Parise, who told him he didn’t feel ready to play yet.

“He’s going to wait,” Lemaire said. “I just asked him if he’s ready to play and (he said), 'Not yet'. Is it coming? Yes. Perfect.”

What is he waiting for?

“He’s got to feel comfortable,” Lemaire said. “He’s got to feel that he can play. He’s got feel good in practice, He’s got to feel confidence.”

Parise said Tuesday that he expects to play by the end of the week. Lemaire didn’t know which game Parise will play in, but said he will play this season..

“You always wish that it would be quicker, but he’s got to take his time,” Lemaire said.

Ilya Kovalchuk, who took a hard shot off his skate in the last game - but did finish - is expected to play.

The St. Petersburgh Times writes that Lightning coach Guy Boucher made sure C Steven Stamkos was on the ice Tuesday when the Senators pulled their goalie.

"He deserved a goal," Boucher said. "He's deserved a goal so many games."

Stamkos got his 44th to tie Anaheim's Corey Perry for the league lead but only his first in seven games and fourth in 22. "Sometimes," Stamkos said, "all it takes is a goal like that."

Stamkos is not predicting 50 goals for the second straight season. He needs six in his last six games for that.

He said he is not even concerned with the milestone: "That's not on my mind right now. I'm just focused on getting my game ready for this last push to the playoffs and get it to where I'm comfortable and confident. Whatever happens production-wise, happens."

Stamkos had eight shots in the 5-2 victory over Ottawa. Boucher praised his two-way game, from where so much offense is triggered. Stamkos delivered the hit of the game when he leveled Ryan Shannon with a clean face-to-face blow.

"I'm really confident in my game right now," Stamkos said. "I feel strong out there. My skating is good. I'm driving the puck to the net."

Still, The Times notes, Boucher said he believes Stamkos has been too fine with his shots and just needs to get pucks on net. Perhaps that is why he hit so many posts. Boucher said he joked with Stamkos that "the post can't exist anymore."

Stamkos agreed. "Sometimes when you go through these things, you think it's going to take the perfect shot."

That is why the open net was such a nice target, though he could have passed to C Dominic Moore, who was one goal shy of a hat trick.

"But everyone on the bench was screaming 'You're alone.' When I chipped it by (Ottawa D) Erik Karlsson, I kind of had a breakaway."

And a long-awaited goal.

Two other quick notes from The Times too:

There is no secret why he suddenly got hot, Simon Gagne said.

"I just stuck to what I was doing even when I was struggling," said the left wing, with six goals and 12 points in seven games. "I wasn't getting negative, stay at the same level and be positive."

Boucher sees a difference.

"Physically involved," he said. "If you look at (Saturday's win against the Hurricanes), I have about 20 clips of him finishing checks or winning battles and forcing himself with the puck or without the puck at their net."

Also, Ryan Malone - out 21 games with what is believed to be a groin injury - is expected to play Thursday against the Penguins.

The Washington Post notes that Alex Ovechkin was back with the Capitals Tuesday night after missing the past three games, and the left wing showed some rust but otherwise played with a great deal of gusto during Washington’s 3-2 shootout loss to Southeast Division rival Carolina at Verizon Center.

An undisclosed injury had kept Ovechkin from joining the team for the second half of its most recent six-game road trip. During that time, he watched the Capitals’ games on television with center Jason Arnott, who also re-entered the lineup after missing the entire road trip with an undisclosed lower-body injury and an accompanying groin ailment.

Ovechkin came out with plenty of burst from the get-go, rocketing onto the ice as the first skater out for warmups and carrying that enthusiasm right into the first period. Shortly after faceoff, Ovechkin drew rousing applause with a hit on Hurricanes defenseman Derek Joslin.

The game continued on a physical bent when Arnott and defenseman Bryan Allen were talking back and forth during a stoppage near the Carolina crease. Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward had covered the puck, and Arnott took a slight swipe at it. That prompted Allen to skate in and deliver a shove.

Arnott and Allen then began clutching and grabbing, and after officials separated them, both players went to the penalty box for roughing.

“I think it was like a playoff game for them,” Ovechkin said. “For us, it is good when we play against those kind of teams. It helps us prepare for the playoffs.”

The Post believes that was the thought process for leaving behind Ovechkin while the Capitals played at Philadelphia, New Jersey and Ottawa, allowing him to heal from the undisclosed injury to be posteason-ready.

In claiming his customary slot on the first line with center Nicklas Backstrom and right wing Mike Knuble, Ovechkin played 19 minutes 20 seconds against Carolina, which moved within three points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He finished tied for the team lead with five hits and had five shots.

“I thought his timing was off a little bit on some things,” Capitals Coach Bruce Boudreau said of the two-time Hart Trophy winner. “He had a lot of energy. He had a lot of hits, but I mean you can tell sometimes the timing is off.”

Ovechkin said as much following the game, which was Washington’s first home loss after winning five in a row at Verizon Center. It also was the first time the Capitals lost to Carolina as the teams completed their six-game regular season series.

“When you don’t play, you feel very nervous,” Ovechkin said. “Well, not nervous, but you don’t feel the puck. You’re skating hard in practice, but in the game it makes a difference. But I’m glad I’m back.”

The Buffalo News reports that injured Sabres center Derek Roy completed a 25-minute solo workout on the ice at HSBC Arena in full uniform (the Sabres did not skate this morning). Roy moved well for much of the session, skating without pucks for the first 15 minutes before heading into a penalty box to get a bucket of pucks and begin some shooting drills.

Roy looked quite a bit better than he did during his few twirls on the ice a couple of weeks ago following the Sabres' annual team picture.

The thought of him playing in the second round of the playoffs -- if the Sabres get that far -- certainly seems like a realistic goal now.

The Columbus Dispatch believes that here's all you need to know about the Blue Jackets in the shootout this season: They're at their best when they rely on minor leaguers.

Winger Maksim Mayorov, recalled last week from the Springfield Falcons, snapped a wicked wrist shot and a long dry spell for the Jackets in a 3-2 shootout win last night over the Florida Panthers in Nationwide Arena.

Mayorov supplied the only goal in the shootout, beating Panthers goaltender Scott Clemmensen with a rising shot just under the crossbar. It ended the Jackets' six-game losing streak in shootouts.

The Jackets, who improved to 5-7 in shootouts, also received two shootout goals this season from Kyle Wilson, who's back with minor-league Springfield. Both of Wilson's goals were game-winners.

"I think this will bring some confidence to me," Mayorov said.

It might bring him a lifetime contract given the franchise's tortured history in shootouts.

Coach Scott Arniel said that after leadoff shooter Rick Nash he planned to use players who had little or no history in NHL shootouts. It was Mayorov's first big-league attempt, but he's a regular participant at the American Hockey League level.

The Dispatch relays that Matt Calvert, who spent the first half of the season in Springfield, knew where Mayorov intended to shoot.

"I turned to (R.J. Umberger) on the bench and told him exactly what (Mayorov) was going to do," Calvert said.

Mayorov could not stop grinning in the locker room as he received congratulations from teammates. It's easily his biggest contribution in 10 NHL games.

Although it doesn't officially count as a goal, Mayorov is not quibbling.

"It's feels really great," he said.

Mayorov saw teammate Scottie Upshall beat Clemmensen high to the glove side in the first period and filed it in the memory bank. As soon as Arniel called his name, Mayorov knew he would test the same corner.

"I've got one or two moves, but that's one that works a lot in practice," he said.

"It's a win," Wild coach Todd Richards told The Minneapolis Star-Tribune of last night's 3-2 shootout victory over the St. Louis Blues, which snapped an eight-game winless streak for Minnesota. "It's great for the guys in there, it's great for the team, the organization. But it still leaves a little bitter taste. I go back to the last time we were here [a nine-round shootout victory Feb. 11]. We were right there, battling for [the playoffs].

"We win. It's great. I want to win every game from here on out. But it still leaves an empty space. There is still an empty space in our stomachs as we move along."