Clutterbuck back on ice

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: October 22, 2009 - 7:37 AM

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Surprise, surprise, but 11 days after suffering an injury that normally takes several weeks to recover from, Wild sparkplug Cal Clutterbuck participated in Wednesday's morning skate wearing a gray "Do Not Touch" jersey.

"For all the things that's gone on, that's some rarely good news for us having him back out on the ice," said coach Todd Richards, referring to the Wild's slow start and a string of injuries. "Seeing the way he came off the ice in San Jose [on Oct. 10], your heart sinks a little bit. But obviously he's ahead of schedule."

Clutterbuck said he's still experiencing pain from the high ankle sprain, "but walking around, doing workouts, I can do everything. So I think if I skate and keep pushing through it, eventually I'll keep getting better every day and speed up my recovery.

"But obviously if I come in [today] and am sore, I'll slow down a little bit."

While a return date is still uncertain, Richards said, "hopefully by next week we can get him back in the lineup."

Richards said the Wild has missed the energy and physical element Clutterbuck provides.

"When you have players like that in your lineup, it's contagious," Richards said.

Clutterbuck, who skated for the first time on his own Tuesday, said he only took the ice with his teammates on Wednesday to determine what it would take to keep up with the pace. There were times he felt the injury, but he believes he will just have to deal with the pain.

But he added he won't return prematurely if it's going to affect his play.

"It's still there," Clutterbuck said. "I don't want pain to restrict me from something I normally would do. I don't want to put myself in a compromising position in the game just because I'm playing. So I have to make sure I feel confident. But I don't feel vulnerable. I mean, I don't feel like my leg's going to snap in half."

But asked if he could damage his ankle further by returning too soon, Clutterbuck said: "I think if there were any danger of me doing that, I wouldn't have been given the green light to go skate today. So as far as I know, no. I've got enough confidence in [trainer Don Fuller] and the training staff to look out for me."

Hot start for Avalanche

One of the NHL's biggest surprises in the first month has been Colorado, which was leading the Western Conference entering Wednesday. Most predicted the Avalanche to finish 15th in the conference.

"We said from day one that we're going to play on our toes and not on our heels and we wanted to pursue the puck aggressively," rookie coach Joe Sacco said. "We wanted to be responsible when we did have it, but when we don't have the puck, we want to get on people, we want to get after them."

That quote is almost verbatim from Richards' Wild quotebook from training camp. Colorado has just been more effective at accomplishing it in the early going.

Of course, goaltending helps. Free-agent pickup Craig Anderson has been great.

"All you can ask of your goaltender is to give you a chance to win. He's done that and more," Sacco said.

Etc.

• Martin Havlat, after missing the last two games of the road trip, returned from a groin injury. Chuck Kobasew made his Wild debut. Owen Nolan, who missed the morning skate because of illness, played.

• Andy Hilbert and John Scott were scratched.