Erik Johnson will wear extra padding when he returns to the Avalanche lineup Saturday against Buffalo at the Pepsi Center.

That wasn't the case Dec. 3 when he sustained a broken fibula blocking a Tyler Seguin shot against Dallas.

"In hindsight, I wish I had it before, but those are the kind of adjustments you make after the fact when things like that happen," he said after practice Friday. "It feels good and I wouldn't be saying I'm ready to go if it wasn't perfect."

Forward Rene Bourque also will play against the Sabres after missing 11 games to recover from head and neck injuries he sustained on a hit by Los Angeles' Brayden McNabb on Feb. 1

"I expect them both to play," coach Jared Bednar said. "It will be good to get some fresh bodies in the lineup, guys that are both hungry to get back in our lineup. So we're looking forward to it."

Calvin Pickard will start in goal.

Bednar said he hadn't yet decided on defensive pairings, but that he would ease Johnson into the lineup.

"The reality is he's been out for months, so we'll ease him back into it a little bit, and he'll determine that by how he's feeling, see what kind of game shape he's in," Bednar said. "He's been working really hard off the ice. He always keeps himself in good condition, but playing games and having guys lean on you constantly is a different animal.

"We'll probably start him out just 5-on-5 minutes to start, a regular rotation, and see how all that goes, then just keep evaluating him and ramp him up eventually back to where he was."

Johnson, who has one goal and 10 assists in 23 games, was averaging 22 minutes in ice time.

Bourque will play on the fourth line with two of the following: Andreas Martinsen, Mikhail Grigorenko or Carl Soderberg.

"The worst part about being hurt is getting back in shape but, even though I was out for the three weeks or whatever it has been, I've been skating quite a bit," said Bourque, who has nine goals and four assists in 43 games. He last scored Dec. 14 against Philadelphia.

"It's not like I came back from a broken leg where I haven't been on the ice for a month. I actually feel pretty good for the amount of time I missed. I feel like I'm ready to step in and hopefully help the team out a little bit."

Friday's practice was Bourque's first in which he was permitted to take part in all the contact drills.

"It's fun, it's good," he said. "It's good to just get in the speed of the drills, get your feet moving. Just the speed of the puck, moving with the guys, having guys play with you 1-on-1, getting bumped a little bit. You've got to feel a little bit of all that before you get back just to get your feet under you and have some confidence in the game."

Johnson said Wednesday that he planned to play Saturday. He traveled to Nashville for Thursday's 4-2 loss and skated in the morning, so Friday's practice was his second with full contact.

"A lot of it was contact and just banging it around against the boards and the glass and everything like that," he said. "Took a couple shots off the leg, but it feels fine. I'm just excited to play again. It's been a long time coming and I'm really excited, especially to come back at home in front of our fans and try and get a win for them at home."



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