Panthers' Jonathan Huberdeau: Will make season debut Friday

Huberdeau (Achilles) has been cleared to suit up against the Ducks on Friday.

Analysis:

Nearly a month ahead of schedule, Huberdeau will make his long-awaited 2016-17 debut after suffering an Achilles injury during training camp. The dynamic winger racked up 50-plus points in each of his last two seasons, and was expected to do the same against this year. Without the 23-year-old, the Panthers have struggled and currently find themselves four points outside of a spot in the playoffs. During the 2015-16 campaign, Huberdeau averaged 18:09 of ice time and will likely resume a similar workload once he gets his legs back under him.