Bruce Boudreau said he's weighing whether to insert Shawn Horcoff back into the Ducks' lineup Friday after the forward's 20-game suspension for performance-enhancing drug use, but the coach kept his decision a mystery Thursday.
That gives Boudreau another day to keep the St. Louis Blues guessing, to ponder disrupting a roster that was 16-2-2 in Horcoff's absence, and inspect the forward's skating and skill.
Yet, in collecting some hints at Thursday's practice — the most insightful being Boudreau telling reporters, "He's ready" — the expectation should be for Horcoff, 37, to return against a Blues team that has won four straight, including Wednesday's victory over the defending Stanley Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks.