Lecavalier returns tonight

Vinny Lecavalier is back.

With Steve Downie sitting out the next week or more because of an upper-body injury, Lecavalier will fill the hole in the Flyers' lineup on Saturday in Columbus.

The Flyers also had Jay Rosehill available on the roster.

Lecavalier, 33, was originally scheduled to return on Dec. 28 at the earliest in Edmonton. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said this week doctors were not worried Lecavalier could injure the non-displaced fracture on his back any further by playing.

Instead, the Flyers wanted to wait until Lecavalier's back spasms - caused by the fractures - subsided and left him more comfortable on the ice.

Lecavalier first began skating on Dec. 7 in Dallas, before x-rays revealed his fracture. He has missed 13 games in all this season.

When he has been in the lineup, Lecavalier has been a positive influence and one of their most consistent scorers. He has 9 goals and 5 assists for 14 points in 22 games.

For the latest updates, follow Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @DNFlyers