Mitchell (head) will be activated from injured reserve and play Thursday against the Senators, Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reports. Coach Patrick Roy said that Mitchell would be used as either a center or wing on the first line in his season debut. Mitchell thrived as the Avs' third-line center of choice last season with 32 points and a plus-13 rating over 75 games, but the additions of Jarome Iginla, Dennis Everberg and a healthy Alex Tanguay to the Avs' top-nine forward ranks could relegate Mitchell to checking-line duty until further notice.