Pageau (Achilles) is close to a return, but he won't play Monday versus the Blue Jackets, Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pageau's original timeline stamped him with a March return date. However, the fact Garrioch mentioned that Pageau won't be available for New Year's Eve's game signals that his return is closer than originally expected. Keep an eye on his practice capacity, as he'll likely jump right into the top six once he's ready.