Dallas Stars forward Valeri Nichushkin could play an NHL game Friday for the first time since November.

Nichushkin has been out for most of the season with a hip injury, but he wrapped up a three-game conditioning stint with the club's AHL affiliate Wednesday and the Stars re-assigned forwards Brett Ritchie and Curtis McKenzie earlier that day.

The Stars host the St. Louis Blues on Friday and then travel to Nashville to face the Predators on Saturday.

“My plan would be to get him in one of the two,” head coach Lindy Ruff told Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News.

"I don’t think playing five games in nine nights is a good thing for him. It’s monitoring where he is at after the games, if there is any fatigue or any soreness.”

Nichushkin appeared in four games before suffering the injury. He was activated off injured reserve last week.