Tampa Bay Lightning winger Ondrej Palat will be back in the lineup Tuesday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing 26 games with a lower-body injury, head coach Jon Cooper confirmed.

Per Coop, Palat is back in tonight.



“We waited this one out a little longer just to make sure, because there’s a bigger picture.” #TORvsTBL — x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 20, 2018

Palat last played Jan. 20, and his original timeline for a recovery was six-to-eight weeks.

In 46 games prior to being sidelined, Palat recorded eight goals and 22 assists.