It looks like Joffrey Lupulâ€™s rehab time in the AHL is over. According to the Orange County Register, the Anaheim Ducks forward is headed back to Anaheim and close to being activated for his long-awaited return to the NHL. Lupul hasnâ€™t played since Dec. 8, 2009, after complications from back surgery.

â€œHeâ€™s getting rewarded for a lot of patience and a lot of hard work,â€ teammate Bobby Ryan told the Register. â€œItâ€™s not an easy thing to do. In talking to him, I know how antsy he was. Heâ€™s going to add a fresh body to our lineup and heâ€™s going to come with a lot of jump.â€

Lupulâ€™s three-game stint in the AHL was a successful one. He played 22 minutes on Friday for Syracuse. He had one goal and three assists in four AHL games.

â€œEverythingâ€™s fine â€“ so far,â€ coach Randy Carlyle told the paper.