Wojtek Wolski hopes to return soon

CALGARY -- Wojtek Wolski, who has missed four of the first five games with a groin strain, pushed hard in Thursday's morning skate and hopes to play Saturday night in Edmonton.

The left wing, who said he hopes to be able to "go the full practice [Friday] without any pain," denied that he heard or read coach John Tortorella's comment Wednesday ("We can't get him out of the tub") nor did he want to have it read to him.

"I've been working hard at getting back as quickly as possible," said Wolski, who is earning $3.8 million in the final year of his contract. "I'm trying to simulate as much as I can what it's like in a game and try to make sure that there's no times where I feel like I don't have the strength or the power to compete for pucks. At this point in time, I'm trying to make sure I'm healthy and it doesn't keep creeping back every couple weeks, because I don't want to be missing a game here, playing one and missing another one."

Biron to start soon

Backup G Martin Biron, who played in the fifth regular-season game last season, is expected to start against either the Oilers Saturday night or the Jets on Monday night. He was 8-6 with a 2.13 GAA last season before his collarbone was broken in practice Feb. 28.