Updated

Sporting a scraggly beard and long hair, Ryan Johansen has returned to the ice for the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing most of training camp during a contract holdout.

Johansen took part in the club's final practice on Wednesday before its season opener Thursday night at Buffalo.

Coach Todd Richards has expressed concerns about Johansen's conditioning and has yet to make up his mind whether the Blue Jackets' leading scorer last year will play against the Sabres.

The 22-year-old Johansen, who signed a 3-year, $12-million contract on Monday, was kidded by several of his teammates when he walked into a morning meeting a day after flying in from his native Canada.