Weight makes his return after shoulder injury

Three weeks after he was shut down to heal his injured left shoulder, Ducks center Doug Weight took his place on the second line Monday between Chris Kunitz and Teemu Selanne.

Kunitz and Selanne have been the Ducks’ best offensive players during their seven-game homestand, and the team is hoping that Weight can feed his linemates.

Coach Randy Carlyle believes the play-making Weight and the speedy Selanne can fit together.

“I don’t see the reason that it should not,” Carlyle said. “Both are intelligent players. One’s a guy that likes to move the puck and gain the zone and get deep and work down low in behind the net. The other player needs the puck through the neutral ice and has the ability to score off the rush. [Selanne] likes to find the open holes in the offensive zone.

“To me it should be a marriage that would be one we’d like to see happen right away.”

General Manager Brian Burke did take a look at acquiring Toronto’s Mats Sundin but he ultimately dropped his pursuit of a center, saying that he thinks Weight will have an effect down the stretch.

Now healthy, Weight said he’s looking forward to rewarding Burke’s faith in him.

“No one enjoys challenges more than the guys in this room and I’m certainly one of them,” said Weight, who sat out eight games. “It’s a great challenge. It’s a sense that he’s the type of guy and this organization’s the type of organization that you just want to produce for. You want to show them what you’re all about and back that up.”

Center Todd Marchant also returned to the lineup after missing three games because of a bruised right shoulder.

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Heading into Monday’s game, Ducks defenseman Mathieu Schneider has been an even or plus player on his even-strength shifts over the last 30 games.

Schneider’s streak is the NHL’s longest at the moment. The 38-year-old veteran has been a plus-16 over the 30-game span and is third on the team with a plus-minus rating of 21.

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eric.stephens@latimes.com