NHL Buzz: Kadri to 'miss some time' for Avalanche with upper-body injury

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

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Colorado Avalanche

Nazem Kadri did not play for the Avalanche in a 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday because of an upper-body injury, and there is no timetable for his return.
"He's going to miss some time. I don't know how much," coach Jared Bednar said. "I don't have a timeline on him, really."
Bednar said he's confident the forward will be back by the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Kadri did not practice Friday, one day after he was injured in a 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks. Kadri left in the third period after a collision with two Sharks players but returned to finish the game.
Kadri, who had two assists Thursday, leads the Avalanche with an NHL career-high 83 points (26 goals, 57 assists) in 65 games this season. The Avalanche (49-14-6) lead the Minnesota Wild by 15 points for first place in the Central Division. -- Ryan Boulding

Pittsburgh Penguins

Jason Zucker did not play for the Penguins in a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche because of an undisclosed injury.
The forward sustained the injury in the second period of the Penguins' 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday when Wild forward Kevin Fiala checked him into the boards. Zucker fell awkwardly, needed to be helped off the ice and did not return.
It was Zucker's first game since he had core muscle surgery Jan. 25. He missed 30 games after the surgery and 37 of 38 with the injury.
"I think he was a bit dejected after the game, for obvious reasons," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "He's worked so hard to get back to this point, and then, to not be able to get through the game is discouraging. He's human, he wants to play. He wants to be part of this, and he's worked so hard to get to this point. You could imagine how he feels when he went out with the injury. So where we're optimistic, we're hopeful we'll get good news with respect to him."
Sullivan said Zucker was still being evaluated and that the Penguins would not have an update until they returned to Pittsburgh after the game against the Avalanche.
Zucker has scored 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 32 games this season. --Ryan Boulding

San Jose Sharks

Mario Ferraro returned for the Sharks against the Dallas Stars on Saturday. The defenseman was minus-2 with four hits and played 21:54 in the 5-4 loss.
Ferraro missed 15 games with a lower-body injury he sustained Feb. 26 in a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.
"It's tough to keep a guy like that out when he's begging to get back in the lineup and the doctors give him the green light," Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. "So it's good. I think he's going to create energy in our room and on the ice."
Ferraro has scored 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 49 games this season.
Jonathan Dahlen also returned to the lineup after missing five games with an upper-body injury. He played 9:36. The forward has scored 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 53 games this season. -- Chelena Goldman

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Vancouver Canucks

Tucker Poolman and Jason Dickinson could return to the lineup when the Canucks host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; SNP, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Poolman, a defenseman, hasn't played since Jan. 27, when he left after the first period of a 5-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets with what the Canucks later said were migraine headaches. He missed 26 games but was on a pair with Travis Dermott in practice Saturday.
Dickinson, who has played both center and the wing this season, has missed 16 games with a lower-body injury after hitting the boards hard against the Calgary Flames on Feb. 24.
"I think [Dickinson] is an option (Sunday), as is Poolman," coach Bruce Boudreau said.
Poolman has scored three points (one goal, two assists) in 39 games this season. Dickinson has scored six points (three goals, three assists) in 49 games.
"I was just itching to play and it [stinks] when things don't go the way that you want to be able to come back when you want," Dickinson said. "It's been killing me."
Bo Horvat said he will play against the Golden Knights after returning to practice Saturday. The forward left after the first period of a 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday because of a stomach illness. Center Brad Richardson missed practice Saturday with a similar illness, according to Boudreau, and is questionable to play Sunday. -- Kevin Woodley

Florida Panthers

Anton Lundell returned to the lineup for the Panthers in a 7-6 overtime win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
The forward had one shot on goal in 13:39 of ice time after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury.
"[Lundell] makes us a much deeper team and the level of play he's been playing, especially before he got hurt, was exceptional," coach Andrew Brunette said. "That line (Mason Marchment-Lundell-Sam Reinhart) was a driving force for us. It's a big boost to our special teams; he's such a good penalty killer and power-play guy. It'll be nice to get him going here the last 15 [games] or so, so going into playoffs he gets in his cadence a little bit, so we're glad he's back."
Lundell has scored 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 53 games this season.

Philadelphia Flyers

Nate Thompson played for the Flyers in a 6-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, his first game since injuring his shoulder Nov. 26.
The forward had surgery Nov. 30 and said it was important for him to return this season.
"That was a goal of mine and something I was going to achieve no matter what," Thompson said Friday. "I wanted to finish the year playing some games. It was important to me finishing the season knowing that I played some games and I didn't end it the way I did. I'm happy about that, I'm happy I was able to achieve that, so hopefully I can have a strong finish."
Thompson had two shots on goal and two hits in 12:15 of ice time.
"I've been through that surgery before, that's a real tough surgery to go through," coach Mike Yeo said. "The initial pain you go through, but the rehab you have to go through, the work that he's put in, he's a great pro. You have to go through a lot to get him to this point, so I'm excited for him to play."
Forward Scott Laughton, who missed an 11th game because of a concussion sustained March 10, practiced Friday and has been cleared to play, but Yeo said Laughton would not be rushed into the lineup. -- Adam Kimelman

Columbus Blue Jackets

Zach Werenski remained out for the Blue Jackets and missed their 5-2 loss at the Boston Bruins because of an upper-body injury.
The defenseman did not travel for a 5-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday after not playing in a 4-3 loss to the Islanders on Tuesday. He was injured Saturday during the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild in a collision with Wild defenseman Jake Middleton.
Werenski has scored 42 points (10 goals, 32 assists) in 60 games this season.
Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen and assistant Steve McCarthy also did not travel after they were placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Tuesday. Associate Pascal Vincent coached Columbus against Boston.

Winnipeg Jets

Kyle Connor and Nate Schmidt remained out for the Jets and missed their 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday after being placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Wednesday.
Connor, a forward, and Schmidt, a defenseman, each tested positive and has to quarantine for five days. They did not play in a 3-2 shootout win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday and missed a 7-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
"We've had other top guys out," Jets coach Dave Lowry said Wednesday. "And yes, you just pointed out that [Connor is] not going to be available to play, but somebody else will have to step up. And what it does now is, it creates opportunity for somebody else to come in and take advantage."
Connor leads the Jets with 41 goals and 82 points in 67 games. Schmidt has scored 31 points (four goals, 27 assists) in 66 games.

Arizona Coyotes

Lawson Crouse is expected to be out for the season for the Coyotes because of a broken hand.
The forward sustained the injury when he blocked a shot in a 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. He will not need surgery, but the Coyotes said he would be sidelined for four weeks.
Crouse has scored an NHL career-high 20 goals and 34 points in 65 games this season.
Clayton Keller, the Coyotes leading scorer (63 points), is also out for the season after breaking his leg in a 5-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.
"It's tough seeing guys being injured, especially when guys are playing well and having career seasons," Arizona forward Nick Schmaltz said Friday. "We're super close. We all care for each other a lot."
Defenseman Jakob Chychrun (ankle) is skating after being injured March 12, but his return is uncertain.
Forward Christian Fischer (lower body) is expected to be out at least three weeks and forward Antoine Roussel (lower body) isn't expected back until late April.
Forwards Andrew Ladd (lower body) and Liam O'Brien (upper body), and defenseman J.J. Moser (upper body) are progressing, but their returns are uncertain.-- Alan Robinson