NHL Buzz: Stone game-time decision for Golden Knights against Canucks

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Vegas Golden Knights

Mark Stone will be a game-time decision for the Golden Knights at the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The forward last played Feb 8 and has been on long-term injured reserve with a back injury. Vegas is 12-13-1 in the 26 games since Stone has been sidelined.
"It's a possibility. We'll see. I would call it a game-time (decision)," Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer said after practice Monday. "He is going to travel with us and we will make a decision then.
"He's a critical piece for us and we've missed him so even to have him out there even if he's not at 100 percent and full game speed, it's nice to have him back and integrated with the group."
Stone has scored 28 points (eight goals, 20 assists) and leads Vegas forwards in takeaways (44) despite being limited to 28 games because of injuries.
"When he's not playing it's obviously a big loss and when he does, he's got a huge impact," Vegas defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. "... Obviously we know what he can do offensively, but when you put a player like that on the defensive side of the game, you talk about creating turnovers and opportunities. You are talking about probably one of the best defensive forwards in the NHL and you match that with his skill and all of a sudden the whole game changes and his impact is seen up and down the lineup. When you add guys in the lineup like that, the trickle-down effect is huge for us."
If Stone plays, the Golden Knights would need to make one or more roster moves in order to create NHL salary cap space.
Vegas trails the Dallas Stars by two points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, having played one more game.

St. Louis Blues

Torey Krug could play for the Blues against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NESN, BSMWX, SNP, TVAS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The defenseman has missed the past 10 games with a left-hand injury sustained March 22 against the Washington Capitals. He and forward Tyler Bozak, who has missed the past 13 games with a lower-body injury, each practiced Monday, and coach Craig Berube said each would make the two-game road trip, which also includes a game at the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.
"They're getting close, both of them," Berube said. "There's a chance one (will play) tomorrow."
Krug skated on a pair with Colton Parayko and was switching in and out with Nick Leddy on the top power-play unit.
Berube was asked if Krug would play Tuesday and said, "Maybe. I don't know yet. I've got to decide."
It would be Krug's first game against the Bruins since he signed a seven-year contract Oct. 9, 2020, after spending the previous nine seasons with Boston.
Krug has scored 35 points (eight goals, 27 assists) in 57 games this season, and Bozak has scored 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 47 games.
"Two good players that obviously are a huge part of our team that make the dynamic of our team a lot better in just different ways," Parayko said. "Face-offs, just grind guys down, things like that. Obviously we know what 'Kruger' brings. We're excited to have those guys back with us and hopefully we see them in the lineup sooner than later."
Defenseman Marco Scandella did not practice Monday because of an illness but will travel, and forward Mackenzie MacEachern, who sustained an upper-body injury during a 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday, will not make the trip. -- Lou Korac

Toronto Maple Leafs

Jake Muzzin will not play for the Maple Leafs against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday (7p.m. ET; TSN4, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The defenseman, who has played three games since returning from a concussion which kept him sidelined for 20 games, is out with an unrelated injury.
"He's less than 100 percent here and needs a couple of days of treatment for that to settle down a little bit," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Monday. "He's not going to play tomorrow but we are hopeful or expecting he will be available after that."
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren will replace Muzzin in the lineup.
Goalie Erik Kallgren will start against the Sabres. Jack Campbell participated in practice Monday but left about halfway through the session.
"That was scheduled to be the case; he was getting a goalie session in, but Kallgren is going to play tomorrow," Keefe said. "Combination of him coming off a really good start (3-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday) and Jack is, I would say, a little bit below 100 percent at this point. Nothing to do with his previous (rib) injury. A little bit below 100 is enough for us to give him an additional a couple of days."
Forward Ondrej Kase, who has not played since March 19, has been diagnosed with a concussion. -- Dave McCarthy