NHL Buzz: Wedgewood returns, starts for Stars against Predators

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Dallas Stars

Scott Wedgewood is expected to start against the Nashville Predators (8:30 p.m. ET, BSSWX, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW), the goalie's first game since Feb. 18 because of a lower-body injury.
Wedgewood was injured during a 4-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and has missed 19 games.
He was recalled from a conditioning assignment with Texas of the American Hockey League on Sunday. In his one game, he made 24 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss Friday.
Wedgewood said it was a smart decision to get him into a game in the AHL before returning to the NHL lineup.
"I think that was kind of the biggest thing is, with how tight our race is, it wasn't much of an opportunity to get a feeler out," he said.
Stars coach Peter DeBoer said the AHL stint should have Wedgewood more prepared for the speed of the NHL.
"I think you can't mimic those game-like situations in practice, particularly with how little we get to practice," DeBoer said. "[The injury] did linger a lot longer than any of us thought. We put a toll on Jake [Oettinger] because of that, but we're through the other side of it. I really like the fact that he got a game in Austin [AHL]. I think that's important when you've been out an extended period like five weeks or whatever it's going on. He went down, played well."
Wedgewood is 7-8-3 with a 2.92 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 18 games (16 starts).
The Stars (41-21-14) can clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win. They are tied with the Colorado Avalanche for second in the Central Division, one point behind the first-place Minnesota Wild. -- Taylor Baird

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov skated with skating coach Andy Ness before practice Monday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury March 8.
The forward has been out since he was injured in an awkward collision with Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley.
"He's progressing," coach Dean Evason said. "It's just a normal progression. We'll evaluate today and decide what we do. We're taking tomorrow off. We'll decide if he comes with the group (to Pittsburgh on Thursday) or not."
Kaprizov leads the Wild with 39 goals and 74 points in 65 games.
"Try to be patient with him (but) he's just begging the trainers the last couple weeks," Evason said. "…That he's ready to play. That's what I'm hoping. Probably not gonna happen right away but I'm hoping he's ready to play sooner rather than later. He hopes that he's ready to play sooner rather than later.
"We want him back in the lineup but we're going to do the right things."
Mason Shaw will miss the rest of the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs with a torn ACL in his right knee. The forward sustained the injury in the first period of a 4-1 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
The 24-year-old has undergone three previous ACL surgeries, one on his right knee and two on his left. He has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) and is second on the Wild with 79 penalty minutes in 59 games.
"(General Manager) Billy (Guerin) asks young players all the time: 'Will you do anything it takes to play in the National Hockey League? Anything.' And Mason Shaw epitomizes that," Evason said. "He did anything and everything to play in the National Hockey League and he will again."
The Wild host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSNX, BSWIX, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW) and can clinch a berth in the playoffs with a win. -- Jessi Pierce

Vegas Golden Knights

Reilly Smith returns when the Golden Knights visit the Minnesota Wild on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, BSNX, BSWIX, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The forward has missed the past four games with a lower-body injury sustained in a 3-2 win at the Calgary Flames on March 23.
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Smith, who has 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) in 72 games this season, will play right wing on a line with William Karlsson at center and Nicolas Roy on left wing.
"We've lost a lot of glue guys, so it's only going to make us better," Cassidy said. "Guys stepped up in his absence, so want that.
"As for Reilly, he's going right back into his spot and he's going to play his minutes, play on both special teams, play with 'Karly' and go from there." -- Jessi Pierce