Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Vancouver Canucks
Elias Lindholm could return from an upper-body injury against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET; SNP, SCRIPPS).
The center, who has been listed as day to day since missing the first of seven games on March 25, took part in a practice Tuesday.
"Possible for tomorrow but he's getting close," Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said.
Lindholm said he expects to return before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin April 20.
"I feel confident. I feel good. I feel healthy," Lindholm said. "I'm excited to hopefully play soon and get some games before playoffs."
Vancouver has four games remaining in the regular season.
Lindholm has nine points (five goals, four assists) in 22 games with the Canucks since being acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on Jan. 31. He scored two power-play goals in his first game but has seven points in 21 games since.
"So far in the regular season it hasn't worked out so I'm pretty excited to get this thing going," Lindholm said. "I'm motivated and I feel good and confident so hopefully I can get back playing soon and play a couple games and get going and be ready." -- Kevin Woodley
Florida Panthers
Oliver Ekman-Larsson missed his first game of the season when the Panthers played the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
Florida coach Paul Maurice said the defenseman was out because of rest. The Panthers had recently completed a run of 10 games in 17 days.
Ekman-Larsson has 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) and is averaging 18:35 of ice time in 78 games this season.
Uvis Balinskis, who was recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on April 3, entered the lineup in his place.
"At some point here, maybe this year or maybe early next year, Uvis is going to get in the lineup and never come out," Maurice said. "He's an NHL defenseman. I have faith in that. I also think he's made great progress in the American league. He came back and in this last little tour has been very, very good for us. We just have a lot of depth. This is management of depth for us." -- George Richards
Washington Capitals
T.J. Oshie returned for the Capitals when they played the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
The forward had missed the past four games because of an upper-body injury.
Oshie has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 47 games this season for Washington (36-30-11), which has lost six in a row (0-4-2) and trails Detroit and the Pittsburgh Penguins by one point for the second wild card in the East. Pittsburgh has played one more game.
"In my situation we're going to kind of go day to day, but hopeful that I feel good tomorrow morning," Oshie said Monday.
Defenseman Rasmus Sandin (upper body) is not available for the two-game trip, which will conclude at the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. He could potentially miss the remainder of the regular season.
Sandin did not practice Monday after being injured on a hit from Parker Kelly at the end of the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. The Capitals recalled defenseman Lucas Johansen from Hershey of the AHL on Monday.
"Possible, but we'll see," Carbery said of Sandin missing the Capitals' final five regular-season games. "Definitely not on the road trip, not traveling. So that's getting limited once we get back. So we'll see." -- Tom Gulitti
Philadelphia Flyers
Sean Couturier returned for the Flyers against the Canadiens on Tuesday after missing two games because of an upper-body injury.
“I feel good,” Couturier said. “I’ve felt better every day since last week, so I feel good enough to go. So, we’ll see what the lineup is.”
Couturier said he felt fortunate to be ready so soon after he had to leave in the first period of a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on April 1 because of a heavy fall into the boards.
“I think so, especially when it happened,” Couturier said. “It was pretty painful, I’m not going to lie. Especially at this time of year, when you miss games, it’s tough. So, I was doing everything I could to get back as soon as possible. Here I am today and ready to go.”
Couturier has 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in 70 games. He returned this season after being sidelined for 22 months, including the entire 2022-23 season, while recovering from back surgery to repair a herniated disk.
He was also a healthy scratch for two games (March 19 and 21) after being named Flyers captain Feb. 14.
Philadelphia (36-31-11) has lost seven in a row (0-5-2) and trails Detroit and Pittsburgh by one point for the second wild card in the East, and the Islanders by two points for third in the Metropolitan Division. -- Sean Farrell
St. Louis Blues
Justin Faulk will miss the remainder of the regular season for the Blues with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman was injured in the second period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday following an altercation with Sharks forward Luke Kunin. Faulk did not play in a 6-5 shootout win against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
The Blues (41-32-5) have four games left, beginning with hosting the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, NBCSCH+, TVAS-D) and are five points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card in the Western Conference.
"I think he's week to week. We want to be cautious with his injury," St. Louis coach Drew Bannister said after practice Tuesday. "Even if this was two months ago, it would still be week to week with him. It is what it is.
"With a week left right now, and pending how we play and other teams play around us, that could be extended, so there is a possibility he could be back in the lineup with our season being extended, but we'll see how that plays out."
Forward Jake Neighbours is day to day with an upper-body injury also sustained in the second period Saturday and has been ruled out Wednesday. Neighbours, who is tied for the team lead with Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou with 27 goals, also did not play Sunday.
"As of today, he's feeling normal," Bannister said of Neighbours. "Obviously yes, we're going to be cautious and we'll go through the protocols of getting him back on the ice here working out, getting back on the ice and then skates with us." -- Lou Korac
Montreal Canadiens
Christian Dvorak returned for the Canadiens against the Flyers on Tuesday.
The forward hadn't played since Dec. 30 because of a torn pectoral muscle. He has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 25 games this season.
"I thought there was potential [for a return] but I wouldn't say for sure," Dvorak told the Canadiens website. "I knew it would be close, and I kind of set a goal for myself to try to make it back. I just tried to rehab as hard as I could and luckily it worked out."
Arber Xhekaj will have left shoulder surgery on Wednesday and be out for the remainder of the season.
The defenseman is expected to be ready for the start of next season.
Xhekaj played 44 games this season. He had 10 points (three goals, seven assists), 125 hits and 81 penalty minutes.
Montreal, which has been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention, has five games left this season.
Colorado Avalanche
Mikko Rantanen is in concussion protocol and will miss his second straight game when the Avalanche play against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN).
The forward left a 6-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday during the second period because of an upper-body injury following a hit from Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm. He did not play in a 7-4 loss to the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
"He's good. He's progressing nicely," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Tuesday. "Yeah, even the first day after the hit he felt pretty good. Caught the workout. Now he's skated a couple of days in a row. So he won't play tonight, but then we're going to get a day off or two and he'll be back full practice."
Rantanen is tied for sixth in the NHL and ranks second on the Avalanche with 102 points (40 goals, 62 assists) in 77 games. He had played in 161 consecutive games.
Forward Miles Wood will miss his second straight game with a lower-body injury.
Wood has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 72 games this season. -- Ryan Boulding
Tampa Bay Lightning
Mikhail Sergachev practiced in a noncontact jersey Monday for the first time since sustaining a leg injury during a game at the New York Rangers on Feb. 8.
The 25-year-old defenseman had surgery soon after to stabilize fractures in his left tibula and fibula but resumed skating March 18. He had 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 34 games while averaging 22:33 of ice time, second on the Lightning behind defenseman Victor Hedman (24:49).
"I felt good," Sergachev said. "I loved being out there with the guys. It's much better than just being by myself on the ice or with a couple of guys; it's the whole team. I just wanted to get out there and see where I'm at speed-wise. Not just my legs, but thinking and stuff like that."
Sergachev, who is on long-term injured reserve, helped Tampa Bay win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. He has 257 points (48 goals, 209 assists) in 475 regular-season games, and 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) in 98 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Lightning (43-27-7) hold the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
"I'm trying to come back as fast as possible, but you never know with injuries," Sergachev said. "It's gone up and down. It's kind of a roller coaster, one day you feel good, another day it hurts. So, we'll see."
Lightning coach Jon Cooper quickly shot down the idea of Sergachev returning for the start of the playoffs April 20.
"Obviously, a confidence booster, a morale booster for both us and him," Cooper said. "Baby steps. He's still got a long way to go, but it's great to have him out there.
"He's making progress, but don't read into it that he's going to be a first-round playoff participant, because he won't be. But who knows? We win a round or two, never say never."
Ottawa Senators
Tim Stutzle missed his second straight game when the Senators played the Panthers on Tuesday because of an upper-body injury.
The center was slow to get up after taking a hit from defenseman Niko Mikkola in a 6-0 loss to the Panthers on Thursday and did not play in a 4-3 loss to the Devils on Saturday.
Stutzle leads the Senators with 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 75 games this season. -- Callum Fraser
