Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Jesse Puljujarvi joined the Penguins on a free agent tryout Sunday.
The forward, who had bilateral hip surgery this offseason, was a full practice participant one day after arriving in Pittsburgh for testing. He had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 75 games with the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes last season.
“I’m happy to be here, get the opportunity,” Puljujarvi said. “It’s been a long way, but it is what it is right now. Have been doing rehabbing. Worked really hard to get back here. … It’s been tough. Been doing treatments a lot.”
Puljujarvi, who was selected with the No. 4 pick by Edmonton in the 2016 NHL Draft, has 114 points (51 goals, 63 assists) in 334 games. The 25-year-old rotated at right wing on the first line with Drew O'Connor in practice Sunday.
“I think he’s a rangy guy. He brings a lot of size and reach, things of that nature,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I think he has an offensive dimension to his game. So we’ll see where it goes moving forward and, potentially, where he could fit into our roster.”
Bryan Rust, who usually plays right wing on the top line with center Sidney Crosby and left wing Jake Guentzel, continues to be evaluated for an upper-body injury he sustained in a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday.
Defensemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph (lower body) and Chad Ruhwedel (lower body) each participated at full contact Sunday. Joseph, who last played Nov. 4, returned from a conditioning loan with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League; Ruhwedel has missed the past nine games.
The Penguins host the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SCRIPPS, SN, TVAS). -- Wes Crosby
Minnesota Wild
Jonas Brodin is week to week with an upper-body injury he sustained in a 4-3 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.
The defenseman was hit into the end boards by Oilers forward Evander Kane in the opening minute of the third period and did not return.
“Super unfortunate, obviously,” Wild defenseman Brock Faber said. “[Brodin is] one of our most meaningful players, obviously, so it [stinks]. But that means everyone on that D corps has to step up, including myself.”
Brodin, who has nine points (one goal, eight assists) while averaging 23:59 of ice time in 25 games this season, had been playing on the top defense pair with Faber.
"It's just not easy losing a guy like Jonas,” Wild coach John Hynes said. "Obviously, he's one of the top defensemen in the League, but I think that's what the NHL is, and I think that's why you need to have good depth and play a strong team game."
Jake Middleton will replace Brodin as Faber’s defense partner.
"I think Middleton's played well, and you have the lefty-righty combo there,” Hynes said. “I think he can handle some of the matchups." -- Darren Brown
Toronto Maple Leafs
Timothy Liljegren was a full participant at the morning skate ahead of the Maple Leafs' 4-0 win against the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
It was the first time the defenseman has taken part in a full team workout since sustaining a high ankle sprain in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Nov. 2.
“There is a (target date), but with the nature of that injury, we’re just really not going to know until he is able to put more stress on it in full practices and full competition drills,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He’s been skating a lot on his own and it’s felt good. Just knowing the nature of these high ankle sprains, when you really ramp up the stops and starts and digging, it becomes that much more challenging so we really won’t know but obviously he’s getting to that point.”
Liljegren, who has one assist in 10 games this season, remained on the ice for the entire morning skate, participating in drills as the seventh defenseman. -- Dave McCarthy
Vancouver Canucks
Pius Suter returned to practice on Friday after missing almost four weeks with a lower-body injury, and the Canucks’ third-line center could be back in the lineup as early as next week.
Suter, who hasn’t played since Nov. 12 and was originally listed as day to day, but a setback prevented him from coming back sooner.
“It took a turn and couldn’t do much about it and just had to wait it out,” Suter said. “It’s nice, a good feeling to be part of a team practice again and just fun to be around the guys more.”
Suter signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract ($1.6 million average annual value) with the Canucks as a free agent Aug. 11 and was being counted on to help improve the penalty kill and center the third line. He had four goals in 15 games prior to the injury, with all four coming in the past six games, and earned praise from coach Rick Tocchet as a player who can help settle the team down.
“You’re looking for one guy just to calm and stop the momentum, and he’s that way,” Tocchet said. “Whether it’s a face-off, being in the right position to break up a play or be the right forechecker, he’ll do something system-wise to calm the situation down, and we missed that calming influence.” -- Kevin Woodley
