NHL Buzz: Laine practices with Blue Jackets for first time since injury

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Columbus Blue Jackets

Patrik Laine returned to practice Monday for the first time since he sustained an oblique strain Nov. 3 at the Colorado Avalanche.
The forward has missed 17 games after scoring 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in the first nine games this season. Columbus (14-11-1) is 8-8-1 without him.
There is no timetable for the return of Laine, whose father, Harri, died in November, according to the Blue Jackets website.
He skated on a line with recent scratches Emil Bemstrom and Yegor Chinakhov.
"These guys have been great supporting me and my family, so it's always nice to come back here with open arms," Laine said. "It's definitely fun being on the ice with them again."
He rejoined his teammates in Vancouver ahead of their game at the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, BSOH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
"He's been through a lot here, and a lot of times in these situations, [it's good] just to be back with your second family and get out there and have some normalcy in your life," coach Brad Larsen said. "It's great to see him out there smiling and having some fun and getting back at it."

Edmonton Oilers

Zach Hyman could be available for the Oilers when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; SNW, TSN4, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The forward did not practice Monday. Though Edmonton coach Dave Tippett said Hyman is day to day, he hasn't been ruled out.
"[He had a] better response than we thought coming out of the other night," Tippett said.
Hyman was checked into the boards by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei at 16:39 of the third period of a 3-1 loss Saturday. He did not finish the game.
Tippett said the Oilers are aware Hyman wants to be in the lineup but will not take any unnecessary risks. Hyman played his first six NHL seasons for Toronto.
"We'll see where he is in the morning," Tippett said. "He came in yesterday morning and was feeling much better than he anticipated he would. And today was another step forward so he didn't want to be counted out yet. But we'll certainly be careful with him." -- Tim Campbell

Pittsburgh Penguins

Jake Guentzel (upper body) and Bryan Rust (lower body) each skated for the first time since their respective injuries.
The forwards were on the ice about an hour before practice but did not join their teammates. Guentzel has missed two games and is week to week. Rust is week to week and has been out since Nov. 24.
"They're where they're at, where we expected them to be," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "We'll see where it goes moving forward, but they're all tracking the way our medical team had anticipated."
The Penguins host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Evan Rodrigues initially replaced Rust at right wing on the first line with center Sidney Crosby before moving to left wing after Guentzel was injured. Kasperi Kapanen is filling in at first-line right wing.
Pittsburgh also is without second-line center
Evgeni Malkin
, who has been practicing since Nov. 29 in a no-contact jersey. He skated for 30 minutes before practicing Monday, when he rotated on the second power-play unit.
Malkin hasn't played this season. He had knee surgery June 4.
"'Geno' is making really good progress," Sullivan said. "We're encouraged by it. Every week the limitations are less and less." -- Wes Crosby

St. Louis Blues

Brayden Schenn will be out at least one week after the forward was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
Schenn became the 11th Blues skater to be sidelined either by injury or NHL COVID-19 protocol since Nov. 26. He was injured in the third period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.
Robert Thomas also went on IR and will be out at least another week. The forward has missed four games with a lower-body injury.
David Perron (upper body) was placed on long-term injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 27. He's missed eight games and will be out at least three more. The forward is eligible to be activated Dec. 21.
Forward Tyler Bozak and defenseman Justin Faulk were removed from COVID-19 protocol and could play against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, BSMW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Goalie Jordan Binnington remains in protocol but is eligible to come off at any time.
Goalie Ville Husso (lower body) and forward Jordan Kyrou (upper body) each is day to day.
After the Blues played three of four games with 17 skaters, they recalled forward Alexey Toropchenko from Springfield of the American Hockey League. He joins emergency recalls forwards Nathan Walker and Matthew Peca on the roster.
Forwards James Neal and Klim Kostin remain on LTIR, each with an upper-body injury. Neal is eligible to be activated Dec. 18 and Kostin on Dec. 20.
Coach Craig Berube said he wasn't sure if anyone could return Tuesday.
"I would say no, but I'm not going to sit here and set that in stone," Berube said Sunday. "It's too early to tell right now." -- Lou Korac

Carolina Hurricanes

Forwards Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis have been placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol.
Aho did not play in a 2-1 loss at the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday because of an illness. Jarvis played 17:05 and had an assist.
The players remained in quarantine in Vancouver along with a member of the Hurricanes training staff who also was placed in COVID-19 protocol.
Aho leads the Hurricanes and is tied for fifth in the NHL with 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 26 games. Jarvis has scored 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 20 games.
The Hurricanes conclude their five-game road trip at the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, NHL LIVE).

Tampa Bay Lightning

Anthony Cirelli (upper body) could play against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). The forward has missed two games.
Brayden Point practiced for the first time since the forward sustained an upper-body injury sustained Nov. 20 that was expected to sideline him 4-6 weeks. He wore a non-contact jersey and did some work on the power play.

Buffalo Sabres

Malcolm Subban was a full participant at practice and could return later in the week.
The goalie was injured in his Sabres debut Dec. 4, a 6-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was his second time skating with Buffalo after participating in the morning skate last Friday.
The Sabres begin a three-game road trip against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Subban could start one of the final two games, at the Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and Friday.
"I'll get a final read on Malcolm today, because [it was] his first full practice," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "It looked like everything went great to the eye out there. … So if that is the case, that would be the plan."
Subban, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Aaron Dell all are traveling with Sabres. Luukkonen has started the past three games after he was recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Dec. 6.
"I'm excited for Malcolm because it's an opportunity," Granato said. "He has such experience now that hopefully that hindsight and that experience will come to fruition here and benefit him and benefit us.
"[Luukkonen] looks good, he feels good. Because of that, it's the right place that he can make progress in the development areas right here, right now. It's simple and it's an easy decision based on that." -- Heather Engel

New Jersey Devils

Christian Jaros was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol.
The defenseman joins defenseman
Ryan Graves
and forward
Nico Hischier
, who each went into protocol Saturday. Forward Yegor Sharangovich did not practice Monday as a precaution.
The Devils visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).