Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Detroit Red Wings
Dylan Larkin returned for the Red Wings against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.
The forward had missed the previous four games because of an upper-body injury he sustained against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 9.
"Got cleared yesterday and took him through some contact with a skate," coach Derek Lalonde said. "Wanted to see how he reacted in morning skate today and got the OK."
Larkin is second on the Red Wings with 11 goals and 25 points in 24 games. -- Dave Hogg
Calgary Flames
Jacob Markstrom returned for the Flames against the Florida Panthers on Monday.
The goalie missed the previous seven games after sustaining a fractured finger in practice on Dec. 4. The Flames were 2-3-2 in Markstrom's absence.
"We love having 'Marky' back there," defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said. "He's been a rock for us this year. He's made some big saves for us this year and also adds some more leadership back there. Offensively, you can take a little bit more risk knowing he's back there to bail you out. He's obviously our starting goalie. He's a big piece to this team."
Markstrom is 6-8-2 with a 2.94 goals-against average and .896 save percentage in 16 games this season.
“It might take a few more weeks for it to heal," Markstrom said Sunday. "You just try to play around with everything from blockers to sticks and all that stuff to make it feel as good as possible to be able to make you not think about it during the game.”
Chris Tanev, who missed three games because of an upper-body injury, will also play Monday. The defenseman was injured during the first period of a 6-5 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 11.
Tanev has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 28 games this season. He's averaged 18:39 of ice time and leads the Flames in blocked shots per 60 minutes (7.47).
"I feel good," Tanev said. "Ready to roll and excited to be out there. I've completed all the steps I need to to be able to play, and I feel great." -- Aaron Vickers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews was a full participant at practice Monday after missing a 7-0 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday because of an illness.
“I was throwing up all afternoon and thought I could get to the rink and maybe get it settled down, but I couldn’t,” Matthews said Monday.
“Just a normal day before a game routine (on Monday) and just get ready to go for tomorrow. Felt pretty good out there today, so hopefully it just flushes out of the whole system and I’m back to feeling like normal.”
Matthews expects to play when the Maple Leafs host the New York Rangers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, MSG).
The center, who has seven goals during a four-game goal streak, skated on a line at practice with left wing Matthew Knies and right wing William Nylander.
“It’s great,” coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We had known he bounced back pretty quickly on Sunday, so he was full-go today.”
Defenseman TJ Brodie, who also missed the game against the Penguins because of an illness, skated before practice but left prior to the main session beginning.
“Been a slower process,” Keefe said. “This morning, breakfast was his first real meal that he’s had in a couple days. Felt good enough to get out there but didn’t want to stress it too much. We will just continue to monitor him and have him build himself up over the day and see where he is at tomorrow. … At this point, we are preparing as if Brodie won’t be available.” -- Dave McCarthy
Pittsburgh Penguins
Rickard Rakell returned for the Penguins against the Minnesota Wild on Monday.
The forward, who missed 12 games because of an upper-body injury, took full contact in practice Sunday and participated in an optional morning skate Monday.
Rakell has four assists in 17 games this season, mostly at right wing on the second line with center Evgeni Malkin.
“It’s been a tough season for me so far,” Rakell said. “I think that’s in the past now. I’m just excited to be back. Just forget everything that’s been and a new season starts for me now.”
Forward Noel Acciari and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel also returned. Acciari had not played since Nov. 30 because of a lower-body injury; Ruhwedel had been out since Nov. 19 because of a lower-body injury. -- Wes Crosby
Buffalo Sabres
Jack Quinn could make his season debut for the Sabres against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG-B).
The forward has been out while recovering from an Achilles injury he sustained during offseason training in June.
“He looks ready to go,” coach Don Granato said. “It could be as soon as tomorrow.”
Quinn skated at right wing on the top line with Tage Thompson and Zach Benson during practice Monday, a spot usually occupied by Alex Tuch, who was absent because of a maintenance day.
“Today was a real good test for him in a way we weren’t able to test him much in the last month really,” Granato said. “And he was real good with it. I’ll have another conversation with him and medical and we’ll see where we’re at. But if it’s not tomorrow, it’s very close.”
Quinn had 39 points (15 goals, 24 assists) in 77 games as a rookie last season.
Tuch missed four games earlier this month because of a lower-body injury he sustained Dec. 3. Granato said he believes he’ll play against Columbus but expects the forward to take more maintenance days as he deals with a “nagging issue.”
“It is maintenance, but we also want to make sure that it’s going to go the right direction,” Granato said. “So he didn’t skate today. We’ll give him a chance to see how it feels tomorrow, and as long as we don’t feel it’s going to go in the wrong direction and you can play through some nagging [injuries] without making it worse, he’d play.”
Tuch has 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 25 games.
Jordan Greenway, who has missed eight games because of an upper-body injury, returned to practice Monday. The forward has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 21 games.
“His progression has been really good all the way until the final component, and that final component, we’re just waiting for that to resolve,” Granato said. -- Heather Engel
Los Angeles Kings
Pheonix Copley was placed on long-term injured reserve Sunday.
The 31-year-old goalie sustained an undisclosed injury Friday and did not travel with the Kings for a 3-2 win at the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. He is 4-1-2 with a 3.16 goals-against average and .870 save percentage in eight games this season.
Last season, Copley was a surprising catalyst to help the Kings qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, going 24-6-3 with a 2.64 GAA and .903 save percentage in 37 games.
David Rittich was recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Friday and backed up Cam Talbot against the Kraken.
Rittich played for the Winnipeg Jets last season and was 9-8-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .901 save percentage in 21 games (18 starts). He signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Kings on July 1 and cleared waivers Oct. 11 before being assigned to Ontario.
The Kings play at the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+, TVAS). -- Dan Greenspan
Chicago Blackhawks
Joey Anderson was placed on injured reserve after the forward sustained a left shoulder injury in their 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.
Anderson played the first two periods but did not come back for the third. Coach Luke Richardson said postgame that Anderson was going to be re-evaluated Monday “and find out if it’s going to linger or if he’s OK.”
The 25-year-old forward has five assists in 13 games this season.
The Blackhawks host the Colorado Avalanche at United Center on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, ALT, TVAS-D, SN1). -- Tracey Myers
