Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Washington Capitals
Ivan Miroshnichenko will make his NHL debut when the Capitals host the New York Islanders on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; MAX, MNMT, TNT, TVAS).
Miroshnichenko, the No. 20 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, practiced Tuesday after he was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League, along with forward Hendrix Lapierre.
"I just want to see him compete at a high level," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said Wednesday. "I have zero expectations on offensive, scoring chances, scoring a goal. That stuff I know will look after itself and he's a real young player and there won't be any level of expectations put on him in that department. I just want him to go out there and compete and show that he can keep up with the pace of the NHL."
Miroshnichenko, who will play on a line with Lapierre and Evgeny Kuznetsov, had 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 27 games with Hershey. He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in Feb. 2022 and is cancer-free after undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy. He said playing his first NHL game would be the fulfillment of a dream.
"I'm nervous because, basically, I went through so many circumstances and different situations in my life working for that for my whole life," Miroshnichenko said Tuesday. "Everybody is nervous, family is nervous, so just so excited about tomorrow."
Forward Max Pacioretty, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, participated in his first full-contact practice Tuesday Carbery said he could make his season debut in the Capitals' first game after the holiday break against the Rangers on Dec. 27 or soon after.
Carbery said injured forwards T.J. Oshie (lower body) and Sonny Milano (upper body) won't play in any of Washington's three remaining games before the break. -- Tom Gulitti
Buffalo Sabres
Jeff Skinner returned to practice Wednesday and could return from an upper-body injury when the Sabres host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, SNO).
The forward has missed three games since he was injured Dec. 13 against the Colorado Avalanche. He's tied for the team lead with 12 goals and has 22 points in 30 games.
"I feel good," Skinner said Wednesday. "I thought it was a good practice."
Skinner skated in his usual spot on the top line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
"Jeff is still in a progression and today was a big part of that progression to see where he's at," coach Don Granato said. "Not certain he would be in tomorrow, but the progression today looked good, and he'll follow up with medical and doctors to see where that leaves him. I have not spoken to him after practice but today was a big day."
The Sabres could also get Jordan Greenway back against the Maple Leafs. The forward, who has missed nine games with an upper-body injury sustained Dec. 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes, skated at left wing on a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Zach Benson at practice Wednesday.
Greenway has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 21 games this season. -- Heather Engel
Vegas Golden Knights
Adin Hill did not travel with the Golden Knights for their three-game road trip which began at the Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Hill left a 6-3 win against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday during the first period after allowing one goal on three shots in 6:25. He was making his return after missing seven games with a lower-body injury.
"The best I can give him is day to day," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said before a 6-3 loss on Tuesday. "He was getting reevaluated (Monday) when we left. I have not heard any news. I don't anticipate he will join us on this trip. If he did that would be great. That means he'd be close to playing, but that's where we're at right now."
Hill is 10-2-2 in 15 games with a 1.93 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage.
Logan Thompson started against Carolina and allowed six goals on 28 shots. He was replaced by Jiri Patera (10 saves), who recalled from Henderson of the AHL on Monday.
"[Thompson] is going to get the majority of the starts," Cassidy said Tuesday. "It's up to him to go in there and give us a chance to win. He's done that very well this year. For him, I look at it as an opportunity to get more starts, probably something that both guys would want when we had a fairly even split."
The Golden Knights next play at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, BSSUN). -- Kurt Dusterberg
