NHL Buzz: Stutzle game-time decision for Senators

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

#

Ottawa Senators

Tim Stutzle
will be a game-time decision against the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN5, RDS, NBCSWA, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The forward, who has missed four games with a shoulder injury, will take warmups. Senators coach D.J. Smith called it a "50-50" chance Stutzle is in the lineup.
"It's getting better every day," Stutzle said. "And today I felt very good in the pre-game skate, so we'll see how it goes tonight."
Stutzle left a 3-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 12 after taking an awkward hit from Brett Leason.
"I thought it was going to be way worse, for sure," Stutzle said. "I couldn't really move it for like the next seven days afterward. But then the MRI said it was good, so I'm happy and grateful."
Stutzle, who has 27 points (10 goals, 17 assists) in 28 games, said the postponement of Ottawa's game against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday due to a severe winter storm makes it more likely he'll play Thursday. After Thursday, the Senators don't play until Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.
"Back-to-backs are always hard," Stutzle said. "It's going to be sore if I play tonight, but in the end, it for sure helps just playing one game instead of two in two days."
The Senators (14-16-2) are 2-2-0 without Stutzle in the lineup. Stutzle centered Brady Tkachuk and Claude Giroux in line rushes during the morning skate, and took reps on the first power play unit.
"Our 5-on-5 play has dipped here of late," Smith said. "We're giving up more. Underlying numbers, we're giving up too much. [Stutzle] is a guy that, when he's on the ice, drives offense, but also can break you out. He can do so many things. He's going to up your [offensive] zone time, your speed in transition. It would be hard to say he hasn't been one of, if not our best player all year." -- Callum Frase

#

Washington Capitals

Darcy Kuemper will return to start for the Capitals against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN5, RDS, NBCSWA, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The goalie has missed eight games since he sustained an upper-body injury against the Calgary Flames on Dec. 3.
T.J. Oshie will miss at least two more games with an upper-body injury he sustained against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
The forward did not practice Wednesday after he was unavailable for a 4-3 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, and coach Peter Laviolette said he will also miss Washington's game at the and its home game against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday before the NHL holiday break.
The Capitals first game after the break is at the New York Rangers on Dec. 27.
"The break gives that extended time and then when he comes back (from the break), we'll assess and see where he's at, where it's at," Laviolette said. "… It will be close to a week by the time we're back and then we'll see where it's at."
Forwards Nicklas Backstrom (hip surgery) and Tom Wilson (ACL surgery) practiced Wednesday on a line with Alex Ovechkin but did not make the trip to Ottawa. Defenseman Martin Fehervary (upper body) and forward Beck Malenstyn (finger) also did not make the trip. Forward Nic Dowd (non-COVID illness) and defenseman Alexander Alexeyev (upper body) did travel.-- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Vancouver Canucks

Elias Pettersson will be a game-time decision against the Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET; SNP, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The center, who missed the previous two games with an illness, returned to the ice for the morning skate on Thursday for the first time since playing 20:23 in a 4-3 shootout win at the Calgary Flames on Dec. 14.
"We'll see how he feels tonight after skating, it might be a fatigue thing where he can't do it," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "To me, it's more stamina that you've been lying in bed and not doing a lot for the last little bit."
Pettersson was off the ice for six days and said conditioning will be the biggest challenge coming back.
"Just laying around at home trying to feel better," Pettersson said. "I haven't done anything."
Pettersson leads the Canucks with 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 29 games while playing on the penalty kill and top power play unit. The Canucks have lost consecutive games at home without him in the lineup.
Even if Pettersson can't play against Seattle, Boudreau said he expects him back for the second half of back-to-back games at the Edmonton Oilers on Friday.

Dallas Stars

Denis Gurianov will be out indefinitely for the Stars because of family reasons.
The 25-year-old forward has five points (two goals, three assists) in 25 games this season; he did not play in the Stars' most recent game, a 2-1 win at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.
Gurianov had an NHL career-high 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 73 games last season.
"Anytime he can join the group, it makes us a better group," Boudreau said.-- Kevin Woodley