NHL Buzz: Doughty resumes skating, remains 'a ways away' for Kings

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Los Angeles Kings

Drew Doughty has resumed skating but remains "a ways away" from a return to action for the Kings.

The defenseman has not played this season after he broke his left ankle in a preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 25.

Doughty has been listed as month to month since undergoing surgery for the injury.

Kings head coach Jim Hiller was pleased to see Doughty back on the ice, but said he wasn't close to making his season debut.

"To see him get to that level, we didn't know when that was going to happen, that's a big deal," Hiller said after practice. "If you know everything that's gone into it, that was a big deal. It's really encouraging."

Doughty averaged 25:48 of time per game last season, second in the NHL behind Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson (25:54). Doughty also led Kings defensemen with 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) in 82 games, and was tied with forward Quinton Byfield for fourth on Los Angeles in assists.

The Kings have gotten 74 points (16 goals, 58 assists) from their defensemen this season. Doughty has led Kings defensemen in points every season from 2013-14 through last season.

Doughty, who did not miss a game for five straight seasons from 2014-19, appeared in 460 consecutive games during that stretch, the longest streak in Kings history.

Los Angeles hosts the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday (6 p.m. ET; FDSNW, MSGSN, NHLN, SN). -- Dan Greenspan

Colorado Avalanche

Jonathan Drouin will return for the Avalanche against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ALT, TSN3).

The forward has missed 16 games with an upper-body injury.

"He's feeling good too," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "I feel like the last little bit he's really been ramping up, looks good in practice. So, it's going to be nice to get him back. We've been without some of those top-six forwards for the whole season, I guess, and now we finally get him back. Should be a rested player, eager player, and we obviously know what he can provide to our team."

Drouin missed 16 games with a similar injury earlier this season; he played four games before his most recent injury.

"It's been a long year. Kind of play a couple games and get reinjured," he said. "The same kind of thing happened, and kind of redo the whole process of all the rehab and treatment. … It's very similar, very close to the same one I had to start the year in the first game."

Drouin has two goals and two assists in five games this season after having a career-high 56 points (19 goals, 37 points) in 79 games last season. He'll play on the second line with Mikko Rantanen and Ross Colton.

Forward Juuso Parssinen will make his Avalanche debut Tuesday after being acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Forward Ivan Ivan (upper-body injury) won't play and is being evaluated. -- Ryan Boulding

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov will miss his third straight game when the Wild host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNNO, FDSNOSO, FDSNWI).

The forward, who has a lower-body injury, has not resumed skating, coach John Hynes said. He is day to day.

Hynes said it hasn't been determined if Kaprizov will be joining the team on its upcoming two-game road trip at the Washington Capitals on Thursday and the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.

Kaprizov last played in a 4-3 win against the Blackhawks on Dec. 23, in which he scored a goal. He leads the Wild with 23 goals and 50 points, which is tied for second in the NHL in goals and seventh in points. -- Jessi Pierce

Chicago Blackhawks

Craig Smith was activated off injured reserve Tuesday and in the lineup for the Discover NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field.

The forward missed eight straight games and nine of 10 with a back injury.

Smith has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 26 games for the Blackhawks this season.

He replaced forward Philipp Kurashev in the lineup.

Dallas Stars

Mathew Dumba is set to return against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, MSG-B) after missing eight games with an upper-body injury.

The defenseman sustained the injury after a 6-2 win against Calgary Flames on Dec. 8, with coach Pete DeBoer saying, “it wasn’t an in-game injury.”

The 30-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Stars as an unrestricted free agent July 1 and has one assist in 19 games while averaging 15:33 of ice time.

“[He] has a taste now,” DeBoer said. “He’s been around, even though he’s been hurt and hasn’t played recently. He understands now what our systems are, what our expectations are, how we want to play. He’s got to jump in now and execute and make himself a valuable part of our defense corps.” -- Taylor Baird

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marcus Pettersson is expected to return to the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SN-PIT).

Pettersson has missed six games with a lower-body injury. He has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 32 games.

"It's been tough – it's not fun watching, ever," he said after morning skate. "The guys really stepped up, though, which made it easier."

Pettersson would fill Kris Letang's spot on defense. Letang will miss his second game with an upper-body injury and is day to day.

Defenseman Owen Pickering has been cleared for contact after a concussion, but will not play Tuesday.

Letang has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 34 games and averages a team-high 23:24 per game.

Pickering has two points (one goal, one assist) in 14 games this season. -- Dave Hogg

Carolina Hurricanes

Shayne Gostisbehere will be out "more than day to day" for the Hurricanes because of an upper-body injury.

The defenseman was a late scratch prior to a 5-2 win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.

"I'm not sure the extent of the length of it, but it will be more than day to day," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said Monday.

Gostisbehere has 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in 35 games this season.

Defenseman Riley Stillman was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Carolina visits the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNSO).