NHL Buzz: Xhekaj out indefinitely for Canadiens with injury

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Montreal Canadiens

Arber Xhekaj will be out indefinitely for the Canadiens because of an upper-body injury.
The defenseman was injured in a 6-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday after a fight with defenseman Vincent Desharnais in the second period.
Xhekaj has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 51 games this season. He leads the NHL in penalty minutes (101) and is fifth in hits (159).
Montreal hosts the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, NBCSCH, ESPN+, SN NOW).

Detroit Red Wings

Jakub Vrana
was recalled from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
The forward had been in the AHL on a conditioning stint since Dec. 28. Vrana was assigned there after he was removed from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, which he entered on Oct. 19.
Vrana has two points (one goal, one assist) in two games with Detroit this season; it is unclear if he will be in the lineup when the Red Wings visit the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, SNW, BSDETX, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Forward Lucas Raymond was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. He sustained a lower-body injury in practice last Friday and did not play in a 6-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Tristan Jarry will not return when the Penguins visit the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Jarry, who has missed six games with an upper-body injury, practiced Monday and seemed likely to play.
"I think there's a possibility," coach Mike Sullivan said Monday "Right now, his status is day to day. It's unchanged. Obviously, when he gets into more of the game-real practices, as he did today, it just prepares him that much more. We'll see how he responds to it and we'll make decisions accordingly."
Jarry has missed 13 of the past 15 games, including seven after sustaining a lower-body injury in the first period of a 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2. He then allowed three goals on 70 shots in two starts, a 4-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 20, and a 2-1 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 22.
"When our medical team deems him ready to play, he'll go in," Sullivan said Tuesday. "That has not been the case to this point."
In 27 starts this season, Jarry is 16-5-5 with a 2.65 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. DeSmith is 9-11-4 with a 3.30 GAA and .903 save percentage, and Tokarski is 1-1-0 with a 3.20 GAA and .893 save percentage. -- Wes Crosby

Florida Panthers

Anthony Duclair
was a full participant in practice on Monday for the first time since the forward had surgery to repair an Achilles tendon injury on July 2.
"It's a mental step more than anything," coach Paul Maurice said. "He's been pushing it for an awfully long time. This is a long-healing injury. … He's been battling. He's been doing a lot of that lately. This is good for him just to get out on the ice."
Maurice said Duclair, who had been skating with the Panthers in a non-contact jersey since mid-January, is unlikely to play during a four-game road trip that began at the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Their next home game is against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 20.
"I don't see him playing on this road trip, but he'll be very close when we get off it," Maurice said.
Duclair set NHL career highs in goals (31), assists (27) and points (58) last season.
The Panthers (26-23-6) are three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Boston Bruins

Jake DeBrusk is nearing a return after missing more than a month because of a hand and lower-body injury.
The forward has not played since the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2, when he scored both goals in the Bruins' 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
DeBrusk, who won't play at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; BSSW, NESN, ESPN+, SN NOW), could return at the Nashville Predators on Thursday, the last of a two-game road trip.
"We're missing speed, his ability to track down pucks, whether it's on the forecheck but more importantly stripping guys from behind, creating odd-man rush looks," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Monday. "That's what we miss from him. Whether it's with the puck or without the puck, he creates more odd-man rushes for us."
DeBrusk returned to practice Friday in a non-contact jersey; he skated in a regular jersey at practice Monday.
"I thank the training staff, the medical staff and the guys in the gym who have been bagging me, making sure I feel comfortable out there," DeBrusk said. "That was probably the highest pace that I've been at for a month now."
DeBrusk said his fitness is potentially better than it is after offseason training but that he will need to judge it once he's back on the ice.
"I'm definitely going on this road trip," he said. "I'm going to try to play as fast as I can. I've been missing it too much. As soon as that's a go-ahead, I'll be in and ready to go." -- Amalie Benjamin

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar will be out for a third straight game because of a head injury when the Avalanche host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; SN, TVAS, ALT, BSSUN, ESPN+).
The defenseman last played in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 7.
"No timeline [for a return]," coach Jared Bednar said Monday. "It's unclear. ... He's out until he's good. I don't know when that's going to be. Won't be tomorrow."
Defenseman Erik Johnson (lower body) and goalie Pavel Francouz (lower body) also are out. Bedard said there is no timetable for either to return.
Defenseman Josh Manson practiced Monday but likely won't play Tuesday, according to Bednar. Manson hasn't played since Dec. 1 because of a lower-body injury.
Forward Valeri Nichushkin didn't practice Monday because of maintenance but is expected to play Tuesday.
Goalie Jonas Johansson was recalled from Colorado of the American Hockey League. Bednar said there could be at least one more call-up before the Avalanche play Tuesday.

Vancouver Canucks

Thatcher Demko practiced in full Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury on Dec. 1 and plans to be the Canucks' backup goalie against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
He could start at the Nashville Predators on Feb. 21.
"At that point, it's a coach's decision," Demko said. "I will be available."
Demko was injured in the first period of a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. He was initially expected to miss six weeks but has already been out more than 10.
"It's kind of a situation where you're probably never going to be fully confident to come back, no matter if I took a year to get ready," Demko said. "There's always going to be a little bit of nerves there and making sure that you're trusting the process. There's obviously scar tissue in the injury but there's also mental scar tissue when it comes to getting back out there."
Demko is 3-10-2 with a 3.93 goals-against average and .883 save percentage in 15 games this season.
Spencer Martin was sent to Abbotsford of the American Hockey League on Tuesday after clearing waivers, leaving Demko and Collin Delia as the only two goalies at practice. The Canucks recalled Arturs Silovs from the AHL to serve as the backup goalie against the New York Rangers on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW). -- Kevin Woodley