NHL Buzz: Toews placed on injured reserve by Blackhawks with illness

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Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 7 because of a non-COVID-19-related illness and missed his fifth straight game when the Blackhawks lost 5-2 at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Forwards Cole Guttman and Brett Seney, and defenseman Isaak Phillips were recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League. Phillips has four points (one goal, three assists) in 11 games this season; Seney does not have a point in two games. Guttman played 12:09 in his NHL debut Wednesday.
Goalie Alex Stalock (ocular dysfunction, retroactive to Jan. 16) and defenseman Jarred Tinordi (knee) were also placed on injured reserve.

Colorado Avalanche

Erik Johnson is out indefinitely for the Avalanche with a lower-body injury.
The defenseman left a 5-3 win at the Florida Panthers on Saturday after blocking a shot. It's unknown if he will be ready for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I don't have a tight timeline on him, but he's out indefinitely," coach Jared Bednar said after a 4-3 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. "It will be weeks."
Colorado (29-19-5) is third in the Central Division and won 3-2 at the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
Johnson (908 games) is the longest-tenured player for Colorado. He played his 900th game Jan. 19, a 4-1 win at Calgary, and is averaging 17:32 of ice time.
The Avalanche are also without defenseman Cale Makar (head).

St. Louis Blues

Brandon Saad has an upper-body injury and will not play against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; ESPN).
The Blues forward, and defenseman Torey Krug (lower body) each left in the second period of a 6-2 win against the Panthers on Tuesday.
"Saad and Krug are each day to day, but Saad will not play on Thursday," coach Craig Berube said Wednesday.
Saad has 22 points (15 goals, seven assists) in 46 games. Krug has 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 37 games.
St. Louis (25-25-3) is eight points back of the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

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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 Oct. 19.
Vrana has two points (one goal, one assist) in two games with the Red Wings this season. He was scratched for a 5-4 shootout win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.
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.

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Vancouver Canucks

Thatcher Demko practiced in full Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury 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 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.
Goalie Arturs Silovs started in his NHL debut for the Canucks on Wednesday, a 6-4 loss to the New York Rangers after being recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League. -- Kevin Woodley

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Montreal Canadiens

Arber Xhekaj is 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).