NHL Buzz: Hughes returns for Canucks against Sharks

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes will return to the lineup for the Canucks at the San Jose Sharks on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SNP, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The defenseman has missed three games since he was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol on Feb. 7. It is unsure if he will play against the Anaheim Ducks in Vancouver on Saturday because of quarantine restrictions.
"I felt good, I didn't have any symptoms," Hughes said. "Excited to be back and put this behind me. ... I've been skating pretty hard and we've been going good so I feel confident that I will be ready to go tonight."
Hughes has scored 34 points (two goals, 32 assists) in 45 games this season.

Boston Bruins

Patrice Bergeron returned to play for the Bruins against the New York Islanders on Thursday.
The center skated on the top line with Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak at practice. He missed three games with an upper-body injury and did not travel for a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
Bergeron was injured during a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 8 when he collided with Penguins forward Sidney Crosby and fell into the boards. He said he did not have a concussion.
"When I hit my head on the boards there ... I had a laceration on the back of my head," Bergeron said Wednesday. "Needed some time to get some stitches. It was swollen, so just needed some time to get back."
Bergeron scored 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 43 games this season.

New York Islanders

Josh Bailey is day to day because of an upper-body injury and did not play against the Bruins.
The forward scored 21 points (three goals, 18 assists) in 38 games this season. He had three shots on goal in 18:01 of ice time in a 6-3 loss at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. Bailey was replaced by forward Kieffer Bellows, who scored nine points (three goals, six assists) in 20 games.
Goalie Semyon Varlamov remained in NHL COVID-19 protocol but will return to New York this weekend. Varlamov was expected to start in a 5-2 loss at the Calgary Flames on Feb. 12 but left warmups early. Goalie Cory Schneider was recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Monday. -- Brian Compton

Buffalo Sabres

Drake Caggiula is out for the season after having surgery for a herniated disk in his neck.
The recovery time is estimated at 6-8 months. The forward hasn't played since Nov. 22.
"He's been seeing some different specialists and gathered all the information and then made the decision a few days ago that he was moving forward with the surgery," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said. "He saw obviously our doctor, got a second opinion and a third opinion just to kind of gather more information. And that's what he felt most comfortable with."
Caggiula returned to practice in a no-contact jersey Dec. 19 and practiced until mid-January. He scored two goals with three assists in 18 games this season.
Forward Zemgus Girgensons remains out with a lower-body injury related to a hamstring injury sustained in training camp last season that sidelined him for the season. He has missed six games.
"He just had to get it under control," Adams said. "But he's doing well, so probably still a couple weeks away."
Forward Vinnie Hinostroza (lower body) is nearing a return to practice after a setback a couple of weeks ago. Forward Jack Quinn has the same injury as Hinostroza and is doing "really well," Adams said.
Defenseman Will Butcher, who sustained a lower-body injury on Jan. 30 against the Colorado Avalanche, has been skating and is "more on the day-to-day than week-to-week," Adams said. -- Heather Engel

Ottawa Senators

Thomas Chabot is not expected to return this week for the Senators because of an upper-body injury.
The defenseman left a 4-1 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday at 6:30 of the third period after a hit by forward Tom Wilson. Senators coach D.J. Smith said Chabot likely would miss at least the next three games, against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, the Bruins on Saturday and the Rangers on Sunday.
Chabot scored 24 points (three goals, 21 assists) in 45 games and leads the NHL with an average ice time of 26:51 per game.
"He's arguably the one guy you don't want to go without," Smith said Wednesday. "The amount of minutes and the amount of things he does ... you have to make sure he's 100 percent."
Goalie Matt Murray left a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues in the third period Wednesday because of an undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision Thursday.
"We don't think [it's serious]," Smith said. "We're hopeful he's back this weekend."

Minnesota Wild

Matt Dumba will be out longer than day to day for the Wild, coach Dean Evason said.
The defenseman sustained a lower-body injury during a 3-2 win against the Hurricanes on Saturday and did not play in a 7-4 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. He did not travel for their 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.
"We talked yesterday that it's lower body," Evason said Wednesday. "I don't even want to say day to day, it's just, we're evaluating as we go."
Dumba missed two games with an upper-body injury prior to Saturday. He had one shot on goal, three hits and two blocked shots in 22:30 of ice time in his first game back.