NHL Buzz: Zegras could make NHL debut for Ducks against Coyotes

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2020-21 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

Anaheim Ducks

Trevor Zegras could make his NHL debut at the Arizona Coyotes on Monday (9 p.m. ET; FS-A PLUS, PRIME, FS-SD, NHL.TV).
The 19-year-old forward skated on a line with Sam Steel and Jakob Silfverberg at practice Sunday after he was recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League. He scored two goals in a 7-3 win against the Colorado Eagles on Saturday, and his nine points (four goals, five assists) are tied with two others for the AHL lead.
"I was not informed prior to the game, I had no idea," Zegras said. "Actually, our GM (Bob Ferguson) grabbed me after the game and said practice at Honda Center tomorrow. He gave me some knuckles and said, 'Good luck, pal.'
"Obviously, I was pretty excited. Every kid's dream is to play in the NHL. That's what I was looking forward to for a long time, and then my family's been looking forward to, so I think it's going to
cleared waivers Sunday, one day after the Ducks (6-9-3) lost their third straight game, 5-1 to the Minnesota Wild. They've scored two or fewer goals in 14 of 18 games this season and are last in the NHL in goals per game (1.83). -- Jon Lane

Winnipeg Jets

Pierre-Luc Dubois scored his second goal of the night in overtime to give the Jets a 4-3 win at the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in his return to the lineup after missing the previous four games with a lower-body injury.
He also had an assist.
It was the third game with the Jets for Dubois, who was acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 23 along with a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft for forwards Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic. He had a 14-day quarantine after arriving in Winnipeg and was injured in practice Feb. 12 after being held without a point in his first two games.
"I've never been more ready to play a hockey game in my entire life," Dubois said earlier in the day. "It's been a tough couple of weeks, getting back into shape and then getting injured and trying to get back into shape again."
Dubois played his natural center position in his first two games for the Jets, but he was at left wing on a line with center Mark Scheifele and right wing Blake Wheeler against the Canucks.
"We have so much depth on this team, there's so many good players that wherever you are in the lineup, you're in a good spot, and that goes for who you're playing with and also goes for the position you're playing," Dubois said. "I've watched enough of us play in the past couple of weeks that it won't be too big of an adjustment out there." -- Kevin Woodley

Buffalo Sabres

Jake McCabe had an MRI on Sunday for a lower-body injury sustained in a 3-2 win at the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.
The defenseman favored his right leg when he left the game at 8:57 of the third period after attempting to check Devils center Nico Hischier.
"I'll be honest with you, not very optimistic about the diagnosis that'll come out of this, but let's let the medical team take a look at it," coach Ralph Krueger said Sunday after the Sabres practiced in New Jersey. "We'll give you a full report. The lower-body injury is serious."
McCabe has scored three points (one goal, two assists) in 13 games this season. The game Saturday was his third after being in NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"Jake's a guy that, he's taken a lot of strides in the last couple of years as a leader," forward Kyle Okposo said. "He's somebody that I have a ton of respect for and all the guys have a lot of respect for in that room. I don't know what the final prognosis is yet but he's going to be a guy that's dearly missed on and off the ice." -- Heather Engel

New York Rangers

Kaapo Kakko was not in the lineup for a 4-1 win against the Washington Capitals on Saturday and was placed on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list.
"I really haven't talked to him," Rangers coach David Quinn said after the game. "This happened this morning, so we haven't had a chance to talk yet. Obviously you're concerned any time someone gets put on this list, so we'll talk here shortly and see how he feels. From what I gather there hasn't really been any symptoms yet, so we'll see. I'll know a lot more later today."
The forward scored a shootout goal in a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. He has scored three points (two goals, one assist) in 14 games this season.
Forward Julien Gauthier, who was a healthy scratch Thursday, replaced Kakko in the lineup.
Defenseman K'Andre Miller returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with an upper-body injury.