NHL Buzz: Duclair makes season debut for Panthers

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Florida Panthers

Anthony Duclair
made his season debut when the Panthers hosted the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
The forward was on long-term injured reserve since sustaining a torn Achilles tendon during the offseason.
"We're excited to get him back. He's excited to be back," Florida coach Paul Maurice said before the game. "That's a long rehab injury. And there's a lot of really difficult days in that when you're a long way from getting back onto the ice and you know it's a hard rehab. This is the payoff. He's done good work to get back in our lineup and he gets to go have some fun tonight."
Duclair, who began skating in December, set NHL career highs with 31 goals and 58 points in 74 games for Florida last season. He began on the second line with Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart.
The Panthers were without centers Aleksander Barkov and Sam Bennett. Barkov injured his hand blocking a shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb 6. He returned but is dealing with the injury again. Bennett sustained a lower-body injury against the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 14.
"Barkov and Bennett didn't improve over the last few days, so I'll list them as day to day," Maurice said. "Possibly Tampa (next game on Tuesday). We're fortunate that we get some days off in here. We can expect some healing. We just don't want either of these to get to the point that it does take them out of the game for a block of time. We can't afford that happen. They're not that far off." -- Alain Poupart

Ottawa Senators

Cam Talbot started for the Senators against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday after missing nine games with a lower-body injury.
Talbot hadn't played since Jan. 25. He made 14 saves before leaving in the second period of an eventual 2-1 win against the New York Islanders.
He is 12-13-1 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 28 games (25 starts) this season.
Defensemen Jake Sanderson (upper-body injury, five games missed) and Nick Holden (undisclosed injury, four games missed) are expected to return against the Hurricanes.
Sanderson has 21 points (three goals, 18 assists) in 51 games this season; Holden has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 47 games.

Philadelphia Flyers

Travis Konecny missed his second straight game because of an upper-body injury when the Flyers hosted the Montreal Canadiens on Friday.
The forward was injured during the second period of a 4-3 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday. He did not play in a 4-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
"He's not playing tonight and I don't have a bunch of information," Flyers coach John Tortorella said. "Still being evaluated."
Konecny leads Philadelphia in goals (27) and points (54) in 52 games.
Forwards Zack MacEwen (jaw) and Tanner Laczynski (lower body) took part in the morning skate Friday but did not play. MacEwen has been out since Jan. 26; Laczynski last played Dec. 5. -- Adam Kimelman

Minnesota Wild

Jonas Brodin has been advised by the Wild medical staff to rest a lingering lower-body injury for an undetermined amount of time.
The defenseman did not play when Minnesota defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 on Thursday.
"He's got a lower-body (injury) that keeps getting aggravated," Wild coach Dean Evason said Thursday. "The medical staff feels it's best to give him some time to rest here. I don't know, we don't know how long that will be, but we'll get him right so we can get him back."
Brodin was injured during a 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 6, though he finished the game and has missed three games since.
"He's a big part of our hockey club, for sure," Evason said. "People, a lot of people, not one person, has to step up to the plate, but yeah, he eats a lot of minutes, obviously, but we're confident that our group will step up and get the job done in his absence."
Minnesota visited the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, BSNX, BSWIX, ESPN+, SN NOW).

Anaheim Ducks

Forward Adam Henrique is week to week with a lower-body injury sustained during a 6-1 loss to the Lightning on Tuesday.
While the Ducks were without Henrique, forward Troy Terry returned for a 4-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Thursday after missing seven games with an upper-body injury.
"It's nice to have Troy back. It's kind of, we're back to square one though," Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said Thursday. "Even though I love the 'next-man-up' concept, we're not there as a team, so losing Troy, it was impossible to replace him. And now losing Henrique, it's kind of the same thing. We'll just do the best we can there. It's an opportunity for somebody else."
Henrique is third on the Ducks with 33 points (19 goals, 14 assists) in 57 games.
Anaheim was also without John Klingberg on Thursday. The defenseman was a late scratch prior to a 6-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday and is day to day with a lower-body injury.-- Harvey Valentine

Montreal Canadiens

Chris Tierney made his Canadiens debut against the Flyers on Friday, one day after he was claimed off waivers from the Panthers.
Tierney centered the fourth line with Michael Pezzetta and Alex Belzile at practice.
"It's a whole new team and some different systems and stuff but I think you just go out there and try to play hockey," Tierney said. "...let your instincts take over. Just really excited and looking forward to go."
Tierney had three points (two goals, one assist) in 13 games with Florida this season.
Montreal was without Joel Armia against Philadelphia. The forward did not practice Thursday of Friday and is day to day after leaving a 5-2 win at the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday because he wasn't feeling well.
Kirby Dach did not travel to Philadelphia because of a non-COVID-19-related illness that has sidelined him since Feb. 16. The forward's symptoms were determined to be related to a lower-body injury through further medical evaluation and testing.
Chris Wideman is week to week with an upper-body injury. The defenseman hasn't played since Feb. 16.
Joel Edmundson is making progress in his rehab for a lower-body injury, and a further update is expected at the end of the week. The defenseman has been sidelined since Jan. 26.