Buzz: Brady Tkachuk questionable for Senators against Jets on Wednesday
Eriksson Ek week to week for Wild; Kreider out for Rangers
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Ottawa Senators
Brady Tkachuk said his lower-body injury is "nothing major," but the forward could miss his second straight game against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; SN, RDS).
"I'm feeling alright," the Senators captain said following practice Tuesday. "I think it was just a smart decision to [sit out Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens]. I didn't feel like I had the pop, and I started to feel it a little bit. I'm still hopeful to play tomorrow, but I just need to make a smart decision. I definitely don't want to reaggravate it and miss any more time."
Tkachuk confirmed he sustained the injury playing for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He skated on his own ahead of practice Tuesday, took one line rush with Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle and then left practice, although he said that was part of the plan.
He has 44 points (21 goals, 23 assists) in 56 games for Ottawa (29-24-4), which holds the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference but has lost four in a row.
"I'm just going to continue to do everything in my power to play tomorrow and we'll see how it goes the rest of the day today and tomorrow," Tkachuk said. "Of course I want to go to battle with these guys, but I think everybody in here and Sens fans, they don't want to see something nagging and take away from my guy for the next 24, next 25 games. So, maybe take the time for one more [game] just to be ready to go, but yeah, we'll just have to wait and see."
Josh Norris, who has missed five games since sustaining a mid-body injury Feb. 1, was a full participant at practice and took reps as second-line center between David Perron and Drake Batherson. Shane Pinto who has missed three games since sustaining an upper-body injury Feb. 4, practiced in a noncontact jersey as fourth-line center between Matthew Highmore and Adam Gaudette.
Coach Travis Green said he's hopeful Norris will play Wednesday, and Pinto is "closer than he was yesterday." -- Callum Fraser
Minnesota Wild
Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) is week to week and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.
The forward was injured at practice Monday, according to The Athletic. Eriksson Ek has missed 15 games this season with various lower-body injuries.
"I don't particularly know yet what happened," Minnesota coach John Hynes said. "He practiced yesterday, and later in the day I got notice from the trainers that he was going to be out. I don't know the actual extent other than it's going to be a few weeks for sure, and exactly what it is yet. It wasn't like one thing that happened where it was like, 'OK, this happened.' I was a little bit surprised when I got the news later yesterday."
Eriksson Ek has 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 42 games while averaging 19:38 of ice time. He had a goal and an assist for Sweden during the 4 Nations Face-Off.
"Yeah, (Eriksson Ek is) a guy that plays a lot of key situations for us," Hynes said. "He obviously is a tremendous competitor. So again, when you lose a guy that plays as much as he plays, and the significant role that he plays, you're not counting on one person to take his spot. Someone's going to take his spot on the line per se, but you're going to have to divide up his minutes on the power play, on the penalty kill, 5-on-5. Everyone's got to do their part."
Minnesota activated Jakub Lauko from injured reserve. The forward sustained a lower-body injury Feb. 4. -- Jessi Pierce
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider did not play against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
The forward, who represented the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, was a late scratch Sunday, a 5-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins because of an upper-body injury he sustained in an 8-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
Kreider has 21 points (17 goals, four assists) in 48 games this season.
Brennan Othmann was recalled from Hartford of the AHL on Monday. The forward, who was a first-round pick (No. 16) at the 2021 NHL Draft, played three NHL games last season.
"He's getting ready to play," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said of Othmann. "We've still got some decisions we're making." -- Stefen Rosner
Colorado Avalanche
Valeri Nichushkin could return against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; MSGSN, KTVD, ALT, TVAS) after missing 21 games with a lower-body injury.
The forward was a full participant in practice Tuesday, skating on a line with Jonathan Drouin and Casey Mittelstadt.
“He is a possibility for tomorrow,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "He's one of the top players in the League, so getting him back, when we get him back, will be helpful.”
Nichushkin has 17 points (11 goals, six assists) in 21 games this season for the Avalanche (33-24-2), who hold the first wild card in the West and begin a six-game homestand Wednesday.
He missed the first 17 games of the season while in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program, which included being suspended without pay for a minimum of six months.
“From power play to PK, from his size (6-foot-4, 210 pounds), from going to the netfront, 5-on-5 -- there’s so many things he does with that frame of his,” Drouin said. “So, it's nice to have him back. Hopefully he'll play tomorrow.” -- Ryan Boulding
Montreal Canadiens
Kirby Dach did not play against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday because of a lower-body injury.
The center, who is being evaluated, played 13:43 in the Canadiens' 5-2 win at Ottawa on Saturday.
Dach has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 57 games this season. He had season-ending surgery on his right knee last season to repair his ACL and MCL after he was injured in Montreal's second game.
Owen Beck, who was recalled from Laval of the American Hockey League on Monday, took Dach's place at center on the second line with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook.
Beck has 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 47 games with Laval this season. He has no points through his first seven NHL games, including six this season.
"When [Beck] first got called up, he was a bit timid," Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said. "I think when he got called up again, he was playing really good hockey and really showed the player he can be. Hopefully he'll be even more comfortable coming back up." -- Sean Farrell
Florida Panthers
The Panthers are not concerned about the severity of Matthew Tkachuk's lower-body injury, coach Paul Maurice said.
The forward, who has 57 points (22 goals, 35 assists) in 52 games, continues to be evaluated by team medical personnel. Maurice said Monday the team wasn't worried that it would be a long-term injury, and addressed it again Tuesday.
"He saw some people over the weekend," Maurice said prior to Florida's game at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. "We're going to wait a few more days, get a couple more looks at him. We just don't want to be giving out reports every second day that aren't confirmed, so we'll wait on that for a few more days. He won't play here tonight."
Tkachuk was injured while playing for the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off. After sitting out the final 12:36 of the third period against Canada on Feb. 15, he did not play against Sweden on Feb. 17. Tkachuk was in the starting lineup for the championship game against Canada on Thursday but was limited to 6:47 of ice time and did not play in the third period or overtime of a 3-2 loss. -- George Richards
Pittsburgh Penguins
Bryan Rust returned against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday after missing three games with a lower-body injury.
The forward had two assists in a 3-2 win at the Rangers on Feb. 7, when he sustained the lower-body injury, which kept him from playing a 3-2 loss at the Flyers on Feb. 8. He was out the first two games following the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off because of an illness.
"I'm feeling a whole lot better than I did over the weekend, yeah," Rust said. "I think, for us, against a team that plays really hard, plays a hard, honest game, I think we need to match that effort."
Rust played at right wing on the first line, his usual spot, with Rickard Rakell moving back to left wing next to center Sidney Crosby. Rust is third on the Penguins with 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists), behind Crosby (60 points; 18 goals, 42 assists) and Rakell (49 points; 25 goals, 24 assists).
Matt Grzelcyk also played on Tuedsay after the defenseman sustained an upper-body injury on Sunday, when he was hit into the boards by Rangers forward Matt Rempe in the first period of a 5-3 loss. -- Wes Crosby
