NHL Buzz: Eichel skates with Golden Knights for 1st time since injury
Tkachuk returns for Panthers; Kempe sent back to Los Angeles to be evaluated
© Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Vegas Golden Knights
Jack Eichel skated with the Golden Knights on Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a knee injury last month.
The center did not, however, play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. It was the 17th game he has missed since sustaining the injury in a 2-1 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 11.
"It's good to have him around just for his sake, too," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He's not ready to play yet, but when he's skating and with the group he's that one step closer, so I think it's great."
Eichel, who wore a red noncontact jersey and did not participate in line rushes, has 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 42 games this season.
"The trainers would have a better idea (of a return date)," Cassidy said. "He needs to get through a full practice with us, too, which may be tomorrow in Boston. We will see how we come out of tonight. … Could he play on this trip? I guess that's why he's here. We're not planning on it that way, would be nice if he could though."
The Golden Knights conclude their road trip with games against the Bruins on Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday and the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. -- Dave McCarthy
Florida Panthers
Matthew Tkachuk returned for the Panthers against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
The forward did not play in a 3-2 overtime win against the Washington Capitals on Saturday because of an upper-body injury.
Tkachuk is second on the Panthers with 65 points (20 goals, 45 assists) in 57 games this season.
Forward Kevin Stenlund also returned after not playing Saturday because of an undisclosed injury.
Los Angeles Kings
Adrian Kempe has been sent back to Los Angeles to have an injury evaluated.
Kempe sustained the injury with 1:35 remaining in a 4-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Monday after he was tripped by Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci. He held his arm as he exited down the tunnel.
The Kings have two games remaining on their Western Canada road trip: at the Calgary Flames on Tuesday and the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. They then return home for a five-game homestand that will begin on Sunday.
"He's not here," Kings interim coach Jim Hiller said. "He's gone home just to be evaluated further. We can't tell you any more than that. We'll let you know when we know."
The forward leads Los Angeles with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) in 57 games.
Hiller said Anze Kopitar will play on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Quinton Byfield in Kempe's absence. Alex Turcotte, who has been a healthy scratch the past two games, will also draw back into the lineup against the Flames.
"Everybody wants opportunity and every player wants to play more, whether you're on the fourth line or the first line," Hiller said. "Everybody wants more. There'll be players that get that opportunity.
"Let's see where it goes. You know me, I can change relatively soon. We'll monitor it and see what it looks like."
St. Louis Blues
Justin Faulk returned for the Blues against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.
The defenseman, who was activated off injured reserve Monday, missed 12 games because of a lower-body injury he sustained during a 4-3 win against the Calgary Flames on Jan. 23. He previously missed five games because of a separate lower-body injury he sustained Dec. 29 before returning to play five more games before the latest injury.
Faulk, who participated in full-contract drills at practice Monday, has 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 40 games.
Defenseman Matthew Kessel was assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League on Monday. He has two assists in 22 NHL games this season. -- Lou Korac
Philadelphia Flyers
Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen each is week to week for the Flyers.
Drysdale sustained an upper-body injury during the second period of a 7-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday after the defenseman was hit by forward Jansen Harkins. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Ristolainen, a defenseman, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday. He has been out since Feb. 10 because of an upper-body injury.
Philadelphia dressed six defensemen and 12 forwards against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. It had been using seven defensemen on a consistent basis since Drysdale was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 8.
Forward Travis Konecny, who is day to day, missed his third straight game after sustaining an upper-body injury during practice Friday. He leads the Flyers with 54 points (27 goals, 27 assists) in 57 games.
"We haven't called up [a defenseman] as of today," Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said Tuesday. "More ice time for 'Z' (Egor Zamula), [Marc] Staal. Just play. ... We just go play."
The Flyers recalled forward Bobby Brink from Lehigh Valley of the AHL. He has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 38 games with Philadelphia this season and 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 11 AHL games. -- Adam Kimelman
Arizona Coyotes
Clayton Keller did not play for the Coyotes at the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday because of an upper-body injury.
The forward was injured in a 4-3 overtime loss at Winnipeg on Sunday.
"It will take a few days (for Keller to return)," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "Obviously, [Keller] is an important player, but the way the guys reacted (against the Jets), they didn't lose a beat. When he went down, we had the momentum and we kept the momentum."
Keller leads Arizona in goals (22), assists (30) and points (52). -- Sean Farrell
Pittsburgh Penguins
Jake Guentzel skated before practice Monday for the first time since the forward sustained an upper-body injury.
Guentzel, who is on long-term injured reserve, hasn't played since Feb. 14, when he had an assist in a 5-2 loss to the Panthers.
The forward has 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) in 50 games this season.
The Penguins announced Tuesday that Bryan Rust is week to week with an upper-body injury sustained midway through the third period of a 7-6 win against the Flyers on Sunday.
Pittsburgh visits the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, the first of a four-game road trip. -- Wes Crosby
Dallas Stars
Tyler Seguin is week to week because of a lower-body injury, which coach Pete DeBoer described as a nagging issue that the Stars decided had to be looked at further following a 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 22.
The forward did not play in a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Monday.
"He's been dealing with something from even prior to that game (against the Senators)," DeBoer said. "It hasn't gotten better. It's actually gotten worse. I think the Ottawa game was the last straw."
Seguin flew back to Dallas two days after sustaining the injury for further evaluation, causing him to miss a 2-1 win at the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 24 and the loss to the Islanders. The Stars visit the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday before returning home for games Thursday and Saturday.
Seguin had played the first 58 games this season (45 points; 20 goals, 25 assists) for Dallas (35-16-9), which is first in the Central Division, two points ahead of the Winnipeg Jets. -- Taylor Baird
Washington Capitals
T.J. Oshie is week to week for the Capitals because of an upper-body injury.
The forward left the ice following a noncontact injury during the third period of a 5-3 win against the Lightning on Feb. 22.
"Obviously, left the game and we'll continue to monitor him," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said after the game against Tampa Bay. "I don't think this is a skating today or tomorrow situation, but I don't want to tell you anything definitive on timeline or anything like that. We'll just continue to monitor him."
Oshie has 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 38 games this season. -- Harvey Valentine
Toronto Maple Leafs
Joseph Woll was a full participant at practice Monday but did not dress against the Golden Knights on Tuesday.
"He responded well (to practice on Monday)," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday. "I think the medical staff just wants to make sure he continues to build up his workload and take it a day at a time. He won't back up today, but he's getting a pretty good hard workout out there today and they'll just keep monitoring and take it a day at a time from there."
Woll made 36 saves in a 4-1 win for Toronto of the American Hockey League against Laval on Friday, his first game since sustaining a high ankle sprain against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 7.
"It was good," Woll said Monday of the conditioning stint. "It was a great few days with the guys down there and had a great game and felt really good in it."
Ilya Samsonov started against Vegas. Martin Jones was the backup.
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren also did not play Tuesday. He was absent from practice Monday because of an undisclosed injury he sustained during a 4-3 win against the Avalanche on Saturday.
Mark Giordano played after missing five games due to the death of his father. -- Dave McCarthy
Colorado Avalanche
Valeri Nichushkin has been cleared to resume practicing with the Avalanche by the NHL and NHL Players' Association player assistance program.
The forward has not yet been cleared to return to game action. He entered the program Jan. 15, and his care continues to be administered pursuant to it.
Nichushkin has 42 points (22 goals, 20 assists) in 40 games this season. He scored two goals in his last game, a 3-0 win against Vegas on Jan. 10.
