NHL Buzz: Bobrovsky back for Panthers, starts against Lightning

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Florida Panthers

Sergei Bobrovsky started for the Panthers against the Tampa Bay Lightning at FLA Live Arena on Monday.
The goalie missed five games since Jan. 19 with a lower-body injury. The Panthers returned from the All-Star break and played for the first time since a 4-3 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 28.
Bobrovsky is 12-13-2 with a 3.24 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 30 games (29 starts), and 7-5-1 with a 2.86 GAA, .912 save percentage since Dec. 12.
"We're coming into a situation where every goalie has been off at least a week," Florida coach Paul Maurice said. "It's as even a playing field as you're going to get for him to come back in. He was fairly strong going into the break. He was on the ice practicing with our team."
Spencer Knight backed up Bobrovsky. He had missed three games since Jan 8 with an undisclosed injury. Goalie
Alex Lyon
is expected to return to Charlotte of the American Hockey League.

New Jersey Devils

John Marino returned after missing 17 games with an upper-body injury when the Devils hosted the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
"I feel good and the (NHL All-Star) break really helped," Marino said. "You don't want to rush into it, you don't want to wait too long and having that extended break that we just had I think went a long way."
The defenseman participated in his first full practice with the team Sunday since being injured in a 4-1 loss at the Carolina Hurricanes on Dec. 20. He was paired with defenseman Brendan Smith during the morning skate Monday.
"It was an awkward hit into the boards, not like a big hit or anything," Marino said. "It was just kind of wrong place, wrong time."
The 25-year-old has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 32 games and ranks second on the Devils in average ice time (21:30) after defenseman Dougie Hamilton (22:20). He also ranks sixth for New Jersey in blocked shots (39). -- Mike G. Morreale

Colorado Avalanche

Bowen Byram will return for the Avalanche when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, ATTSN-PT, ALT, ESPN+).
The defenseman has been out with a lower-body injury since Nov. 5.
"I feel good. It's exciting to be getting ready to play a game. It's been a long time," Byram said, "Just a finicky injury. I don't think we quite knew how serious it was at the start of things, but now that I'm back and playing that's all that matters. It's behind me now."
Byram has five points (two goals, three assists) in 10 games this season.
"He's ready to go. He was probably knocking on the door before the (NHL All-Star) break, and now he's had the [break]," coach Jared Bednar said. "We just felt like rushing him back to play one game or two games right before the break probably wasn't the best idea considering how long he's been out. And he's worked hard over the break, too, to get ready."
Valeri Nichushkin will also return for the Avalanche on Tuesday. the forward has been out since Jan. 24 with an upper-body injury.
Nichushkin has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 20 games this season.
Josh Manson will travel with the team on their three-game road trip, but the defenseman won't play. Manson has been out since Dec. 1 with a lower-body injury.
"He's going to start skating with the group," Bednar said. "You just take it day by day. You see how he feels. Until he says he's ready to go, he's not."
Darren Helm skated in a red, no-contact jersey prior to practice Monday. He's been out of the lineup since Jan. 12 with a lower-body injury related to his off-season hip surgery. -- Ryan Boulding

Calgary Flames

Chris Tanev played for the Flames at the New York Rangers on Monday after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman was on the second pair to the right of MacKenzie Weegar at the morning skate. It was Tanev's first game since leaving a 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Calgary on Jan. 23 after a collision with Columbus forward Eric Robinson in the first period.
Calgary coach Darryl Sutter said Tanev has skated since the Flames lost 5-2 loss at the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 27, their last game before a nine-day break that carried into the 2023 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. Calgary is 2-5-3 without the 33-year-old this season. He missed five games from Nov. 3-10 and three more from Dec. 14-18, all with an upper-body injury.
Tanev replaced defenseman
Dennis Gilbert
.

Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews missed his second straight day of practice Monday with a non-COVID related illness and will likely not play for the Blackhawks against the Anaheim Ducks at United Center on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, BSSC, ESPN+, SN NOW).
"They warned us the flu was going to be bad this year," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "I don't know if this is that, or if one of them was, I'm not sure. We have a couple of days between the next game, so that's probably the best thing."
Chicago is home against the Arizona Coyotes on Friday and visits the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
Toews missed two other games this season with an illness: a 3-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 6, and a 5-1 win against the Calgary Flames on Jan. 26. He has 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 46 games this season, third on the Blackhawks behind Max Domi (35 points) and Patrick Kane (34).
Tyler Johnson is expected to play. The forward has missed three games with a left ankle injury. -- Tracey Myers