NHL Buzz: Smith returns, will start for Oilers against Senators

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

Edmonton Oilers

Mike Smith will make his first start of the season against the Ottawa Senators on Monday (7 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS, SNW, NHL.TV).
The goalie sustained an undisclosed injury during warmups prior to the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 13 and was placed on long-term injured reserve two days later.
"I'm honestly really excited about getting back in there and helping this team win," Smith said. "… I feel great. To be honest, my injury, it was kind of a weird one where it only affected me in certain movements, so I was able to do a lot of things that I was able to do in the summer preparing for the season. It didn't set me back too much."
Mikko Koskinen will be the backup against the Senators.
"It's big for us," forward Leon Draisaitl said. "Obviously, [Smith is] going to help our defensemen big time, playing the puck, breaking the puck out. He's so good at handling it. I think, both of those guys, (Smith and Koskinen), they just bring a lot of swagger and that urgency to win hockey games."
Smith, who signed a one-year contract to remain with the Oilers on Oct. 10, was 19-12-6 with a 2.95 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 39 games (37 starts) last season. -- Callum Fraser

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Vegas Golden Knights

Alex Pietrangelo is likely to miss one more game before being removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol.
The defenseman has been unavailable since Jan. 28, when the first of three Golden Knights games were postponed because of COVID-19 issues.
"He's started to skate on his own here, so he's slowly working out of protocol," coach Peter DeBoer said Monday. "I think if I had to characterize how it's gone, I would say he's asymptomatic, from what I understand, and has been the entire time. I think he's just ready to get back."
The Golden Knights returned to play with a 5-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings at home on Friday and defeated them again 4-3 on Sunday.
Vegas hosts the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SN360, SNE, SNO, SNP, ATTSN-RM, PRIME, FS-SD, NHL.TV) and Thursday.
Pietrangelo has scored four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games this season and leads Vegas in ice time per game (25:37).
"He obviously has a wife and kids, and that's always your main concern when you get a positive result, is the people around you and your family," DeBoer said. "So you know, he's had to deal with that. But I think he's ready to get back, and from what I understand, it's one more game and then [he'll] potentially be able to get out of the protocol." -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika