Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Minnesota Wild
Jesper Wallstedt made his NHL debut for the Wild in a 7-2 loss at the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old goalie, who was the No. 20 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, has played 20 games with Iowa of the American Hockey League this season, going 11-9-0 with a 2.54 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.
He allowed seven goals on 34 shots.
Marc-Andre Fleury started the previous five games for the Wild, and Filip Gustavsson is out with an injury.
"As soon as 'Gus' got injured and I was injured as well, I was like, OK, I of course want to get there (to the NHL) but know I've just got to take care of myself," Wallstedt said Monday after he was recalled. "We took it easy with my injury and made sure it was 100 percent before I got the call to come up here and I am very happy." -- Taylor Baird
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin is questionable to play when the Capitals host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, ROOT-NW) because of a lower-body injury.
“We’ll re-evaluate tomorrow morning and then see if he’s an option for tomorrow night,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Wednesday.
Ovechkin limped off the ice following a collision with Hurricanes center Jordan Staal in the third period of a 6-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday but returned to finish the game and played in a 4-3 victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday. The 38-year-old forward said he didn’t know yet if he’ll be able to play against Kraken after not skating during the hockey clinic he hosted for players from the American Special Hockey Association on Wednesday.
Ovechkin participated in the skills session before practice Wednesday but did not stay on for the full practice after not practicing Tuesday.
Carbery said forward T.J. Oshie "should be ready to go" after missing the past 11 games with an upper-body injury. Goalie Charlie Lindgren will return after missing five games with an upper-body injury to back up Darcy Kuemper on Thursday. -- Tom Gulitti
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ilya Samsonov practiced with the Maple Leafs on Wednesday for the first time since being placed on waivers Dec 31.
Samsonov did not play a game after being assigned to Toronto of the AHL but worked with its goaltending coach Hannu Toivonen while the Maple Leafs were in California last week.
Samsonov will be the backup when Toronto visits the New York Islanders on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, TSN4). Dennis Hildeby, who backed up Martin Jones each of the past four games, was returned to the AHL on Wednesday.
"Today was really just a chance for us to get him in here, get him back into practice with us, get him back on the ice with (goalie coach) Curtis Sanford and really see where he's at since we left (for California)," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "It's equally if not more about Dennis Hildeby who we gave the day off to today, a chance to practice with the Marlies while we are away and then get a game in with the Marlies on Friday so that's really what it is about."
Samsonov, who has allowed 21 goals in his past four games, is 5-2-6 with a 3.94 GAA and an .862 save percentage with one shutout in 15 games this season.
Forward Matthew Knies left practice early after sustaining a lower-body injury during a drill. He required assistance from teammates to leave the ice and appeared to have difficulty putting weight on his left leg but has not been ruled out for the game Thursday.
"It looks good," Keefe said. "We are not going to know more until tomorrow but it looks good, he's not ruled out for tomorrow's game. I kind of saw it, it looked pretty innocent like he just kind of tweaked something. He was obviously fearful it was something bad but sometimes these things settle down and I think that seems to be the case. We won't really know until it really settles and probably until he wakes up tomorrow and we see where he's at."
Following the game Thursday, the Maple Leafs have back-to-back home games against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.
"Just a chance to assess [Samsonov]," Keefe said. "Today was a good day for him to work with Curtis again and be around our team for a bit here and we will reassess after Friday." -- Dave McCarthy
Vegas Golden Knights
Adin Hill did not return for the Golden Knights in their 3-0 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
The goalie, who was initially expetected to start, has missed nine straight games with a lower-body injury. He is 10-2-2 with a 1.93 GAA and .933 save percentage in 15 games.
Logan Thompson is sick and did not travel, leaving Jiri Patera to start Wednesday. He made 32 saves. Goalie Isaiah Saville was recalled from Henderson of the AHL.
The Golden Knights host the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
Vegas announced just before the game Wednesday that forward William Carrier had successful surgery for an upper-body injury and will be out week to week. Carrier has seven points (five goals, two assists) in 33 games this season.
Forward Michael Amadio did not play Wednesday because of an illness. -- Ryan Boulding
Buffalo Sabres
Jeff Skinner is out with an upper-body injury, and the timetable for his absence is still to be determined.
The forward did not practice Wednesday; he had imaging done in the morning, the Sabres said.
"We won't know until we get the imaging and then the final doctors look at it and [assess it] but it doesn't look like it's going to be long," coach Don Granato said. "That's the hope. We can only stick to that right now."
Skinner played 15:42, had a goal and an assist and didn't miss a shift in a 5-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. He leads Buffalo with 17 goals and is second on the team with 33 points in 38 games, behind Casey Mittelstadt (35 points).
Skinner missed three games from Dec. 15-19 with an upper-body injury.
Buffalo hosts the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, TSN5, RDS2). -- Heather Engel
New York Rangers
Kaapo Kakko has not been ruled out by the Rangers for their game at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, MSG2).
The forward has not played since he sustained a lower-body injury in a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 27, missing the past 19 games.
"Right now, he is day to day," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said Wednesday. "Obviously he changed jerseys (from no contact to regular) ... [Tuesday] was really no restrictions on him and today we removed the jersey, no restrictions on him. He looked really good again to me, feels good."
Kakko has three points (two goals, one assist) in 20 games this season.
The Rangers recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn from Hartford of the AHL on Tuesday and assigned forward Brennan Othmann.
Laviolette said Leschyshyn will make his season debut for New York on Thursday, meaning another player would have to come out of the lineup if Kakko returns.
Leschyshyn had no points in 35 games with the Rangers and Golden Knights last season, and has six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 games with Hartford this season.
