NHL Buzz: Shesterkin back, could start for Rangers against Sharks

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

New York Rangers

Igor Shesterkin was cleared from NHL COVID-19 protocol and could start for the Rangers against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
"Igor is feeling good, he's eligible to play tonight," said Kris Knoblauch, coach of the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford who is serving as coach with Gerard Gallant in COVID-19 protocol. "He will dress and we will decide later after I talk to [Gallant] if he's our starting goalie or not."
Shesterkin entered COVID-19 protocol on Jan. 6 and missed the first three games of the Rangers' West Coast trip; a 5-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 6, a 4-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday and a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
Shesterkin has missed 12 of the past 15 games, including eight because of a lower-body injury he sustained in the third period of a 1-0 win against the Sharks at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 3.
Alexandar Georgiev started each of the past four games and 10 of 15 since Dec. 4, going 5-4-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
Shesterkin is 15-4-2 with two shutouts, a 2.09 GAA and .936 save percentage in 21 games this season. --Dan Rosen

Chicago Blackhawks

Lukas Reichel made his NHL debut for the Blackhawks against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday (NBCSCH, RDS, TSN2, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The 19-year-old forward, who was selected by Chicago with the No. 17 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League and placed on the taxi squad Wednesday.
"He's obviously one of our highly skilled prospects coming up and we want to do it right," Blackhawks coach Derek King said. "There've been years of seeing players get called up early, started too early and they don't end up finishing with your team. Here, this is a chance to do it right by him, and I think the process is going to be key and I think it's doing well."
Reichel was the center on the top line with Dylan Strome at left wing and Patrick Kane at right wing at practice Wednesday. He scored 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in 20 AHL games this season. -- Tracey Myers

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin didn't practice Thursday because of an upper-body injury but is expected to play at the New York Islanders on Saturday.
"He hardly ever misses," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. "We had a day off yesterday, but he doesn't even like missing today. This is a guy who was in COVID protocol (last season) and came out and played five hours later. So he wants to play games."
Ovechkin and defenseman John Carlson are the only Capitals players not to miss a game this season. Laviolette was unsure if Washington's captain was injured during a 7-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Monday.
"It could just be a fatigue or a wear and tear thing," Laviolette said. "But hopefully it's not major."
Ovechkin was expected to practice Thursday after taking a maintenance day Tuesday but the 36-year-old forward left the ice after warming up for a few minutes and didn't return.
"I think we're just trying to make sure that everything is good for the weekend," Laviolette said. "I'm sure he would've liked to have been out there today, but it was probably best just to trying to make sure that he's good for the weekend."
Ovechkin is third in the NHL with 52 points (24 goals, 28 assists) in 37 games.-- Tom Gulitti

Montreal Canadiens

Jake Allen will be out at least one week after the goalie was injured Wednesday in the first period of a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.
Allen left the game with 2:49 remaining in the period. He is 5-16-2 with a 3.15 goals-against average and .901 save percentage as Montreal's No. 1 goalie with Carey Price not playing yet this season.
Sam Montembeault replaced Allen on Wednesday. Goalie Cayden Primeau was recalled from the taxi squad on an emergency basis, and goalie Michael McNiven was reassigned to the taxi squad from Laval of the America Hockey League.

Philadelphia Flyers

Forwards Travis Konecny and Claude Giroux, and defensemen Ivan Provorov and Justin Braun returned to play against the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
They practiced Wednesday after being removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"Obviously you get three players like that, of that caliber and the importance that they have to our group, the roles that they play, you can see a big boost to the energy level in practice today," Flyers coach Mike Yeo said.
Provorov scored 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 32 games and led the Flyers with an average ice time of 24:26 per game.
Konecny, who missed two games, scored 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 33 games. Braun did not miss any games after going into protocol Monday; he scored nine points (two goals, seven assists) and was averaging 20:03 in 35 games.
Giroux missed three games in COVID-19 protocol before being removed and practicing Tuesday. He led Philadelphia with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 32 games. -- Adam Kimelman

Edmonton Oilers

Mike Smith will be out 1-2 weeks for the Oilers with a partial tear in a tendon in his thumb.
The goalie played in Edmonton's most recent game, a 4-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 5, allowing three goals on 32 shots.
Smith is 2-2-1 with a 3.76 goals-against average and .898 save percentage and has been limited to six games this season because of lower-body and upper-body injuries.
Stuart Skinner will be recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League to back up Mikko Koskinen when the Oilers host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Carolina Hurricanes

Jaccob Slavin did not play for the Hurricanes against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
The defenseman was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Tuesday. He scored 18 points (one goal, 17 assists) in 33 games and led Carolina in average ice time per game (23:57).
Goalie Jack LaFontaine was the back up to Frederik Andersen. LaFontaine, a third-round pick (No. 75) by Carolina in the 2016 NHL Draft, signed with the Hurricanes on Jan. 9.