NHL Buzz: Scheifele back with Jets from COVID-19 protocol

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Winnipeg Jets

Mark Scheifele practiced with the Jets for the first time since entering NHL COVID-19 protocol Oct. 21. He was the center on a line with Adam Lowry and Blake Wheeler.
"It's been an adventure, that's for sure," Scheifele said. "It's nice to be back with the boys. It felt like forever. It was nice to be back with the boys and back at it."
Scheifele could play when the Jets host the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, BSSW+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
"He works hard, he'll be fine," coach Paul Maurice said. "The game speed, it won't take him too long. It won't be right there maybe at the start, maybe it will, but if it's not, it won't take him too long before he's back and right."
Scheifele has two assists in two games. He said he tested positive the morning of Oct. 20 and negative at night, and then positive the next morning.
"From talking to the trainers, they gave me info that I was teetering on the edge of being negative in terms of like the viral count, but it wouldn't get past that line," Scheifele said. "I got told when we landed back in Winnipeg that night at like 1:30 (a.m.). I was like, 'Jeez, what's going on, I've got to go downstairs and sleep in the basement.' The next day I get a negative, so I'm like, 'OK, 100 percent it's a false positive.'
"Then the next day I had to go get tested in the morning and then I get told right before I'm going down for my pregame nap, I was positive … and obviously it was positives from there. It was weird. It was one of those things you've never gone through, but [we've] experienced a lot this year so far."
The Jets are 4-0-2 in their past six games. Wheeler played 18:21 of a 2-1 overtime loss at the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, his first game since entering protocol Oct. 18. -- Jon Lane

Philadelphia Flyers

Ryan Ellis is week to week with a lower-body injury, and the defenseman will not play against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSP, BSAZ+, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Ellis skated before practice Monday but will miss his fifth straight game.
Coach Alain Vigneault said the injury is related to a lower-body injury Ellis sustained during training camp.
"It's taking a little bit longer to heal than he expected," Vigneault said. "When Ryan's ready to play, he'll let us know because obviously he wants to play and help his teammates."
Vigneault said Ellis' availability for games at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and at the Washington Capitals on Saturday would be determined by Wednesday.
"We're going to practice on Wednesday," Vigneault said. "If he's not practicing full-go with the team, then he's not coming on the trip."
Vigneault said forward
Kevin Hayes
, who also skated Monday but has not played this season because of abdominal surgery Sept. 21, could soon return to practice.
Hayes is on long-term injured reserve and eligible to be activated after Philadelphia plays its 10th game (Washington on Saturday). -- Adam Kimelman

Pittsburgh Penguins

Kris Letang
skated on his own Monday and could practice Wednesday after being cleared from NHL COVID-19 protocol.
The defenseman, who experienced symptoms after testing positive, has missed four games since entering protocol Oct. 23. Letang had his final cardiac screening Monday and will skate on his own again Tuesday, a scheduled day off for the Penguins.
Pittsburgh host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Letang's status for that game has not been determined.
"The symptomatic guys, everybody's a little bit different, so it's hard to anticipate how long it's going to take to get him back in the lineup," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "Hopefully, we can get Letang] on the ice tomorrow and then he can join the team on Wednesday. We'll see where he is at that point."
Defensemen Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel entered protocol Sunday. Pettersson has shown some signs of symptoms and Ruhwedel has not, Sullivan said.
Defensemen
[Pierre-Olivier Joseph
was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Sunday. He skated on a pair with John Marino on Monday.
The Penguins are also without forwards
Evgeni Malkin
and Bryan Rust. Malkin, normally the second-line center, is expected to be out until at least December after having knee surgery June 4; Rust, usually the first-line right wing, is week to week with a lower-body injury.
Malkin and Rust skated together before practice Monday. -- Wes Crosby

San Jose Sharks

Forward Kevin Labanc was added to NHL COVID-19 protocol on Monday, and forward Andrew Cogliano was removed.
Coach Bob Boughner and six other Sharks players remain in protocol: forwards
Jonathan Dahlen
and
Matt Nieto
, and defensemen Erik Karlsson, Jake Middleton,
Radim Simek
and
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
.
The Sharks host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU). They said additional details regarding the status of Boughner and the six players will be updated as more information becomes available.
Captain Logan Couture practiced Monday. He missed a 2-1 overtime win against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday with a non-COVID illness, and was not placed in protocol because all his tests were negative.
"All San Jose Sharks and San Jose Barracuda (AHL) players and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and compliant with the NHL's COVID-19 testing and guidance protocols," the Sharks said in a statement.

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Vancouver Canucks

Travis Hamonic practiced with the Canucks on Monday for the first time this season and could make his season debut against the New York Rangers on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SN1, MSG, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The 31-year-old defenseman missed training camp and the preseason for personal reasons before being placed on waivers Oct. 10 in order to send him to Abbotsford of the American Hockey League.
After being granted a temporary leave of absence by the Canucks on Oct. 18, Hamonic reported to the Canucks on Wednesday, joined their AHL affiliate the next day, and had one assist in a 3-2 loss to Ontario on Saturday.
"He looked better today than I imagined he would," Vancouver coach Travis Green said. "I think he's kept himself in phenomenal condition, looks leaner than maybe has in the past, and it'll be a day-to-day thing right now. We'll talk to him, see how he's feeling, see when he's ready. Maybe he plays tomorrow."
Hamonic opened his media session with a four-minute statement but declined to get into his reasons for being away from the team.
"I'm just trying to do what's right for me and my family and get through this time, and I'm happy to be here," Hamonic said. "It's the hardest part about what I've been going through is that I haven't been around. Today was one of the best days I've had in a long time being on the ice with the guys."
Hamonic deferred questions about when he might play to Green but made it clear he feels capable of returning soon. When he does return, Hamonic is expected to play on a defense pair with Quinn Hughes and also kill penalties.
"I felt good," Hamonic said. "Physically, I feel like I'm ready to go. My winds good and my puck skills and skating, all the attributes that I bring for me to be a good hockey player I feel like are there and ready and whenever [Green] and his staff think I'm ready to come in and help the team, it's a coach's decision at this point. But if you're asking me, I'd like to play right away, yeah."
Hamonic scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 38 games last season, his first with Vancouver. He signed a two-year contract to remain with the Canucks on July 28.

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Carolina Hurricanes

Nino Niederreiter is expected to be out a few weeks with a lower-body injury.
"Yesterday they kind of told us it's not going to be anytime soon, so that's not good," coach Rod Brind'Amour said Sunday.
The forward was injured in the third period of a 6-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. He's scored three goals in seven games.
"It's not an injury he can't come back from," Brind'Amour said. "It's probably going to be a few weeks."
Seth Jarvis, a 19-year-old forward, replaced Niederreiter in a 2-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes that extended the Hurricanes' season-opening winning streak to eight games. The No. 13 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft had one assist in 10:01 in his NHL debut.
"He really doesn't look like a rookie to me," Brind'Amour said. "He was great. No nerves at all." -- Jon Lane

Seattle Kraken

Forward Jared McCann and assistant coach Paul McFarland were placed in COVID-19 protocol Sunday and were unavailable for a 3-1 home loss to the New York Rangers.
McCann leads the Kraken with seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games.