NHL Buzz: Ekblad returns for Panthers against Oilers

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Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad returned for the Panthers against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.
"You want your best-skating defenseman in your lineup for that one, right?" Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Friday. "So we were kind of happy it timed out the way it did because we're going to need to skate very, very well. And even if you skate really well, it's still not going to be enough for the two very special players (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl) that [I] used to see a lot there in Winnipeg. And they are worth watching."
The defenseman, who was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 19, had missed the past 11 games with a lower-body injury. Florida was 6-4-1 without Ekblad.
"Extremely excited," Ekblad said. "These things are the worst. Sitting out [stinks], but I'm really proud of the way the team played. Certain guys stepped up in some big ways. And you saw their true colors of how good some of the players are on this team. So it's been fun to watch. It's going to be even more fun to get back in the action."
Ekblad, who left in the second period of a 5-3 loss at the Boston Bruins on Oct. 17, has one goal in three games this season. He will skate on a pair with Marc Staal against the Oilers.
"I'm really pleased with the way we survived that injury," Maurice said. "I would never come out and tell you that I was worried about it, but you take [Ekblad] out of your lineup… we lost him in [the third game of the season]. He's such an important part of what we do right now. So I was concerned. And I'm really happy. We also learned a whole bunch of things along the way. ... It was a good experience, but we don't need to go through it again." -- Alain Poupart

Carolina Hurricanes

Frederik Andersen was placed on injured reserve for the Hurricanes on Friday with a lower-body injury.
"I'm not going to say week to week because I don't know," coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday. "He's not coming back tomorrow."
Andersen, who was injured in practice Tuesday, is 5-3-0 with a 2.72 GAA and .891 save percentage in eight games. He made 18 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
"He's just little off. He tweaked something at practice (Tuesday)," Brind'Amour said. "Goalies are weird. If you're not feeling 100 percent, it's tough to go."
Andersen sustained a torn MCL on April 16 and missed the remainder of last season, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Hurricanes lost to the New York Rangers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Pyotr Kochetkov allowed two goals on 22 shots in a 7-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, with Antti Raanta serving as the backup. Raanta is expected to start at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday (9 p.m. ET; ALT, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Kotchetkov, who was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, backed up Raanta in a 3-0 loss at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
Raanta is 3-1-1 with a 2.36 GAA and a .915 save percentage this season. Kochetkov was 3-0-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .902 save percentage in three NHL games last season.
Forward Teuvo Teravainen did not travel with the Hurricanes for their two-game road trip. He had two assists against the Oilers before sustaining an upper-body injury in the second period. -- Kurt Dusterberg

Vancouver Canucks

Tanner Pearson will be out 4-6 weeks after having hand surgery, the Canucks announced Thursday.
The forward, who was placed on injured reserve, did not play in the third period of a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
Pearson has five points (one goal, four assists) in 14 games this season.
Forward Sheldon Dries was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League. He has one assist in four games with the Canucks this season.