Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Buffalo Sabres
Mattias Samuelsson will be out “weeks” because of a lower-body injury, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday.
The defenseman, who was back in the lineup Monday after being scratched for three straight, left in the second period of a 7-5 loss to the Montreal Canadiens and did not return. He got tangled up with forward Juraj Slafkovsky in a scrum at the front of the net and fell to the ice.
“The severity of it is pretty strong,” Ruff said. “But it’s one of those things you wouldn’t expect you would see the results of what would happen.”
Samuelsson, who has one goal in 13 games, played 41 games last season and 55 in 2022-23 because of various injuries.
He is expected to return this season.
“It’s not something that’s going to be the whole year,” Ruff said. “And right now, it doesn’t look like something that he has to be operated on.”
Tage Thompson (lower body), who also left the game Monday, did not practice Wednesday and is day to day. The center played one shift early in the second before exiting.
Thompson is tied for second in the NHL with 11 goals in 16 games.
“That’s huge,” forward Dylan Cozens said. ‘He’s so important to this team. When he’s at his best, he’s one of the top players in this league. He’s a huge piece of this piece, and [we’re] obviously glad it’s not long term.”
Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (undisclosed) is also day to day and could start against the St. Louis Blues on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+). He was pulled after two periods Monday after allowing four goals on 18 shots. Ruff said after the game he thought the injury may have affected his play.
Luukkonen, who also did not practice Wednesday, is 6-4-1 with a 2.83 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 12 games.
Buffalo claimed James Reimer off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks. The 36-year-old goalie went 0-2-0 with a 4.50 GAA and .860 save percentage in two starts for Anaheim.
Reimer is 215-179-63 with a 2.89 GAA and .910 save percentage in 503 regular-season games (460 starts) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings and Ducks, and 5-5 with a 2.70 GAA and .925 save percentage in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games (10 starts).
Reimer signed a one-year contract with the Sabres on July 1 but was claimed off waivers by the Ducks on Oct. 7. -- Heather Engel
Toronto Maple Leafs
Jani Hakanpaa was activated off long-term injured reserve and made his Maple Leafs debut at the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old defenseman, who signed a one-year, $1.47 million contract with Toronto on Sept. 11, last played an NHL game March 16; he missed the final 13 games of the 2023-24 regular season and the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Dallas Stars because of a knee injury.
Hakanpaa, who was paired with Morgan Rielly at practice Monday, did not have a point in two games while on a conditioning loan with Toronto of the American Hockey League.
He entered Wednesday with 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 288 regular-season games with the Ducks, Hurricanes and Stars and four points (one goal, three assists) in 33 playoff games.
Anaheim Ducks
Cam Fowler and Robby Fabbri were placed on injured reserve prior to the Ducks hosting the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; Victory+, KCOP-13, SCRIPPS).
Fowler, a defenseman who's on pace to play his 1,000th NHL game next month, has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury. He's eligible to be activated Friday when Anaheim (5-7-2) hosts the Detroit Red Wings in the finale of a six-game homestand.
The 32-year-old has two assists in 12 games.
Fabbri, a forward who was acquired in a trade with the Red Wings on July 3 for goalie Gage Alexander, sustained a lower-body injury in the third period of a 4-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
The 28-year-old has two goals in 14 games for Anaheim, which entered Wednesday averaging a League-low 2.21 goals per game.
Center Jansen Harkins and defenseman Drew Helleson were recalled from San Diego of the AHL. -- Dan Arritt
Boston Bruins
Hampus Lindholm will be out multiple weeks with a lower-body injury, coach Jim Montgomery said Wednesday.
The defenseman left a 3-2 win at the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday after blocking a shot by Blues defenseman Justin Faulk at 4:34 of the first period.
Lindholm has seven points (three goals, four assists) in 17 games this season, his fourth with the Bruins.
Boston recalled defenseman Jordan Oesterle from Providence of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
The Bruins (8-7-2), who have won two of their past three (2-0-1), play at the Dallas Stars on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; Victory+, NESN).
St. Louis Blues
Robert Thomas was back on the ice for practice Wednesday three weeks after fracturing his right ankle.
The Blues center was injured Oct. 22 against the Winnipeg Jets blocking a shot by Neal Pionk early in the third period. It was his first time on the ice with the team, but he has been skating on his own.
"That was great to see him on the ice," coach Drew Bannister said. "I think he was excited. He wants to be with the team. He wants to get on the ice, and I think the guys were excited to see him, maybe a little bit surprised too that he was out on the ice with us.
“I thought he looked good. Obviously there's no timeline with his injury, but it was good to see him out on the ice with us."
St. Louis is 3-6-0, including separate three-game losing streaks, without Thomas and is averaging just 2.33 goals per game, including 15 goals at 5-on-5 (tied for 21st in the NHL).
Thomas, who has six points (one goal, five assists) in seven games, was originally put on a timeline of being reevaluated in 4-6 weeks, but he will accompany the Blues on their upcoming three-game road trip, beginning Thursday at Buffalo (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+).
"I think he's going to come on the trip with us," Bannister said. "He wants to be around the team. He's been away for a little bit rehabbing his injury and I think he wants to be with the team, which is great to see." -- Lou Korac
Vancouver Canucks
Dakota Joshua could make his season debut against the New York Islanders on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, MSGSN, MSGSN2) after the forward was diagnosed with testicular cancer in the offseason.
Joshua, 28, had surgery in September and missed training camp and the start of the regular season but has been around the team throughout and practiced as a full participant for the past two weeks.
“There's a good shot maybe Dakota will play Thursday, but he's trending in the right direction,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said Tuesday.
Tocchet had hinted at the possibility of an AHL conditioning stint for Joshua, but said Monday he will instead start with the Canucks.
“He's looked pretty good out there, even we were doing some drills in the morning early, his hands look pretty good around the net,” Tocchet said. “I'd rather him play, whether I get him in 10-12 minutes than go down to [Abbotsford in the AHL].”
Joshua set NHL career highs in goals (18), assists (14) and points (32) last season in 63 games. He had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 13 playoff games and signed a four-year, $13 million contract ($3.25 million average annual value) June 27.
“He plays a lot of different roles, but I want to manage his minutes,” Tocchet said. -- Kevin Woodley
Winnipeg Jets
Kaapo Kahkonen was reclaimed off waivers by the Jets from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old goalie was placed on waivers by the Avalanche on Monday with the intent of sending him to Colorado of the AHL.
Kahkonen was 0-1-0 this season with a 4.12 goals-against average and a .800 save percentage in one start for the Avalanche, a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 30. He had been sent to the AHL on Oct. 24 and went 0-2-0 in two starts, posting a 2.57 GAA and .919 save percentage.
Kahkonen was claimed by Colorado from Winnipeg on Oct. 11.
