NHL Buzz: Ekblad, Montour could each make season debut for Panthers against Ducks
Tuch, Benson, Comrie likely back for Sabres; Kuemper injured in Capitals practice
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Florida Panthers
Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour could each make his season debut for the Panthers against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday (10 p.m. ET; BSW, BSFL, TVAS).
"We'll make a decision on whether they play tomorrow," Florida coach Paul Maurice said Thursday. "It's that soon now."
Ekblad and Montour each underwent offseason shoulder surgery, and the defensemen have not played this season. Neither played in a 2-1 loss at the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
Ekblad had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 71 games last season and eight points (two goals, six assists) in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Montour set NHL career highs in goals (16), assists (57) and points (73) in 80 games last season and had 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 21 playoff games. -- Dan Greenspan
Buffalo Sabres
Alex Tuch, Zach Benson and Eric Comrie are likely to play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, MSG-B, NHLN).
Tuch, who has missed three games because of an upper-body injury, returned to practice Thursday in a no-contact jersey and skated on the top line with Dylan Cozens and Jeff Skinner. The forward has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 13 games.
"It's a coach's decision now. I feel good and ready," Tuch said. "It's something that took a little bit longer than I originally anticipated, but it's a long season. It was something that we didn't want to flare up again. We just wanted to make sure to keep it under control."
Benson has been out seven games because of a lower-body injury. The rookie forward, who has two assists in six games, skated at left wing with Casey Mittelstadt and JJ Peterka at practice Thursday. The Sabres have not decided if Benson will remain in Buffalo for the rest of the season or be returned to Wenatchee of the Western Hockey League. Benson can play nine NHL games before the first season of his entry-level contract starts.
"He's done a nice job," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "We have obviously that line in the sand at nine where the decision has to be made. And no decision has been made yet, so these are three big ones, definitely."
Comrie has missed eight games because of a groin injury sustained against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 27. He is 1-1-0 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in three games.
"It got better a lot faster than I thought it was going to get, so that was good," the goalie said. "I've felt pretty good for a while and just been easing myself into practice. The last few practices have felt really good, so I'm really happy with the progress."
Comrie had a net to himself at practice Thursday while Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen split reps on the other side, making it likely he starts against the Jets.
"In all probability, yes, based on how he went through the last couple of practices and today specifically giving him his own net to get more work," Granato said. "And he looked like Tuch, pretty much back to normal."-- Heather Engel
Detroit Red Wings
Ville Husso will not play for the Red Wings in the 2023 Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal following the birth of his daughter.
"He's playing daddy duty," Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said Wednesday. "[They] welcomed a baby daughter [in Detroit] a few days ago, so he won't be with us on this trip. We'll catch back up when we get back."
James Reimer started for the Red Wings in their first game in Stockholm, a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators at Avicii Arena on Thursday. And though the plan is for Alex Lyon to start the game Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, that's not set in stone.
Husso is 6-3-1 this season with a 3.61 goals-against average and .885 save percentage in 10 games. Reimer is 2-2-2 with a 2.30 GAA and .917 save percentage in six games.
Lyon hasn't played since Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final for the Florida Panthers in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky. -- Bill Price
Washington Capitals
Darcy Kuemper had to be helped to the locker room and appeared to be in severe pain after the goalie was hit in an unpadded area on his leg with a shot during practice Wednesday.
Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said he didn't have a report on Kuemper's status yet, "but not ideal."
"I saw it happen," Carbery said. "It was a shot from sort of behind him that hits him and, usually when that happens, you know it hit him in a spot where he didn't have padding, whether that was the back of the leg, knee, we'll just have to find that out."
Washington doesn't play again until it hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. It's unknown whether Kuemper will be available.
Kuemper did not dress for a 4-2 win against the New Jersey Devils on Friday and 4-1 win against the New York Islanders on Saturday because of an unspecified injury he sustained during a 4-3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers on Nov. 8. He returned to back up Charlie Lindgren in the Capitals' 3-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Forward Anthony Mantha could return Saturday after missing the past three games with a ruptured left ear drum he sustained when he was hit with a defected shot against Florida.
Mantha said he needed 4-5 stitches in his ear and went to the hospital that night for a CT scan, "just to make sure there was no bleeding, no extra damage in the ear drum." He had some issues initially with his balance and dizziness and lost his hearing in his left ear for six days, but that has started to return, and he has been cleared to play.
"I'm just waiting on the hearing," Mantha said. "It could take a couple weeks. For the eardrum to heal, they said it takes 6-8 weeks, but it doesn't affect the ability of me playing." -- Tom Gulitti
Chicago Blackhawks
Taylor Hall practiced Wednesday, but the forward did not play for the Blackhawks in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at United Center on Thursday because of a lower-body injury.
"He's going to need a little more work," Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. "Hopefully soon after that if today is a good indication he's on his way."
Hall sustained the injury in a 5-3 win at the Lightning on Nov. 9. He fell backward on his right leg, which was bent, after a collision with Tampa Bay forward Michael Eyssimont with 5:33 remaining in the third period. Hall was helped off the ice.
He missed a 4-3 loss at the Florida Panthers on Sunday and skated on his own Monday prior to practice.
Prior to Sunday, Hall had missed four games this season due to a shoulder injury first sustained in a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 11. -- Tracey Myers
Winnipeg Jets
Rasmus Kupari was placed on injured reserve by the Jets on Wednesday.
The forward injured his shoulder in the first period of a 6-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. He has one assist in 15 games this season.
Winnipeg recalled forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby from Manitoba of the American Hockey League, where he had five points (three goals, two assists) in 10 games.
Nashville Predators
Tommy Novak will be out 4-6 weeks because of an upper-body injury.
The forward has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 14 games this season, tied for second on the Predators in points behind Filip Forsberg (17). Novak is tied for the team lead with six power-play points, and has 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in his past 45 games dating to last season.
"It's a big loss, for sure," Nashville captain Roman Josi said. "He's played really well. Obviously he's got a lot of skill, a lot of offense coming from him and a lot of creativity. It's definitely a big loss. But it's just like it always is, right? Next guy stepping up, next man up. Somebody is going to get a bigger role and maybe some more time on the power play. We've got a lot of guys that I think are capable of doing that."
Cody Glass took Novak's place on a line with Kiefer Sherwood and Luke Evangelista when the Predators lost to the Anaheim Ducks, 3-2 on Tuesday.
"[Novak] has been really good for us," Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. "Very creative and he's generated a lot of offense. But you've got Cody Glass coming in. It's a great opportunity for him to fill that role and play the way he's capable of playing." -- Robby Stanley
Anaheim Ducks
Trevor Zegras was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 10.
The 22-year-old forward has missed the past three games because of a lower-body injury. Earlier in the week, Ducks coach Greg Cronin said Zegras needed rest after playing through the injury.
Zegras did not play when Anaheim lost 8-2 at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday and won't be available against the Panthers on Friday (10 p.m. ET; BSW, BSFL, TVAS).
Cronin said he's unsure when Zegras will be able to return. Zegras has two points (one goal, one assist) in 12 games this season.
“I couldn't tell you,” Cronin said. “He's a heck of a player. He's actually played well. He only had a couple points, but he was having great scoring chances every game. He hasn't scored, but analytically, he's having his best season.”
With Zegras out, Alex Killorn is playing on the Ducks' top line with center Leo Carlsson and forward Troy Terry.
