NHL Buzz: Rust to be game-time decision for Penguins

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

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Bryan Rust will be a game-time decision for the Penguins against the Minnesota Wild at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, BSN, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The forward took full contact in practice Friday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury Oct. 14, which had him listed as week to week. Rust returned to right wing on the first line with center Jeff Carter and left wing Jake Guentzel.
"Obviously you don't like getting hurt ever, but that quick into a season it stings maybe a little bit more," Rust said. "Feeling good now. Felt good on the ice. … We'll see how things go here in the next little while and just go from there."
Rust normally plays on the first line with Guentzel and center
Sidney Crosby
, who is in NHL COVID-19 protocol. Crosby will be unavailable Saturday for the ninth time in 10 games this season. The Penguins captain missed the first seven games after having wrist surgery Sept. 8.
Coach Mike Sullivan and defensemen Brian Dumoulin, Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel also are in COVID-19 protocol.
Rust scored in a 6-2 season-opening win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 12 before being injured early in the third period the following game against the Florida Panthers. He was third on the Penguins with 22 goals in 56 games last season, behind Crosby (24) and Guentzel (23).-- Wes Crosby

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St. Louis Blues

Blues center Ryan O'Reilly was removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol on Friday and is expected to play Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks.
The St. Louis captain has missed four games after testing positive for COVID-19; he scored five points (two goals, three assists) in five games this season.
"Yes, he is back. His quarantine period is over," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said Friday. "He's with the team now and skated today, I believe, and I think he'll be ready to play on Sunday, which is a real positive."
Blues center Brayden Schenn returned to St. Louis from the road trip for evaluation of an upper-body injury. He played the first period of a 5-3 win at the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Coach Craig Berube said after the game that Schenn was considered day to day.
"He got injured a couple games ago [against] Chicago," Armstrong said. "He came back and tried to play. The injury got aggravated yesterday so we decided to fly him home. He's going to see our doctors over the next couple days and we'll reevaluate everything and have an update when the team returns from the road trip (which ends Tuesday)."
Schenn has scored six points (three goals, three assists) in nine games this season.
St. Louis defenseman Torey Krug was placed in the non-roster COVID-19 protocol Friday, and defenseman Calle Rosen was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League. Forward Dakota Joshua was sent to Springfield. -- Lou Korac

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Minnesota Wild

Alex Goligoski will play against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, Wild coach Dean Evason said Friday.
The defenseman has missed three games because of an upper-body injury. He has three assists in six games this season.

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Edmonton Oilers

Mike Smith did not play for the Oilers when they host the New York Rangers on Friday.
The goalie is day to day with a lower-body injury he sustained Oct. 19 and will miss a seventh game. Oilers coach Dave Tippett said earlier in the week that Smith might return Friday.
"He's skating right now ... he's real close," Tippett said Wednesday.
Smith is 2-0-0 with a 3.08 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in three games (two starts) this season.
Mikko Koskinen made his seventh consecutive start. He's 6-1-0 with a 2.18 GAA and .934 save percentage in seven games (six starts).

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Arizona Coyotes

Scott Wedgewood was claimed off waivers from the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.
The 29-year-old goalie is 0-2-1 with a 3.19 goals-against average and an .880 save percentage in three games (two starts) this season. He's 10-20-9 with a 3.08 GAA, .900 save percentage and four shutouts in 43 games (38 starts) for the Devils and Coyotes. Wedgewood played for Arizona in 2017-18.
Coyotes goalie Carter Hutton sustained a lower-body injury Oct. 25 and was expected to be out 2-4 weeks. Karel Vejmelka has started the past three games.
Ivan Prosvetov, who had been Vejmelka's backup, was sent to Tucson of the American Hockey League on Thursday.
The Coyotes played at the Anaheim Ducks on Friday and are at home against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.