NHL Buzz: Krejci returns for Bruins against Maple Leafs

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

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Boston Bruins

David Krejci returned to the lineup for the Bruins against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday after missing three games with an upper-body injury.
The center, who was injured in a 5-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 27, was the center on a line with left wing Taylor Hall and right wing David Pastrnak.
"We're deep up the middle," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. "And if you are deep up the middle, you usually have a good team. Right now, we are getting the results."
Krejci has eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games this season for the Bruins, who are 10-1-0.
Charlie McAvoy participated in the Bruins morning skate but did not play. The defenseman has not played this season after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.
"He hasn't checked all the boxes yet so he's not a player yet," Montgomery said.
Goalie Jeremy Swayman, who sustained a lower-body injury in a 6-5 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday remains out week to week, Montgomery said. -- Dave McCarthy

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Vancouver Canucks

Brock Boeser will miss his sixth straight game because a scar from hand surgery reopened, one day after saying he was "pretty hopeful" he could return against the Nashville Predators on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN360, BSS0, ESPN+).
The Canucks forward was supposed to be sidelined 3-4 weeks after surgery Sept 26 but returned ahead of schedule to play the season-opening game Oct. 12. He had four assists in six games before coming out of the lineup Oct. 24 and being placed on injured reserve two days later with what was listed as an undisclosed injury.
"The scar opened up a bit," Boeser said Friday. "When you play and it gets wet and sweaty, there's a chance that can happen and unfortunately it happened. You can get an infection if you keep playing with it and then it would be way worse so obviously we had to take care of it." -- Kevin Woodley

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Washington Capitals

Sonny Milano made his Capitals debut against the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday.
The 26-year-old forward, who signed a one-year, $750,000 contract on Oct. 16, had three points (two goals, one assist) in five games with Hershey of the American Hockey League before being called up Wednesday.
"Definitely excited," Milano said. "It was definitely a weird summer so definitely excited to get a game in here."
Milano had 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 66 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season but became an unrestricted free agent after the Ducks decided not to make him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent.
He remained without a contract after attending training camp with the Calgary Flames on a professional tryout agreement before the Capitals signed him to add to their forward depth.
Washington is missing forwards Tom Wilson (torn ACL), Nicklas Backstrom (hip surgery), T.J. Oshie (lower body), Connor Brown (torn ACL) and Carl Hagelin (hip surgery) because of injuries. After scoring eight goals in their past five games, the Capitals hope Milano can help boost their offense.
"He's a guy that's proven he can produce at the NHL level," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said "He had a good year last year in Anaheim offensively and he started off well down in Hershey, so we're going to give him an opportunity tonight."-- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Toronto Maple Leafs

Timothy Liljegren made his season debut for the Maple Leafs against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
General manager Kyle Dubas announced on Sept. 21 that the defenseman had sports hernia surgery and was expected to be out six weeks.
Liljegren, who skated with Morgan Rielly at practice Friday, had 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 61 games last season.
"The body feels good, so I'm excited to be back in full training," Liljegren said. "It should be fun. I think [Rielly and I] played a couple times [together] last year as well. Obviously [he is] a very good defenseman, so I'm just going to try to support him as much as I can.
"I was very happy with how my season went last year. I think I took steps throughout the season."
Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said Liljegren's absence in the early part of the season was felt by the Maple Leafs.
"I'm just hoping for Liljegren to go out there and be himself," Keefe said. "He was in a real nice groove for us through the tail end of the regular season for us last year and had become an important member of our team both at 5-on-5 and penalty kill, so it's been tough not having him through camp and the early part of the season."
Forward Wayne Simmonds was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League on Friday and played right wing on a line with center Pierre Engvall and left wing Calle Jarnkrok at practice. Simmonds has one assist in three NHL games this season. -- Dave McCarthy