NHL Buzz: Ristolainen placed on injured reserve by Flyers

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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Philadelphia Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen was placed on injured reserve Monday because of a lower-body injury.
The defenseman was out the first two games of the season with an undisclosed injury. Ristolainen left practice early Oct. 12, the day before the season opener, but coach John Tortorella said the injury was something that was lingering.
Tortorella said Monday that Ristolainen is expected to travel with the Flyers (2-0-0) on their three-game road trip that starts at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday but said he wasn't sure if Ristolainen would play in any of the games. Philadelphia visits the Florida Panthers on Wednesday and the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Ristolainen had 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) and averaged 21:26 of ice time in 66 games last season.
The Flyers recalled forward Zack MacEwen and defenseman Louie Belpedio from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Monday. MacEwen had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 75 games last season. Belpedio last played in the NHL in 2020-21 with the Minnesota Wild.
Forward Cam Atkinson (upper body), who also missed the first two games, will not be on the trip. -- Adam Kimelman

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Vancouver Canucks

Tucker Poolman did not play against the Washington Capitals on Monday because of an illness, but the defenseman participated in an optional morning skate and could play at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Poolman left a 3-2 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday after the first period and did not practice Sunday.
"He felt better today and he wanted to skate," Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau said. "… He was genuinely sick, so we'll see how he goes today. We're not going to play him today just out of precaution, but he will be eligible to play tomorrow, I would think, if he comes back from the morning skate feeling good."
Defenseman Noah Juulsen replaced Poolman in the lineup.
Forward Ilya Mikheyev (lower body) did not play against Washington, but Boudreau said he could make his season debut at Columbus or the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Defensemen Travis Dermott (concussion) and Tyler Myers (lower body) have been skating in Vancouver, and each is making progress.
"Both [were] much better yesterday at the skate than they were the day before, so it's very encouraging," Boudreau said.-- Tom Gulitti

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New York Rangers

Sammy Blais played his first regular-season game in nearly one year when the New York Rangers hosted the Anaheim Ducks at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
The forward missed the first three games this season with an upper-body injury and all but 14 games last season because of a torn ACL in his right knee sustained against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 14, 2021.
Blais played right wing on a line with left wing Jimmy Vesey and center Filip Chytil after practicing in that spot Sunday.
"He wanted to play, but as coaches we talk to him and say, 'Sammy, we're not going to put you in there when you're not ready to play. The last thing we want is you getting a setback,'" Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said Sunday. "This is a minor setback, but he hasn't played in 10 months, so I understand he really wants to play. He's ready to go now, feeling good and strong."
Blais has 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists) in 133 NHL games for the St. Louis Blues and Rangers.
"I haven't played in a regular-season game in a while. Getting hurt right before the season was a bummer," Blais said. "I felt really good today on the ice, so I'm just looking forward to [Monday]."
Though Vitali Kravtsov (upper body) practiced in a non-contact jersey, Ryan Carpenter (upper body) did not. Gallant said each forward is day to day. Neither played Monday.-- Dan Rosen

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Boston Bruins

Dan Renouf made his season debut against the Panthers on Monday.
The defenseman replaced Brandon Carlo, who is out because of an upper-body injury sustained in a collision with Arizona Coyotes forward Liam O'Brien during the first period of a 6-3 win Saturday.
Renouf was recalled from Providence of the American Hockey League on Sunday. The 28-year-old entered Monday with 23 games of NHL experience in three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche.
"I think just play my game, which is being solid and mistake-free and being hard to play against," Renouf said. "That's what got me here and I need to just show it at this level on a night in, night out basis."
Renouf, a left-handed shot, played the right side on a pair with Jakub Zboril.
"I know how smart he is, how poised he is, manages the game well," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. "I think he's going to help us tonight against a team that you need to manage the game well against."