Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2024-25 season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini has resumed skating, coach Ryan Warsofsky said Sunday. The rookie center and No. 1 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft is on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 10 with a lower-body injury.
"He's progressing," Warsofsky said. "He's still week to week."
Forwards William Eklund and Will Smith both returned to the lineup in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Eklund, who missed Friday's game against the Winnipeg Jets with an upper-body injury, scored San Jose's only goal. Smith, a rookie who sat out Friday's game as part of a rest plan, had one shot on goal in 14:43 of ice time.
"I'm not going to get into Macklin's plan," Warsofsky said on whether Celebrini has a similar rest plan to Smith. "It's completely different, and he's hurt right now, so it's kind of irrelevant." -- Max Miller
Vancouver Canucks
J.T. Miller is questionable to play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday (8:15 p.m. ET; CHSN, SNP) after the center was injured during a 3-0 win at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
Miller went to the locker room immediately after taking the game-opening face-off. He returned a few minutes later but took one more face-off the remainder of the game. Miller leads the Canucks with 90 face-offs and his 61.1 percent face-off winning percentage is fifth in the NHL (minimum 50 face-offs).
Miller had one shot on goal in 17:01 of ice time, well below his average of 19:31 in five games.
"He's dealing with some stuff," coach Rick Tocchet said. "We'll figure it out over the next couple days, but we didn't want him to take draws. Still played well for us even if he didn't take draws."
Tocchet said he was hopeful Miller would be able to play Tuesday.
"I expect that, but you never know," he said. "He'll get a couple days off to rest it and see where it goes."
Dakota Joshua took part in the Canucks' morning skate Saturday, the first time the forward has practiced since having offseason surgery as part of his treatment for testicular cancer.
Joshua took part in drills wearing a noncontact jersey and then stayed on the ice for extra work in battle drills with the coaching staff.
"He's gone through a lot," defenseman Tyler Myers said. "Glad everything's taken care of and it looks like he's getting pretty close. Nice to have him skate with the guys for pregame skate. He's a big part of our group. He's a unique player that provides us a lot of momentum out there with his physicality and the way he plays."
In a statement released Sept. 17 explaining his health issue, Joshua was confident he would play at some point this season. He did not play Saturday. -- Adam Kimelman
Toronto Maple Leafs
Joseph Woll is nearing a return but did not play for the Maple Leafs in their 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
The goalie, who has missed each of Toronto’s first five games (3-2-0), was not on the ice for the morning skate Saturday but was a full participant in practice Friday for the first time since Oct. 8 because of a lower-body injury.
"[Woll looked] good," Toronto coach Craig Berube said Friday. "He was out there with us which was a great sign. Seems like he's really heading in the right direction, so all good. Sooner than later [he should be ready for games], I would think, but you have to take it day by day still. I think it's important here after practice to see where he's at."
Woll was expected to start Toronto’s season opener against Montreal on Oct. 9 until he complained of lower-body tightness, which has kept him out since.
"A little bit of groin tightness and I'm feeling better now, so right now I'm just focused on coming back and helping this team," Woll said. "I'm just trying to take it day by day and stack good days on top of each other. I'm really excited to get back." -- Dave McCarthy
Ottawa Senators
Linus Ullmark missed his third straight game for the Senators on Saturday, a 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ullmark, who has been out because of an undisclosed strain, practiced Friday. It was the second consecutive day the goalie skated with the team.
"I'm doing well," Ullmark said Friday. "We've been putting in a lot of work. I have a lot of faith and belief in the things that we have put in motion here. It feels better every day that goes by."
Anton Forsberg started for the third straight game Saturday, making 25 saves in the win, with Mads Sogaard the backup.
Ottawa begins a three-game road trip at the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday (9:15 p.m. ET; Utah16, TSN5, RDSI). -- Callum Fraser
Seattle Kraken
Vince Dunn did not play for the Kraken in their 2-1 overtime win against the Calgary Flames on Saturday and is day to day with a mid-body injury, coach Dan Bylsma said.
The top-pair defenseman also did not play in a 2-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Oct. 13, but returned for the next two games, a 7-3 win at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday and a 6-4 win against the Flyers on Thursday.
Dunn took an awkward fall with five minutes remaining in the first period Thursday and left the bench for the remainder of the period. He returned for the second period but did not play the third.
"We'll see how the evaluation goes here the next few days," Bylsma said.
Dunn has three points (one goal, two assists) in four games this season. -- Darren Brown
