Welcome to the NHL Buzz. With the regular season underway, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Patrik Laine will not play against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; BSWI, BSN, BSOH). The forward is day to day with an upper-body injury and did not travel with the Blue Jackets to Minnesota.
Laine was injured in the final seconds of a 3-1 win against the Calgary Flames on Friday. He was elbowed in the head by Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who was given a five-minute major for elbowing and a game misconduct.
Andersson was suspended four games for charging by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Saturday.
Laine has two points (one goal, one assist) in four games this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Kris Letang is expected to play against the St. Louis Blues (8 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, BSMW).
The defenseman was a full practice participant Friday, returning to his regular pair with Ryan Graves and the point on the second power-play unit. Letang said he was unsure if he would play Saturday, but Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said he would likely be available.
Letang missed practice Thursday, when he was evaluated for a lower-body injury after playing 24:35 in a 6-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
"Feel pretty good, fine," Letang said. "It's nothing major. We're just monitoring."
Through four games this season, Letang has three assists and has averaged 24:35 of ice time, second on the Penguins behind defenseman Erik Karlsson (25:15).
Forward Noel Acciari was also present at fourth-line center on Friday. He is also expected to play against St. Louis after being evaluated for an upper-body injury Thursday. -- Wes Crosby
Buffalo Sabres
Devon Levi and Zach Benson will not play against the New York Islanders (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, MSG-B).
Each is day to day with a lower-body injury. The goalie and forward were on the ice for an optional morning skate after not practicing Friday.
"They're both a little bit sore," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "We held them off yesterday because they were just sore. I don’t expect either in the lineup tonight, and there’s no reason to do that if they can recover fully soon. … No sense in having them fight through it with other capable guys ready to fill in."
Levi made 32 saves in a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday. He’s started all four games for the Sabres this season and is 1-3-0 with a 3.26 goals-against average and .892 save percentage.
Benson, selected by Buffalo with the No. 13 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, has two assists in four games playing on a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Jordan Greenway.
"I think both their ailments here they could probably play through, but they’re not going to be 100 percent," Granato said. "And for us, the question is why do that to them when you know there’s going to be a benefit to them just taking a breath for a game."
Eric Comrie will make his season debut in goal. -- Heather Engel
Philadelphia Flyers
Carter Hart will not dress for the Philadelphia Flyers when they visit the Dallas Stars (8 p.m. ET; BSSW, NBCSP).
The goalie, who started the first four games this season, is healthy, per coach John Tortorella.
“With the schedule, it works that we can give him a good workday today. We’ve got two days prior to Vegas, so it’s just a nice little window for us with him,” Tortorella said. “Sometimes coaches you just want to keep on running with it when you see one of the goalies playing really well. [It’s a] long year. We’ve got to be cognizant of keeping [Samuel Ersson] in it and this also brings [Felix Sandstrom] back into the team.”
Hart is 3-1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
Ersson will start Saturday. -- Taylor Baird
New Jersey Devils
Nico Hischier is being evaluated for an upper-body injury and the Devils will know more about the center's status Monday.
Hischier was injured in the second period of a 5-4 overtime win against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Friday.
He has no points in four games.
"We'll see where he's at come Monday," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said.
Erik Haula (upper body) skated on his own Saturday and Ruff said he's hopeful that the forward can practice Monday. He missed his first game of the season Friday after scoring two goals and getting an assist in the first three games.
Forward Tomas Nosek (lower body) and defenseman Colin Miller (lower body) remain out. They did not skate Saturday.
