NHL Buzz: Barkov expected to return for Panthers vs. Sabres

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Florida Panthers

Aleksander Barkov is expected to play when the Panthers visit the Buffalo Sabres on Monday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG-B).

Barkov, who missed his eighth straight game when the Panthers defeated the New York Islanders 6-3 on Saturday, hasn't played since he was injured Oct. 10, when he slammed into the end boards with his skates after sliding in an attempt to stop an empty-net goal with 1:10 remaining in a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

"We believe if Barkov gets off the ice feeling good today, we'll see him against Buffalo," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said after Florida's morning skate Saturday.

Barkov, who has one assist in two games this season, tied for the Panthers lead in points (22) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season to help them win the Cup.

Ottawa Senators

Shane Pinto is week to week for the Senators with an undisclosed injury, coach Travis Green said Sunday.

The forward missed his second straight game when Ottawa played at the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, a 5-4 loss. He played 17:22 of a 4-0 win against the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday.

Cole Reinhardt replaced Pinto in the lineup. He had one assist in his season debut, a 6-4 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, and played 7:15 against the Avalanche without a shot on goal.

Reinhardt and forward Adam Gaudette were loaned to Belleville of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Buffalo Sabres

Nicolas Aube-Kubel will return from injury when the Sabres host the Panthers on Monday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MSG-B).

The forward has been out since sustaining a lower-body injury in a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils in the opening game of the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal on Oct. 4, when he left in the second period and didn't return.

Aube-Kubel rejoined his teammates for the first time Tuesday in a regular practice jersey and has been a full participant since. He skated at left wing with center Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn on Sunday after taking reps among the bottom six in previous practices.

"We took a look at it," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of placing him on that line. "I don't know if we're convinced we're going to use it, but that was what we wanted to see today. [He brings] speed, one of the strongest guys we have on the puck. Was really playing well [before] his injury. It could be a look. That Panthers team is hard, they're heavy, physical. It could create a little bit more forecheck pressure for us."

The initial timeline for Aube-Kubel's return was 3-6 weeks. -- Heather Engel

Pittsburgh Penguins

Tristan Jarry was sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Saturday on a conditioning loan.

The goalie had left the Penguins four-game road trip in Western Canada on Thursday in order to work with director of goaltending Jon Elkin.

The Penguins brought three goalies -- Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist -- on the road trip. Jarry traveling back alone was planned since the trip began, Sullivan said.

"The decision was based solely on what we believe is the best course to have Tristan find his form and get ample game action to transfer the work he is doing on the ice with our goaltending staff and off the ice into games," Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said Saturday. "The expectations for him while down there are to play each game for Wilkes-Barre over the next 14 days and set himself to come back to Pittsburgh confident and in good form."

Jarry has made three starts this season, going 1-1-0 with a 5.47 goals-against average and .836 save percentage. He has not played since being pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in a 6-5 overtime win against the Sabres on Oct. 16. -- Wes Crosby

Philadelphia Flyers

Cam York was placed on injured reserve by the Flyers on Saturday because of an upper-body injury.

York left a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday with 2:56 remaining in the third period after the defenseman was hit into the boards by Capitals forward Nic Dowd.

"Minimum of two weeks is what we know," general manager Daniel Briere said. "It depends how he's going to recover, but we expect him to be out at least two weeks, and we'll see from there."

Erik Johnson, who had been scratched the previous two games, took York's place in the lineup in a 7-5 win against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, finishing with one shot on goal and a minus-1 rating in 14:41 of ice time.

The Flyers recalled defenseman Emil Andrae and goalie Aleksei Kolosov from Lehigh Valley of the AHL. They also returned forward Jett Luchanko, the No. 13 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, to Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League. The 18-year-old did not have a point in four games.

"We think it's the best thing for his development," Briere said of Luchanko. "We've said it from Day 1, it's not about how good Jett can be this year, it's thinking three, five, seven years down the road.

"Coming into [training] camp, I didn't think he had much of a chance to stay. He had a very good camp, he made us better, and that's why he was in the lineup. But at the same time, we know where we are. It's tough at times to be patient, because you want to ice the best team possible right away. But we feel for his development and to have the best Jett Luchanko, he needs to go play a lot of minutes. He needs to go learn to be the guy." -- Adam Kimelman

Minnesota Wild

Jared Spurgeon practiced Friday for the first time since Oct. 12 because of a lower-body injury.

The defenseman had been skating at home on his own.

Spurgeon missed his sixth straight game Saturday, when Minnesota lost 7-5 at Philadelphia, but could return for the final game of its road trip at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

"The fact that he's back with the team is a positive sign," Wild coach John Hynes said Friday. "Obviously skated today and doing some extra here [after practice]. We're going to take him day by day and see where he's at. There's a possibility. Not for tomorrow, possibility during the trip. There is a progression. He's coming back, so we've just got to see the timeline on it."

Defenseman Zach Bogosian said the players got a lift from Spurgeon rejoining the team.

"It's huge," he said. "Obviously, when you get your captain back, integrated with the group, it's really big for him and for us."

Forward Ryan Hartman, who has missed the past three games because of an upper-body injury, has returned to Minnesota to continue his recovery.

"Some of it's a little bit sickness, but not ready to play," Hynes said. "We just feel like it'd be more advantageous for him to get back, get more skating, more workout stuff back in Minnesota than being on the road." -- Adam Kimelman

New York Islanders

Matt Martin signed a one-year contract with the Islanders on Saturday. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The 35-year-old forward, who was in training camp on a professional tryout, had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 57 games with New York last season. He has played 955 regular-season NHL games.

"‘Marty’ came to camp completely on a tryout,” general manager Lou Lamoriello said. “He worked extremely hard. It's probably in the best shape I've actually seen him in physically over the last couple of years. So, today, we decided that we would go forward with him."

Lamoriello said Martin understands that he will not be an every-game player for the Islanders.

The Martin signing came the same day forward Anthony Duclair was placed on long-term injured reserve, retroactive to Oct. 19, when he sustained a lower-body injury against the Montreal Canadiens.

Duclair, who signed a four-year contract on July 1, will be out 4-6 weeks.

Forwards Pierre Engvall and Hudson Fasching were recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL. Liam Foudy, who was recalled from Bridgeport on Monday, was reassigned there.

Defenseman Alexander Romanov did not play in a 6-3 loss to the Panthers on Saturday. He is day to day with an upper-body injury he sustained in a 4-3 overtime win at New Jersey on Friday. -- Stefen Rosner