Welcome to the 2023-24 NHL training camp buzz. Training camp is underway for all 32 teams and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin (lower body) and Filip Chytil (upper body) are each day to day for the Rangers.
Panarin did not practice Tuesday, and Chytil left practice and did not return. Neither forward played in the Rangers' preseason opener Tuesday, a 4-2 win against the New York Islanders.
"We're hoping day to day," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "Just in general with exhibition games, you want to err on the side of caution and keep guys healthy and moving right. Just day to day."
Mika Zibanejad also did not play after sustaining an upper-body injury Sunday.
The center practiced in a no-contact jersey Monday after leaving the ice with the injury during a scrimmage Sunday.
"My goal is still to see the veterans players play in three (preseason) games," Laviolette said. "That would be a good number. I don't know if you need four. You want to see some guys in four and younger players in four. That would be a good number for me."
Tampa Bay Lightning
Andrei Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) practiced for the first time Tuesday after the goalie had limited himself to group work for the first four days of training camp.
Vasilevskiy participated in the full practice and played in the first half of a combined scrimmage. Earlier in the week, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said the goalie was day to day, but there were no long-term concerns.
"It's early in training camp, so we don't need to rush anything along with him," Cooper said Sunday. "When he's ready to go, he'll be there."
Cooper said that Vasilevskiy should be available to play in the final three preseason games. The Lightning play the Florida Panthers on Oct. 3, Oct. 5 and Oct. 7 to close the preseason.
At the Lightning's media day, Vasilevskiy hinted that he would take a slower approach to camp after making some adjustments to his offseason training program.
"I made some changes, nothing much," Vasilevskiy said. "I am paying attention to my recovery a lot more now." -- Corey Long
St. Louis Blues
Torey Krug expects to be ready for the Blues regular-season opener against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 12.
The defenseman, who sustained an injury to his right foot during his offseason workouts, has skated every day since training camp began last Thursday.
Krug skated regularly the past two practices, including Tuesday, after being on the ice prior to practice sessions when camp opened.
"I'll be ready," Krug said. "It's a little bit of bad luck, but right now we have the time to be cautious and make sure I'm healthy going into the season and that's what we're doing. I feel really good, I feel comfortable obviously with the training staff, I've been through a lot with them. … I'll be ready to go."
The Blues announced Krug's injury Sept 13 and said he would be reevaluated Oct. 1, but he has been healing quicker than expected and could play in a preseason game soon.
"He's getting close to a full practice, is what I'd say, more than games right now," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "Let's just play that by ear, practice tomorrow again and maybe get a little bit more in. We've just got to see how he feels.
"I think he's very close. He's going in that direction for sure. So we've just got to maintain here and not take backwards steps." -- Lou Korac
Toronto Maple Leafs
John Tavares will make his preseason debut against the Buffalo Sabres at Kraft Hockeyville in St. Thomas, Ontario, on Wednesday (6:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B).
The Maple Leafs captain did not play in Toronto's first two preseason games but has been a regular participant at practice, centering a line with left wing Matthew Knies and right wing Sam Lafferty.
"John is playing tomorrow," coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday. "That was the plan all along, nothing else other than that. I talked to him well before camp began and sort of mapped out how he wanted things to go and what was best for him, and we are on that path."
Forward Calle Jarnkrok, who also did not play in either of Toronto's preseason games, did not practice Tuesday and is day to day because of an undisclosed injury.
"Something came up in practice a few days ago and it just hasn't quite settled yet, nothing we are too concerned about," Keefe said. "When I spoke to him today, he thought he might get back on skates tomorrow and start working his way back towards playing but just day to day at this point."
Forward Bobby McMann practiced with the full group for the first time in training camp. He had been limited because of a lingering knee/groin injury sustained last season. -- Dave McCarthy
Calgary Flames
Jakob Pelletier sustained an upper-body injury during the first period of a 5-3 preseason loss against the Seattle Kraken at Scotiabank Saddledome on Monday.
There was no update available postgame.
"Doctors will do some stuff with him [Tuesday] and we'll have a better idea of what actually it is," Flames coach Ryan Huska said. "We'll have to find out [Tuesday]. I don't really know the answer to that."
Pelletier, a forward, was hit into the boards by Kraken forward Marián Studenič at 19:53. Studenic was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct on the play.
"You feel bad for him," Flames alternate captain Mikael Backlund said. "We'll see how it goes. Hopefully he comes back here soon. I feel bad for him. Such a positive energy guy, great teammate, so it's really hard to see him leave the game early on."
Pelletier had one assist and two blocked shots in 7:17 of ice time in his preseason debut. -- Aaron Vickers
Pittsburgh Penguins
Mark Pysyk will be out longer term because of a lower-body injury.
The defenseman was placed on the injured list Monday, one day after he had three shots on goal and one blocked shot in 18:32 of ice time during a 4-3 overtime preseason loss at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday.
Pysyk is attending training camp on a professional tryout contract, attempting to come back after not playing last season because of a torn Achilles tendon. He last played in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres in 2021-22.
"It's unfortunate because we were really looking forward to watching Mark here throughout the course of the exhibition season, getting him in some games and seeing where he potentially might fit in our team," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Tuesday. -- Wes Crosby
New York Islanders
Alexander Romanov was a full participant in a scrimmage Tuesday.
The defenseman, who sat out a scrimmage Monday, scored a goal playing on a defense pair with prospect Calle Odelius in his first game-like situation since having offseason shoulder surgery.
"I couldn't wait to start playing," Romanov said. "So, it's just so exciting, my first scrimmage."
Islanders coach Lane Lambert liked what he saw from Romanov.
"I thought he was good, I thought he certainly brought energy, calling for pucks, jumping into the play," Lambert said. "I thought he looked good. And there was some physicality too."
The Islanders lost 4-2 to the Rangers on Tuesday in their first preseason game. Lambert wouldn't give a definite answer on Romanov playing during the preseason.
"We'll take it one day at a time, based on how he feels today and what we what we find out after that," Lambert said. "But he looked fine to me." -- Stefen Rosner
