Training Camp Buzz: Suter skipping preseason games for Wild

Welcome to the 2018 preseason! NHL training camps are open and preseason games begin Sunday.
This is a busy time, with rookies looking to make a name for themselves and veterans trying to lock down roster spots. Each day we will have all the updates of note right here.
Here is the training camp news for Saturday:

Suter likely won't dress until Wild season-opener

Ryan Suter's goal is to be ready for the Minnesota Wild's season-opener at the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 4. But the 33-year-old defenseman, who missed Minnesota's final three regular-season games and all five Stanley Cup Playoff games last season with a broken right ankle, said Friday he's not likely to dress for any of Minnesota's seven preseason games.
"I think I'm going to be participating in the scrimmages here," Suter told the Wild website. "[Coach Bruce Boudreau] just doesn't see a point of playing."
Boudreau said Thursday he believes Suter is one of the few players in the NHL who could step right into regular-season action without playing a preseason game.
"I think last year I might have played one," Suter said. "Preseason [games] are preseason games for a reason."
Suter, who had 51 points (six goals, 45 assists) in 78 games last season, was on the ice at practice Friday without restrictions.
"I feel great. It was fun to get into it, have a good practice. Felt really good," he said. "I still have 2 1/2 weeks. I'll be fine."

Couturier 'feeling pretty good' at Flyers camp

Sean Couturier was a full participant at Philadelphia Flyers training camp on Saturday as he works his way back from injuring his right knee during a charity game in Quebec on Aug. 10. The 25-year-old center, who had NHL career highs in goals (31) and points (76) last season, was expected to be eased into practices. But he took part in battle drills and a scrimmage at Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey.
"I don't think I'm early whatsoever," he said. "It's been five weeks already. I'm feeling good, feeling ready to test it out and see how it feels. And so far it's been going pretty well."
Couturier is unlikely to play in the Flyers' first preseason game, at the New York Islanders on Sunday, but there's potential for him to play at least one game before Philadelphia opens its regular season at the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 4.
"I think it's about being smart, knowing your body and knowing how you feel," he said. "I'm feeling good so I'm kind of pushing myself. They're kind of trying to hold me back a little bit but it's the natural competitor in me that wants to try it out and see how it feels. … I haven't had any problems and I'm feeling pretty good. -- Adam Kimelman

Sullivan leaves Penguins after father's death

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan will leave the team for a few days following the death of his father Saturday.
George Sullivan died at the age of 81. Mike led two of Pittsburgh's three teams in practice during the second day of training camp but did not meet with the media as originally planned.
"We had a lot of interactions with Mr. Sullivan," assistant Mark Recchi said. "Certainly in the last two Cup years, he was always around. He loved the fact that we got to be part of two big Stanley Cups. The great thing about it was he was still doing pretty good then. He was able to really enjoy it.
"I just remember sitting out on a deck in Sewickley (a Pittsburgh suburb) with him, smoking cigars. He was just loving life."
There's no timeframe for Mike Sullivan's return. Assistant Jacques Martin will oversee the day-to-day coaching operation in the meantime.
"When you have Jacques, he's Mr. Organizer. He's as organized as it gets," Recchi said. "We'll handle the load until he gets back." -- Wes Crosby

Allen could be ready sooner than expected for Blues

Jake Allen said he's made significant progress in his recovery from back spasms and could return to the ice with the St. Louis Blues sooner than the original prognosis of 10-14 days.
The Blues said Thursday that the 28-year-old goaltender was expected to miss up to two weeks after he aggravated his back during an off-ice workout.
"It's looking like I'll be on the ice earlier than that," Allen said Saturday. "We'll just see how it goes. Following the doctor's orders. It's been pretty significant progress over the last two days.
"It just sort of got me a little bit tired at the end of the day in the gym. It's progressed way better than when it first happened, a lot better than I thought it was. I'm feeling really good right now to be honest."
The Blues placed 22-year-old defenseman Dmitrii Sergeev on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, Sportsnet reported.
Blues coach Mike Yeo said Sergeev did not meet the required standards of coming into camp in shape and on Friday was assigned to the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League. -- Louie Korac

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Gardiner hoping to become Maple Leafs mainstay

Jake Gardiner would like to remain a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the long term.
"I'd definitely like to come back here," the 28-year-old defenseman said Friday at training camp in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Gardiner could become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019. He had an NHL career-high 52 points (five goals, 47 assists) last season, but was minus-5 in Toronto's 7-4 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
"It took a couple of weeks to get over in the summer," Gardiner said. "But I've moved on. I'm looking forward to the future."
Coach Mike Babcock said Gardiner is a key cog in the team's future.
"There were a lot of pieces in Game 7 that didn't go our way," he said. "I looked forward to getting Jake signed and having him be a Leaf for a long time." -- Dave McCarthy

Panarin dealing with neck problem at Blue Jackets camp

Artemi Panarin says the knee injury he sustained during the Columbus Blue Jackets' loss to the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round is healed. But a strained neck kept him off the ice at training camp Friday, and he's not expected to take part in scrimmages this weekend.
"It's better today," coach Jonn Tortorella said after practice. "I can't give you a time. He's very limited right now, but it's on the right side [of healing]. He's getting better each day. So we've just got to wait and see."
Panarin led the Blue Jackets in scoring last season with 82 points (27 goals, 55 assists) in 81 games. Despite the knee problem in the playoffs, he had seven points (two goals, five assists) in six games against Washington.

Eller, Carlson not practicing with Capitals

Center Lars Eller and defenseman John Carlson continue to nurse lower-body injuries for the Washington Capitals.
Eller skated briefly at the start of the first practice session on Saturday before returning to the locker room. Carlson did not practice. Each missed the first day of practice on Friday.
Coach Todd Reirden said Friday the injuries are not considered to be serious and each is day to day.
"Just some small things that we want to make sure we're cautious on with the start of camp," Reirden said. "Nothing to be overly concerned about at all. Just more precautionary."
Forward Sergei Shumakov also won't practice for the second consecutive day because he was dealing with a visa issue in Russia. The Capitals expect him to arrive in Washington later Saturday. - Tom Gulitti

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Oilers GM hoping to get Nurse signed soon

Darnell Nurse, a restricted free agent, is back in Ontario without a contract, but Edmonton Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli isn't worried about getting the 23-year-old defenseman signed.
"It's part of the playbook," Chiarelli said Friday of Nurse's decision to go home after taking part in informal workouts in Edmonton before training camp opened. "Some RFAs across the League went home and some didn't. I know he traveled home the other night. We obviously couldn't come to an agreement but we'll hope we can get him in camp here shortly."
Chiarelli wouldn't say how far apart the two sides are.
"I can tell you there's a gap," he said. "We've had a lot of negotiations so we'll see where it goes here shortly."
Nurse, who had 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) and a plus-15 rating in 82 games last season, isn't the old restricted free agent who's not in camp. Forward Michael Nylander has yet to reach a new contract with the Maple Leafs, and defensemen Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets) and Shea Theodore (Vegas Golden Knights) also have yet to come to terms.

Carter optimistic at Kings camp

Jeff Carter said he's not completely over the lacerated ankle tendon injury he suffered last season, but the 33-year-old Los Angeles Kings forward said he's feeling good.
"I think I still have a little bit to go on that, but things are trending in the right direction," Carter said told LA Kings Insider. "I'm pleased with where it's going."
Carter missed 55 games after being cut by the skate of Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry on Oct. 18, 2017. When he returned in February, the Kings went 12-6-3 and averaged 3.25 goals in their final 21 regular-season games with Carter. But he needed an aggressive summer rehabilitation program.
"We basically threw everything at it to see what helped," said Carter, who had 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 27 games last season. "We did a lot of work on it, a lot of strength training. All things considered it went pretty well. We're still working on it, but it's been good."

Drouin playing left wing with Canadiens

Jonathan Drouin was back on left wing when the Montreal Canadiens held their first training camp practice Friday. Drouin played with two newcomers, center Max Domi and right wing Joel Armia.
Drouin, acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 15, 2017, was used mainly as a wing by the Lightning but spent most of his first season with the Canadiens as a center, finishing with 46 points (13 goals, 33 assists) in 77 games. But he was minus-28 and won 42.5 percent of his faceoffs.
"To be honest with you, I think we know that Jonathan Drouin can play center," coach Claude Julien told the Montreal Gazette after practice. "I thought he really improved a lot at the end of the year on faceoffs and he really got the hang of it."
But Julien said he might make flip Drouin and Domi before the Canadiens open their regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 3.