Cup Qualifiers Buzz: Ekblad to play for Panthers in Game 1

Welcome to the Stanley Cup Qualifiers Buzz. The 24 teams who will be competing for the Stanley Cup are in their respective hub cities (Toronto for the 12 Eastern Conference teams, Edmonton for the 12 Western Conference teams). Exhibition games start Tuesday and the Stanley Cup Qualifiers begin Saturday.

Here's a look around the League at the latest from the Qualifiers:

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Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad will play for the Panthers against the New York Islanders in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Qualifier series Saturday.

The defenseman practiced Tuesday in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city, after missing the Panthers' final two practices in Florida. He will not play in their exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday (Noon ET; NHLN, FS-F, SUN, NHL.TV).

"We've been cautious with him over the last few days, but he wanted to practice in the worst way," coach Joel Quenneville said. "He was out there today, crossed a barrier there and he's good to go."

Ekblad scored 41 points (five goals, 36 assists) in 67 games before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

"Obviously [Ekblad] is a big piece on our team," forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. "It was good to have him back obviously. He looked good on the ice today." -- Alain Poupart

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Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak practiced in full with the Bruins in Toronto for the first time since training camp began July 13.

General manager Don Sweeney said that Pastrnak missed the first two days of camp because of quarantine rules for players arriving from Europe. He skated with a small group of teammates July 15 but was ruled "unfit to participate" since.

As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

"David, young guy. He's typically in good shape. So he's going on the ice today with the main group," coach Bruce Cassidy said before practice. "We'll mix him in with [Patrice Bergeron] and [Brad Marchand] on line rushes, otherwise he's just practicing. We were off yesterday. There's no plan to really scrimmage today. It's get our legs back under us, get acclimated. For him, it's more about himself than worrying about what line he's on. That's the plan with David. We'll see how he progresses."

Pastrnak scored 48 goals this season, tying for the NHL lead with Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin.

Cassidy said that forward Ondrej Kase is not in Toronto, but is expected to join the Bruins at a later point. Like Pastrnak, Kase skated once but has not practiced with the full team since camp started.

The Bruins will play the Philadelphia Flyers (Sunday), Tampa Bay Lightning (Aug. 5) and Capitals (Aug. 9) in the round-robin portion of the Qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena to determine seeding for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Boston will play an exhibition game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, FS-O, NESN, NHL.TV).

Carolina Hurricanes

Dougie Hamilton is still considered unfit to play, coach Rod Brind'Amour said prior to practice in Toronto.

The defenseman hasn't practiced since last Wednesday, when he left the ice in discomfort during power play drills.

"I would think he's still unfit, that's the latest," Brind'Amour said. "It would be great if I get [to the rink] and I'm told otherwise, but I don't think that's going to happen."

Hamilton missed the last 21 games of the regular season after fracturing his left fibula Jan. 16. He scored 40 points (16 goals, 24 assists) in 47 games prior to his injury.

The Hurricanes will play the New York Rangers in a best-of-5 qualifier series beginning Saturday. Carolina will play an exhibition game against the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NBCSWA, FS-CR, NHL.TV). -- Dan Rosen

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby practiced and could play for the Penguins in their exhibition game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Tuesday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NBCSP+, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).

"We'll make that decision tomorrow," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "He was a full participant. And we thought the practice went really well. The energy was great. I thought the attention to detail was there. I thought our pace was really good."

Crosby said Sunday he hoped to practice Monday and play Tuesday.

"Ideally, I would've liked to get in a little more with the scrimmages and game-situation things," Crosby said. "But with that being said, I think the fact that I've been able to skate for a good chunk of time will help get through that. It's one of those things, I skated on my own for a long time and I didn't really feel like I needed another week of it, but that being said, things are moving in the right direction. So hopefully get into that exhibition game."

Crosby did not participate in a scrimmage Saturday after practicing Friday for the first time since July 18. As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

"He looks good every day," forward Jake Guentzel said. "Obviously, it's nice to have him out there. He's the catalyst for our team, so whenever he's out there, and just the way he plays, I think he makes us that much better. So obviously, really good to see him out there."

Pittsburgh begins its best-of-5 qualifier series against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. -- Wes Crosby

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Philadelphia Flyers

Oskar Lindblom will join the Flyers in Toronto during the Qualifiers at a date to be determined.

Lindblom, who completed his treatments for Ewing's sarcoma, a form of bone cancer July 2, is home in Sweden with family and friends. The forward is one of 31 players on the Flyers roster for the Qualifiers.

"We'll be in contact with him this week and try to make some plans," general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday. "He's returned to Sweden, he's been back I think about 10 days now seeing his family and continuing to rest and recover from the last of this treatments and he's doing well. And we just left it with them that we'd speak to him once we got set up in Toronto and get a plan to come back."

Lindblom hasn't played since being diagnosed Dec. 13. He last skated with teammates June 23.

"It was already amazing to see him just before we left here and before he went back home," forward Sean Couturier said. "It's nice to see him happy, doing well. And we're really excited to see him back in the lineup one day. We'll see when that is, but we're definitely looking forward to that day."

The Flyers will play in the round-robin portion of the Qualifiers in Toronto, which will set the seeding for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers will play the Boston Bruins (Sunday), Washington Capitals (Aug. 6) and Tampa Bay Lightning (Aug. 8).

Philadelphia will play the Pittsburgh Penguins in an exhibition game at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NBCSP+, ATTSN-PIT, NHL.TV).-- Adam Kimelman

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets will decide Saturday whether Elvis Merzlikins or Joonas Korpisalo will start Game 1 of a best-of-5 qualifier series against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday, coach John Tortorella said.

Columbus will play an exhibition game against the Boston Bruins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, FS-O, NESN, NHL.TV).

Tortorella said speedy but inexperienced forwards Liam Foudy and Eric Robinson have each made their case to play.

Foudy has been practicing on the fourth line with veteran center Riley Nash and Robinson. He scored 68 points (28 goals, 40 assists) in 45 games for London of the Ontario Hockey League this season and had one assist in his first two NHL games with the Blue Jackets.

"Foudy has a good chance of playing in the first game," Tortorella said.

Robinson has scored 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 64 games for Columbus. Tortorella likes his size (6-foot-2, 197 pounds) and quickness.

"He was probably our most consistent player through the first week of camp," he said. "He has a ton of things to improve on, but his speed, and how he gets down that wing, he's in." -- Craig Merz