NHL Buzz: Duclair in lineup for Islanders against Maple Leafs 

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New York Islanders

Anthony Duclair was activated off long-term injured reserve Saturday and was in the lineup for the Islanders against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The forward missed 28 games because of a lower-body injury sustained during a 5-4 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 19. He has been practicing and took line rushes at the morning skate before the Islanders lost 4-0 at the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

Duclair has three points (two goals, one assist) in five games this season for New York (12-14-7), which has lost its past two and three of four.

"We'll see how he feels, but I honestly feel he's very, very close,” coach Patrick Roy said Thursday. “There's a big chance he plays in that game."

Goaltender Semyon Varlamov was placed on long-term injured reserve Thursday, retroactive to Dec. 3, because of a lower-body injury. Varlamov last played Nov. 29, making 21 saves in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals.

Mike Reilly skated before practice Thursday. The defenseman last played against the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 1. He sustained a concussion during that game, and then needed a heart procedure. There is no timetable for him to return. -- Stefen Rosner

Chicago Blackhawks

Seth Jones was activated from injured reserve Saturday and returned for Chicago's 6-4 loss against the Calgary Flames, registering 26:42 of ice time.

The defenseman practiced Friday for the first time since injuring his right foot Nov. 14. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 18 games this season.

"It should be a big boost, right? Good player,” Blackhawks interim coach Anders Sorensen said. “Looking forward to having him. It's his first game here, so it'll be good."

Jones was injured blocking a shot during a 3-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken last month.

"Sometimes when you know, you know," Jones said of his injury. "I walked in [the locker room], it just had that kind of pain to it where it wasn't going away. I ended up playing the whole third because of adrenaline, you're not thinking about it, but after the game it was pretty bad."

Sorensen was named Blackhawks interim coach Dec. 5 after Luke Richardson was fired, and Jones said he has been learning Sorensen's system.

"I made sure to be in a lot of meetings right when the change happened to really make sure I wasn't missing anything and I didn't have any questions coming back or was messing something up," Jones said. -- Tracey Myers

Nashville Predators

Roman Josi returned from a lower-body injury for the Predators in their 3-2 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

The defenseman, who missed four games, was paired with Jeremy Lauzon and had an assist in 26:25 of ice time. Nashville (10-17-7) went 2-1-1 without Josi, its captain.

The Predators reassigned defensemen Kevin Gravel and Marc Del Gaizo to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Friday, two days after acquiring defenseman Justin Barron from the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Alexandre Carrier. Barron has yet to make his Predators debut.

Josi has 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 30 games and leads Nashville in time on ice per game (24:59). -- Robby Stanley

Tampa Bay Lightning

J.J. Moser is expected be out 8-10 weeks because of a lower-body injury.

The defenseman was injured during an 8-3 win against the Calgary Flames on Dec. 12. Moser was chasing a loose puck and fell, forcing Flames forward Nazem Kadri to jump over him. Kadri scored on the sequence.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said Tuesday that Moser's status was week to week.

The 24-year-old has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and is averaging 19:54 of ice time in 27 games. He has been paired with Lightning captain Victor Hedman for most of the season.

The Lightning host the Florida Panthers on Sunday. -- Corey Long

San Jose Sharks

Vitek Vanecek is expected to miss several weeks because of an upper-body injury the goalie sustained when he was hit in the head with a puck while sitting on the bench during the second period of the Sharks' 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

"Terrible luck. Feel for the kid," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Wednesday. "We got a stick on a puck, and it goes flying into a bench and he takes one up high. It's unfortunate.

"He's going to be out here a little bit ... [a] couple weeks for sure."

Vanecek is 3-8-1 with a 3.84 goals-against average and .885 save percentage in 14 games (13 starts) this season. He missed six games earlier this season because of a different upper-body injury sustained Nov. 16.

Goalie Yaroslav Askarov was recalled from San Jose of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

"It's an opportunity," Warsofsky said. "Unfortunate circumstances with Vitek going down, but it's an opportunity for him to play some games, probably consistently."

The 22-year-old is 1-0-1 with a .927 save percentage in two NHL games this season.

San Jose (11-19-5) visits the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (4 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSCA). -- Max Miller