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Montreal Canadiens
Patrik Laine practiced Wednesday for the first time since he injured his knee Sept. 28.
Laine skated alone beforehand at the Canadiens' practice facility in Brossard, Quebec, before joining teammates.
The forward took part in the opening session of drills wearing a noncontact jersey before leaving the ice about 15 minutes into practice.
Laine was expected to be out for 2-3 months after he sprained his left knee in a collision with Cedric Pare of the Toronto Maple Leafs in a preseason game at Bell Centre on Sept. 28. He opted not to have surgery and began skating again Nov. 6.
"I expect it's going to take him a little while to get back into it," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said Wednesday. "You don't know exactly what it will be, is it a game? Is it two weeks? You don't know, so we'll see how it progresses."
Laine, who was acquired by the Canadiens in a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 19 along with a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft for defenseman Jordan Harris, was limited to 18 games last season, the last coming Dec. 14, 2023, because of a broken clavicle. He had nine points (six goals, three assists).
Laine began receiving care from the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Jan. 28 and was cleared from the program July 26.
He scored 44 goals for the Winnipeg Jets in 2017-18, but had nine points (six goals, three assists) in 18 games last season and has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $34.8 million contract ($8.7 million average annual value) he signed July 22, 2022. -- Sean Farrell
Colorado Avalanche
Alexandar Georgiev could start for the Avalanche when they visit the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; KUSA, MNMT, ALT, SNP, SNO, SNE) after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
Georgiev practiced Wednesday after going on with the ice with goalie coach Jussi Parkkila and skills coach Toby Peterson on Tuesday.
"We'll see how he comes out of this practice," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. "But he was able to skate yesterday, get some movement done, took some shots yesterday. Everything went good. Obviously, that's a little light. He just went out with Toby and Jussi, and then full practice today. So, if he comes out of that good, he could be an option for tomorrow."
Georgiev went 3-1-0 with a 2.25 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in his last four starts before he was injured, and Bednar hopes he can pick up where he left up when he returns.
"He was already on the ice yesterday and today, so it's no different than just not playing for a couple games," Bednar said. "The injury isn't going to hamper him much. It's a day-to-day thing and we're hoping he's good to go for tomorrow and maybe he'll get the start if he is. We'll have a chat with him in the morning and then make that decision, but there's no reason he can't just bounce back and play the way he played the last four or five games."
Georgiev is 4-5-0 with a 3.56 GAA and .863 save percentage in 10 games this season. --Tom Gulitti
Toronto Maple Leafs
Max Domi was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, retroactive to Nov. 16, with a lower-body injury.
The forward missed practice Nov. 12 because of maintenance, and coach Craig Berube has said he was playing through a lingering injury. He has six assists in 19 games but has gone 13 straight without a point.
"He needs some time off, he needs some rest to get healthy, that's the bottom line," Berube said. "He practiced yesterday but wasn't doing well. That [we only play once before Sunday] was a big part of the [decision], for sure. He wants to play, but we have to do what is best for him too … get some rest and get healed up."
Nikita Grebenkin made his NHL debut when the Maple Leafs hosted the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. The team is then off until hosting the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday.
The 21-year-old forward was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League and has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 13 games of his first season in North America.
"He's got good hands in tight, he's big and strong," Berube said. "He's got jam." -- Dave McCarthy
Seattle Kraken
Vince Dunn participated in an optional morning skate Wednesday, the defenseman's first time on the ice with the Kraken since he sustained a mid-body injury in a 6-4 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 17.
Dunn skated on his own for several days before this latest step in his rehab. He did not play in Wednesday's 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators.
"It is a sign of his progression, but he's not going to be playing," coach Dan Bylsma said. "It's a good sign, but [he's] still in the process of a couple weeks here, seeing how he progresses."
Dunn had one goal and two assists in four games before being placed on long-term injured reserve Oct. 21, retroactive to Oct. 17. He must miss 10 games and 24 days.
Bylsma had no update on forward Jordan Eberle (lower body). Seattle's captain left 17 seconds into the second period of a 3-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 14 after getting tangled with Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy and slamming into the end boards. He said Tuesday that Eberle was continuing to receive tests to understand the severity of his injury. -- Darren Brown
Pittsburgh Penguins
Kris Letang hopes to play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, NHLN, TSN3, TVAS).
The 37-year-old defenseman is day to day with an undisclosed illness that has kept him out the past three games.
"I'm feeling better," Letang said after practicing Wednesday. "Obviously, skating, having some pace on the ice session was pretty good. Feel a lot better now. ... I feel fine. Yesterday, I practiced for close to an hour and 30 (minutes), an hour and 40."
Letang plans to practice again Thursday and said he could return Friday if there isn't a setback. He first joined the Penguins for an optional morning skate Tuesday, ahead of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Letang has six points (two goals, four assists) in 18 games this season.
Forward Kevin Hayes, who has missed seven games with an upper-body injury, also practiced Wednesday.
"[Letang and Hayes] looked pretty good today," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "We'll see where it goes from there. Their status hasn't changed."
Forwards Blake Lizotte and Cody Glass, each out with a concussion, skated on an individual basis. -- Wes Crosby
Buffalo Sabres
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started in goal for the Sabres at the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday and made 24 saves in a 1-0 shutout win after missing two games because of an undisclosed injury.
Luukkonen had not played since allowing four goals on 18 shots in two periods in a 7-5 loss to the Canadiens on Nov. 11.
Center Tage Thompson (lower body) missed his third straight game. Thompson, who had practiced each of the past two days, left in the second period of the game against Montreal. He leads Buffalo in points (18) and goals (11).
"Thompson still isn't available," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "You know, we're just taking this a day at a time. Hopeful for Friday (at the Anaheim Ducks). If not Friday, you're looking at Saturday (at the San Jose Sharks)."
Alex Tuch was in the lineup despite being held out of the morning skate for maintenance. He had one assist in 22:23 of ice time.
Tuch, a forward with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 19 games, missed practice Monday because of an undisclosed injury. -- Dan Greenspan
St. Louis Blues
Philip Broberg has started skating, less than three weeks since injuring his right knee.
The defenseman was injured in the second period in a 4-2 win against the Maple Leafs on Nov. 2 when Broberg and Mitch Marner were jockeying for position of a puck battle along the boards in the Blues' zone when Marner fell on his leg.
Broberg needed assistance getting off the ice and did not return. The Blues announced he would be sidelined 4-6 weeks.
"'Broby's been really good," St. Louis coach Drew Bannister said after practice Wednesday. "He's been on the ice; he's had a couple skates here on his own. He looks really good. I don't think there's any timetable right now, but he's probably ahead of where we thought he would be."
Broberg, who signed a two-year, $9.16 million offer sheet that the Edmonton Oilers did not match Aug. 20, has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 12 games to begin the season. -- Lou Korac
Columbus Blue Jackets
Cayden Lindstrom had back surgery Tuesday but is expected to resume playing this season in the Western Hockey League, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said.
Lindstrom, the No. 4 pick by Columbus at the 2024 NHL Draft, has not played this season because of a back injury. The 18-year-old forward had 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 32 games for Medicine Hat of the WHL last season.
"It's about making sure we get this player prepared," Waddell said Wednesday. "He's going to be an NHL player for us for a long time. We wanted to make sure we did things right."
The Blue Jackets have been cautious with Lindstrom's recovery. He has been rehabbing in Columbus, but Waddell said he never got 100 percent healthy, so a microdiscectomy to remove fragments from the spinal nerve was recommended.
Forward Kent Johnson is expected to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNSUN) after missing 14 games with a shoulder injury sustained Oct. 17. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in four games.
On Wednesday, defenseman David Jiricek, the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, was assigned to Cleveland of the AHL, along with forward Mikael Pyyhtia.
Jiricek has one assist in six games this season and has been a healthy scratch for 12 games. Pyyhtia has one goal in 17 games. -- Craig Merz
Utah Hockey Club
Connor Ingram is day to day with an upper-body injury and has remained in Utah for further evaluation.
Ingram made nine saves on 13 shots in a 6-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday. The goaltender is 6-4-3 with a 3.61 goals-against average and .871 save percentage in 13 games.
Utah recalled goalie Jaxson Stauber from Tucson of the AHL on an emergency basis.
Stauber is 5-2-0 with a 2.29 GAA and .930 save percentage in seven games this season. The 25-year-old has played six career NHL games (5-1-0).
Utah begins a four-game road trip at the Boston Bruins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; Utah16, NESN, SNO, TVAS).
New York Rangers
Filip Chytil rejoined the Rangers in Calgary on Wednesday for the last two of a four-game road trip.
The forward has an upper-body injury believed to be sustained in a collision with teammate K'Andre Miller during a 3-2 win against the Sharks last Thursday. The 25-year-old was not with New York for a 2-0 win at Seattle on Sunday and didn't play in a 4-3 win at the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.
Chytil will meet up with the Rangers before their game at the Calgary Flames on Thursday.
"That's always a good thing," said coach Peter Laviolette, who wouldn't say if Chytil will practice or play in Calgary. "Right now, he's just coming back and joining us. … He's coming back to join us and then we'll make those decisions."
New York wraps up the road trip at Edmonton on Saturday.
Chytil has nine points (four goals, five assists) and a plus-11 rating in 15 games this season despite averaging 13:40 of ice time playing on the third line. He has 153 points (68 goals, 85 assists) in 352 NHL games over eight seasons with New York.
"He had a really good start to the season," Laviolette said. "When you take a player out like that, it definitely, you know, the balance becomes different." -- Kevin Woodley
