NHL Buzz: Nylander in lineup for Maple Leafs
Peterka back for Sabres; Zub out at least 1 week for Senators; Celebrini not ruled out by Sharks for Friday
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Toronto Maple Leafs
William Nylander will play for the Maple Leafs against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, BSW) after recovering from an illness.
The forward, who had two goals in 20:52 in a 4-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, practiced Monday but was not at practice Tuesday.
Forward John Tavares, who did not play against the Penguins and did not practice Monday because of an illness, will return and center a line with left wing Pontus Holmberg and right wing Nicholas Robertson.
Goalie Joseph Woll skated for the third consecutive day, joining the Maple Leafs' optional morning skate and facing shots for the first time since Oct. 8 because of a lower body injury.
Defenseman Timothy Liljegren, who has been a healthy scratch for Toronto's first three games, will make his season debut, replacing Connor Timmins on a pair with Simon Benoit. -- Dave McCarthy
Colorado Avalanche
Devon Toews won't play against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN360, TVAS) because of a lower-body injury.
The defenseman will miss his second straight game after not playing in a 6-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Monday.
"Day to day right now," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said after the game. "I'm hoping he's back next game, but based on today, there's a possibility that maybe he's not."
Oliver Kylington made his NHL debut with the Avalanche, replacing Toews on the top defense pair alongside Cale Makar. He's expected to play in that spot again on Wednesday.
"I've played against him a lot in Calgary, and I know what type of caliber of player he is," Kylington said of Makar. "Just try to complement each other out there and just try to play my game and he plays his, and I think we can help each other out there."
Bednar also said that forward Jonathan Drouin, who has missed the past two games with an upper-body injury and was listed as day to day, could see his original recovery timeline change.
"I don't have an update on him yet," Bednar said Wednesday. -- Ryan Boulding
Buffalo Sabres
JJ Peterka will return for the Sabres against the Penguins on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT).
The forward missed the previous two games after sustaining a concussion against the Devils on Oct. 5. He did not participate in an optional morning skate.
"JJ is available to play," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "So, [it] looks like he'll be good to go."
Peterka, who has one assist in two games, could play left wing with center Tage Thompson and right wing Alex Tuch. Zach Benson played there the previous two games.
"JJ is a gifted goal scorer, obviously," Ruff said. "I thought that line had good chemistry while we were using them. So, again, we've lacked a little finish. I think JJ gives us that extra layer of finish."
It has not been decided who will be a healthy scratch with Peterka back.
Peterka had 50 points (28 goals, 22 assists) in 82 games last season, fourth on the Sabres behind defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (59 points), Tuch (59) and Thompson (56). -- Wes Crosby
Los Angeles Kings
Darcy Kuemper will not dress against the Maple Leafs on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, BSW) because of a lower-body injury and is day to day, coach Jim Hiller said.
The goalie allowed eight goals on 41 shots in an 8-7 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Monday.
David Rittich will start Wednesday. Pheonix Copley was recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League and will be the backup.
Defenseman Joel Edmundson will not be available after returning to Los Angeles for the birth of his first child. He will be replaced by Andreas Englund, who has been a healthy scratch for the first three games. -- Dave McCarthy
Utah Hockey Club
Sean Durzi is expected to miss extended time after sustaining an upper-body injury in a 3-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday, general manager Bill Armstrong said.
"It doesn't look like he's going to be back anytime soon," Armstrong told KSL Sports radio in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
The defenseman has two assists in four games with Utah this season.
Durzi led Arizona Coyotes defensemen in points last season with 41 (nine goals, 32 assists) in 76 games.
Roberto Bortuzzo will replace Durzi in the lineup when Utah visits the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; Utah16, Victory+, KCOP-13) in the finale of a four-game road trip.
"It's a big loss," Bortuzzo said Wednesday. "He plays in all situations and we love his presence in the locker room. He's a great kid, he keeps the energy high. On the ice, he's an incredible talent who we miss, but for us, no one's going to try and do too much, just everyone try and play their A-game and we'll try and eat up those minutes, try and spread them out." -- Dan Arritt
Ottawa Senators
Artem Zub will miss at least one week with a concussion.
The defenseman, who left in the first period of an 8-7 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday after taking a high hit from Tanner Jeannot, did not practice Wednesday.
"'Zuby' is a really important player for our group; he plays some hard minutes," defenseman Travis Hamonic said. "We obviously know that and know the kind of player that he is and the presence that he brings for our group."
In Zub's absence, Jacob Bernard-Docker will make his season debut. He practiced on a defense pair with Tyler Kleven on Wednesday; Hamonic took Zub's spot on the first pair with Jake Sanderson.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark, who missed the game Monday due to a strain, skated Wednesday but did not practice with the team. Anton Forsberg is expected to start against the Devils on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, RDS2, TSN5). Ottawa recalled goalie Mads Sogaard from Belleville of the AHL on Wednesday.
Ullmark, who signed a four-year, $33 million contract Oct. 9, is 1-1-0 with a 2.58 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in two games this season.
"Anticipation is a great thing. [Ullmark] could be ready (Thursday), I guess," coach Travis Green said. "We'll see tomorrow how he is. I'm not going to announce my starter tomorrow, if that's what we're getting at." -- Callum Fraser
Columbus Blue Jackets
Erik Gudbranson was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman left at 18:28 of the second period of a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday after a collision with teammate Sean Monahan at center ice. He appeared to be holding his right arm.
"I can tell you, it doesn’t look good," Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said after the game.
Gudbranson, who has played in each of the Blue Jackets' three games this season, had 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 78 games with them last season.
Columbus added goalie Jet Greaves on emergency recall from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Wednesday and placed forward Dylan Gambrell on waivers for the purpose of assigning him to Cleveland.
The Blue Jackets next play against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG-B).
St. Louis Blues
Nick Leddy did not practice on Wednesday due to a lower-body injury and is questionable against the New York Islanders on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; MSGSN, BSMW).
The defenseman played in a 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, but Blues coach Drew Bannister said he was playing through something that occurred earlier in the day.
Leddy finished the game minus-in 20:57 of ice time.
"It was something that kind of popped up yesterday afternoon and again this morning so we kept him off the ice," Bannister said after practice Wednesday. "I think he was focused on and ready to play [Tuesday]. I think he f elt like the injury wasn't going to hold him back or hinder him in any way of being able to play, then he would have taken himself out but he felt that he could be a player for us.
"I think right now, it's day to day. He could be questionable for tomorrow, but I won't know until tomorrow morning."
Ryan Suter was skating in Leddy's spot on the top defense pair with Colton Parayko and could play there if Leddy is out.
"I think he's just played really well right now," Bannister said of Suter. "He's a veteran player that's played in those situations before and I think he deserves the opportunity to go up there and play with [Parayko] if that's what happens here if Leddy's notable to go. I think that's a good pairing to have. A veteran player that has played in those situations. He'll be able to handle it, no question." -- Lou Korac
San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini hasn't been ruled out by the Sharks for their game at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.
The forward was placed on injured reserve Saturday, retroactive to Oct. 10, with a lower-body injury and is eligible to return Friday.
"It's a week-to-week thing, and he's working extremely hard to get back," coach Ryan Warsofsky said Monday. "He's putting a lot of work into it. We'll just kind of take it day by day. We have a really good plan from our training staff and our sports performance staff, what we want to do."
Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, did not travel with the Sharks for games at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (a 3-2 shootout loss) and the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
"He's in the rehab process," Warsofsky said. "He hasn't gone on the ice yet. I haven't checked in with our training staff today yet, so we'll see.
"I'm sure he's frustrated, and it's a learning moment for him in his career. He's going to have a long career, and he's going to have some injuries and things along the way that will pop up. I know he's working extremely hard to get back as quickly as he can. He's just taking it day by day, and it's just part of the game of hockey." -- Max Miller
