NHL Buzz: Woll to be back 'sooner than later' for Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

Joseph Woll was a full participant in practice Friday for the first time since Oct. 8 because of a lower-body injury.

The goalie, who has missed each of Toronto's first four games, skated the past four days prior to the main session, working with the goalie coach and skills coaches.

"[Woll looked] good," coach Craig Berube said. "He was out there with us which was a great sign. Seems like he's really heading in the right direction, so all good. Sooner than later [he should be ready for games], I would think, but you have to take it day by day still. I think it's important here after practice to see where he's at."

The Maple Leafs host the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, MSG, NHLN). Berube did not confirm who will start for Toronto or if Woll is an option to be the backup.

Woll was expected to start the Maple Leafs season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9 until he complained of lower-body tightness, which has kept him out since.

"A little bit of groin tightness and I'm feeling better now so right now I'm just focused on coming back and helping this team," Woll said. "I'm just trying to take it day by day and stack good days on top of each other. I'm really excited to get back." -- Dave McCarthy

Ottawa Senators

Linus Ullmark could play for the Senators against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; RDS, SN, BSSUN).

Ullmark, who has missed two games because of an undisclosed strain, practiced Friday. It was the second consecutive day the goalie skated with the team.

"We're going to do an evaluation after today together with the medical team and the coaches to see what we're going to do going forward, to see if it means playing or backing up or sitting out tomorrow," Ullmark said. "I don't know yet.

"I'm doing well. We've been putting in a lot of work. I have a lot of faith and belief in the things that we have put in motion here. It feels better every day that goes by."

Anton Forsberg has started the past two games, with Mads Sogaard the backup.

After playing Saturday, the Senators begin a three-game road trip at the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday.

"Full practice today. He looked good," coach Travis Green said. "We'll assess him later today or tomorrow morning." -- Callum Fraser

Chicago Blackhawks

Landon Slaggert signed a two-year, $1.8 million contract with the Blackhawks. The deal, which starts next season, has a $900,000 average annual value.

The 22-year-old forward had four points (one goal, three assists) in 16 games with the Blackhawks last season after signing a two-year, entry-level contract March 10, following the completion of his senior season at Notre Dame. Slaggert had 31 points (20 goals, 11 assists) in 36 NCAA games.

Slaggert was assigned to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Sept. 29, and had an assist in their season opener Oct. 12.

San Jose Sharks

William Eklund won't play for the Sharks at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, NBCSCA) because of an upper-body injury.

Eklund was a game-time decision but played in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Macklin Celebrini will miss his fourth straight game because of a lower-body injury. The center and No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft is on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 10. He is eligible to return at any time.

Forward Will Smith, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, will be a healthy scratch. He does not have a point in four games this season.

"It's part of the plan [for him]," Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Friday. "[It is] nothing to do with performance, just part of the plan."

Forwards Danil Gushchin and Givani Smith will enter the lineup Friday after each was scratched Thursday. -- Max Miller

Pittsburgh Penguins

Alex Nedeljkovic was activated from injured reserve Thursday after missing the first five games this season because of a lower-body injury.

The goalie has been assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on a conditioning loan.

Nedeljkovic, the expected backup to Tristan Jarry, was injured during a preseason game Sept. 30. He signed a two-year, $5 million contract ($2.5 million average annual value) to stay in Pittsburgh on June 20 after starting the final 13 games last season.

Jarry (1-1-0, 5.47 goals-against average, .836 save percentage) has started three of five games for the Penguins this season, allowing 12 goals on 73 shots. He allowed three goals on five shots in the first period Wednesday before Joel Blomqvist made 26 saves in relief in a 6-5 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres.

"It was a tough start for our whole team, quite honestly," coach Mike Sullivan said after the game. "I don't even think it was close to our best game out there. We just felt like, given the way the game started, that it was the right thing to make the switch.

"I think Tristan was victim of that, to a certain extent. He was also part of that to a certain extent."

Bloomqvist will start against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, BSSO, NHLN). The 22-year-old rookie is 2-1-0 with a 2.86 GAA and .913 save percentage in his first three NHL games (two starts). -- Wes Crosby

Montreal Canadiens

Kaiden Guhle is day to day for the Canadiens because of an upper-body injury.

The defenseman skated 23:09 in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday and is tied for second on the team with four points (one goal, three assists) in five games this season.

"Consistency. I think he covers a lot of ice defensively," coach Martin St. Louis said on what the team will miss if Guhle is out. "... The difference between a so-so game for [Guhle] and a good game is not big, and that's great for a coach."

Montreal next plays at the New York Islanders on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNE, CITY, TVAS).

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kent Johnson is not expected to play for the Blue Jackets against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSN, BSWI).

The forward sustained an upper-body injury during a 6-4 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Johnson was upended after teammate James van Riemsdyk was tripped and slid into him. Johnson, who has five points (two goals, three assists) in four games this season, left the ice 52 seconds into the second period after landing on his left shoulder.

Coach Dean Evanson said after the game, "It didn't look good."

The injury happened near the same spot where defenseman Erik Gudbranson and teammate Sean Monahan collided against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. The Blue Jackets placed Gudbranson on injured reserve Wednesday because of a left shoulder injury.

"For some reason, I don't know if you want to call it bad luck or whatever you want to call it, I realize injuries are part of the game, but this just seems like it's just so eccentric that it just doesn't make sense," defenseman Damon Severson said Friday.

Evason hinted that without Johnson, the Blue Jackets may use seven defensemen, which would mean David Jiricek, the sixth pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, would make his season debut against the Wild. -- Craig Merz

Vancouver Canucks

Derek Forbort has left the team for personal reasons, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Thursday.

The defenseman has one assist in three games this season and coach Rick Tocchet did not have a timeline for his return ahead of their 3-2 overtime win against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

"I don't know yet, it's personal reasons right now," Tocchet said. "We will probably talk to him tomorrow."

Vancouver recalled defenseman Erik Brannstrom from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League and he had oen shot on goal in 11:49 against the Panthers. -- George Richards

Minnesota Wild

Jared Spurgeon did not travel on the first half of Minnesota's upcoming five-game road trip and is day to day because of a lower-body injury.

The defenseman missed the first 13 games last season because of a shoulder injury sustained during the preseason, and was limited to 16 games in the regular season because of hip and back injuries, last playing Jan. 2. The Wild captain had hip surgery Feb. 6 and back surgery about four weeks later.

"Sometimes you go through with the surgeries, and then you go into that major activity, from training camp into the regular season, and the fact that he's -- we're hopeful that he's going to be back for the second half of the trip," coach John Hynes said Thursday. "… Today's news is really good, and talking with 'Spurg,' he looks good and sounds good. And so hopefully that's the plan that's going to come through."

Forward Joel Eriksson Ek returned to practice after missing the past two games with a broken nose. Eriksson Ek had surgery Monday and will be wearing a bubble while it heals for the next few weeks.

Eriksson Ek is expected to play at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSN, BSWI).

"It was just an unlucky play," Eriksson Ek said. "Luck, I don't think this is lucky but yeah it could have been worse too for sure."

Defenseman Jonas Brodin missed practice (maintenance) but is expected play Saturday. Forward Marcus Johansson, who missed one game because of a lower-body injury, practiced and also is expected to play against the Blue Jackets. -- Jessi Pierce