Training Camp Buzz: Elias Lindholm, Marchand each makes preseason debut for Bruins

Welcome to the 2024-25 NHL training camp buzz. Training camp is underway and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

Boston Bruins

Elias Lindholm and Brad Marchand each made his preseason debut for the Bruins in a 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.

Lindholm had two shots on goal and played 15:31 in his Bruins debut. The forward missed all but the first day of training camp with an undisclosed injury before returning in limited fashion Sunday. He signed a seven-year, $54.25 million contract ($7.75 million average annual value) with the Bruins on July 1.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said he did not plan to play Lindholm on Tuesday until the forward urged it himself.

"[Lindholm] came in and said he wanted to play," Montgomery said after the morning skate. "He felt great."

Marchand was limited to 4:12 of ice time and did not take a shift after the first period because of an illness that Montgomery said prevented the forward from practicing on Monday. Marchand felt good enough Tuesday morning to play, but it started bothering him again early in the game.

"He'll be fine," Montgomery said.

Marchand had been recovering from separate procedures on his elbow, groin and abdomen during the offseason.

"I feel really good. Much better than I did a month ago," the 36-year-old forward said leading up to the game. "I'm really excited about getting back out there with the guys. It's been a hard road, and it's kind of mentally tough not being ready coming into camp, but really happy with the progression." -- Joe Pohoryles

Ottawa Senators

Josh Norris made his preseason debut in a 4-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Tuesday and had an assist while playing 18:50.

The 25-year-old forward missed 96 games over the past two seasons due to a recurring shoulder injury. Norris underwent the third shoulder operation of his career in March.

"I've put a lot of work in," Norris said following the morning skate. "Just patient with the process, knowing what I need to do to be ready to play and we're at that point now."

Norris had 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists) in 50 games last season.

"I'm trying to look past it," Norris said of his injury woes. "I'm healthy and I'm ready to play. I feel good. It's been a long road, so I'm ready to go now."

Norris centered a line with David Perron and Ridly Greig during practice Tuesday and took reps on the first power-play unit in his typical spot on the right half wall.

"He'll probably play anywhere between, my guess is, 17 and 21 minutes, something like that," coach Travis Green said of Norris. "We've been trying to run four lines through camp just to see what everyone has, but obviously, there are certain times in the game that some guys play more."

Defenseman Artem Zub also made his preseason debut after sustaining a lower-body injury earlier in training camp and played 19:40. -- Callum Fraser

Minnesota Wild

Matt Boldy joined the Wild for a morning skate Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury Sept 21.

The forward, who was previously listed as week to week following the injury, is day-to-day. He did not play in a 7-2 preseason win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday but will practice Wednesday and Thursday and could play when the Wild visit the Blackhawks for their final preseason game Friday.

"He's progressing really well," Minnesota coach John Hynes said. "It's still day to day right now with him, but we'll progress him each day and moving forward."

Defenseman Jake Middleton is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, but Hynes said it is "nothing serious." -- Jessi Pierce

Pittsburgh Penguins

Erik Karlsson could return from an upper-body injury before the Penguins open the regular season, coach Mike Sullivan said.

The 34-year-old defenseman skated on his own Tuesday after being kept off the ice the previous six days. Karlsson has been day to day since training camp opened Sept. 18.

"Had a really good day on the ice, so he's making progress there," Sullivan said.

Karlsson would likely need to join practice in a noncontact capacity and progress to taking full contact before playing a game. Pittsburgh has two preseason games remaining, a back-to-back with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday and Friday.

Sullivan, though, said he is confident Karlsson could play in Pittsburgh's regular-season opener at home against the New York Rangers on Oct. 9.

"I think today was really encouraging, so I think that's a big step forward," Sullivan said. "I think the players of Erik's stature, in my experience, they don't tend to need as many repetitions to get up to speed. They also, if they're not quite as sharp and not at the very top of their game, they're still pretty good and they can help you win.

"From that standpoint, we'll get 'Karl' up to speed in due time when it's the appropriate time. We'll listen to our medical team with respect to that."

Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, normally the backup to Tristan Jarry, is being evaluated for a lower-body injury sustained in the first period against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

Forward Blake Lizotte continues to be evaluated for an upper-body injury sustained Sunday in the Kraft Hockeyville 2024 game against the Ottawa Senators at Sudbury Community Arena in Sudbury, Ontario. -- Wes Crosby

New Jersey Devils

Brett Pesce is day to day and might be available to play for the Devils in their home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 10.

The defenseman, who continues to recover from surgery to repair a fractured fibula, will not be available when New Jersey plays the Buffalo Sabres on Friday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B) and Saturday (10 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, MSGSN, MSG-B) at O2 Arena in Prague in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal.

"He's getting better and feeling more comfortable every day (working out in New Jersey)," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "We brought his sticks over just in case but when you handle players with acute injuries like this, what you don't want is over-push them and then a soft tissue injury happens because they're not up to speed. So that's where we're balancing that with.

"I just discussed with everybody the strong possibility he could be ready by our home opener (Oct. 10). He's day to day but we know he's on the ice, he's skating, he's with our other group getting repetitions."

Pesce signed a six-year contract with the Devils on July 1 after nine seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. He sustained the injury in the second period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Islanders last season, won by the Hurricanes in five games. Pesce was three weeks post-surgery when he signed with the Devils.

"We did think of bringing him over [to Prague] just to be with his teammates, understanding who they are, getting to know one another, but then just felt it better for him to stay back and actually get better reps, and working out." -- Mike G. Morreale