Training Camp Buzz: Makar returns to practice with Avalanche

Welcome to the Training Camp Buzz. The 24 teams who will be competing for the Stanley Cup began training camp at their facilities July 13. The teams are scheduled to head to their respective hub cities (Toronto for the 12 Eastern Conference teams, Edmonton for the 12 Western Conference teams) on Sunday, with the Stanley Cup Qualifiers set to begin Aug. 1.

Here's a look around the League at the latest from training camp:

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Philadelphia Flyers

Carter Hart returned to practice with the Flyers on Saturday after the goalie missed two days and a scrimmage Thursday.

"I feel good," Hart said Saturday. "Just taking things a little bit more precautionary the last couple days. Been ramping it up the last two days. Feel really good right now. The plan is to be good to go for Tuesday."

The Flyers play the Pittsburgh Penguins in an exhibition game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city, on Tuesday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NBCSP+, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV).

Philadelphia will play the Boston Bruins (Aug. 2), Washington Capitals (Aug. 6), and Tampa Bay Lightning (Aug. 8) in Toronto to determine seeding for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Hart left a scrimmage July 21 but would not comment on what his issue was. As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

"Just more precautionary," he said. "Take things just with caution. Just better to be safe than sorry."

Hart stayed off the ice Wednesday but faced shots after a scrimmage Thursday. The Flyers were off Friday.

Hart was 24-13-3 with a 2.42 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and one shutout in 43 games (40 starts) before the NHL season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. The 21-year-old was the youngest goalie to play at least 20 NHL games this season. -- Adam Kimelman

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar practiced with the Avalanche in a non-contact jersey, the defenseman's first practice since July 18.

Makar, a Calder Trophy finalist for NHL rookie of the year, skated before practice Thursday after missing the three previous practices.

"It's definitely good to have him back," defenseman Ian Cole said Saturday. "No one in our room was concerned that it was a long-term thing or [that] he wasn't going to get back. Everyone knew it takes time [to] make sure that he gets right, gets whatever it is fixed and then go from there. He's a great player and we're certainly a better team with him than without him."

As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

Makar was Colorado's second-leading scorer with 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 57 games this season. He missed 13 games because of separate upper-body injuries.

Center Nathan MacKinnon, their leading scorer (93 points; 35 goals, 58 assists), practiced and took part in all drills after missing practice Thursday.

The Avalanche will play the St. Louis Blues (Aug. 2), Dallas Stars (Aug. 5) and Vegas Golden Knights (Aug. 8) in Edmonton to determine seeding for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Western Conference, and an exhibition game against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday (2:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-N, FS-WI, NHL.TV). -- Rick Sadowski

Carolina Hurricanes

Brett Pesce is included on the Hurricanes roster for the start of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers against the New York Rangers, but the defenseman will not travel with Carolina to Toronto, the Eastern hub city, on Sunday.

Pesce, recovering from shoulder surgery he had in early March, did not participate in any training camp practices.

"[Pesce] is not going to be flying up with us. He's not there yet. Not quite up to speed," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We're definitely putting him on [the Qualifiers roster]. Hopefully we see him at some point. If we're talking about Brett Pesce, then things are going in the right direction."

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Martin Necas were unfit to practice Saturday.

Hamilton hasn't practiced since Wednesday, when he left the ice early and in obvious discomfort. He missed the last 21 games of the regular season recovering from a fractured left fibula, an injury he sustained Jan. 16. He was healthy at the start of training camp.

Brind'Amour said Necas "did something" skating around Saturday and that's why he didn't practice, and said he doesn't think it's serious.

The Hurricanes (38-25-5, .596 points percentage) enter the Qualifiers as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. They will play the No. 11 seed, the Rangers (37-28-5, .564), in one of four best-of-5 series at Scotiabank Arena. Game 1 is Aug. 1.

Carolina plays the Washington Capitals in an exhibition game on Wednesday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, FS-CR). -- Dan Rosen

Washington Capitals

Ilya Samsonov is out for the season because of an undisclosed injury.

The goalie, injured prior to training camp, will not travel to Toronto for the Qualifiers and will remain in Washington to continue treatment. He is expected to be ready for the 2020-21 season.

The Capitals begin the round-robin against the Lightning (Aug. 3), Flyers (Aug. 6) and Bruins (Aug. 9) in Toronto. Washington has an exhibition game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday (4 p.m. ET; NBCSN, FS-CR, NHL.TV).

Toronto Maple Leafs

Nicholas Robertson will get another opportunity Tuesday in an exhibition game against the Montreal Canadiens (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, TVAS, SN, NHL.TV) to try to secure a role for Toronto in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

"He needs to look comfortable, make an impact on the game through his work ethic and enthusiasm or his ability to create some offense and capitalize when he gets chances," coach Sheldon Keefe said of the 18-year-old forward. "Just looking to see can he look like himself against a real opponent and be able to at the high level of game he's played in, given he hasn't even played in an NHL exhibition game yet. We're just looking to see if he can be comfortable and be himself and then see how it sorts out in terms of our other players. There's more happening here that we are evaluating that don't involve Nick."

The Maple Leafs (36-25-9, .579 points percentage) enter the Qualifiers as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They will play the No. 9 seed, the Columbus Blue Jackets (33-22-15, .579, in one of four best-of-5 series in Toronto, the Eastern hub city. Game 1 is Aug. 2. Toronto plays an exhibition game against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, NHL.TV).

Robertson practiced Saturday at left wing on a line with center Alexander Kerfoot and right wing Kasperi Kapanen.

Keefe said the fourth line is under consideration with Frederik Gauthier, who was the center on that line throughout much of training camp, practicing as an extra forward Saturday. Jason Spezza and Pierre Engvall rotated at center on a line with left wing Kyle Clifford.

"We haven't made any decisions yet," Keefe said. "By the time the puck drops for Game 1, we'll settle on a group we like." -- Dave McCarthy

Calgary Flames

The Flames will continue evaluating Cam Talbot and David Rittich before naming a starting goalie for the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

Calgary (36-27-7, .564 points percentage) enter the Qualifiers as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. They will play the No. 9 seed, the Winnipeg Jets, in one of four best-of-5 series in Edmonton, the Western hub city. Game 1 is Aug. 1.

The Flames have an exhibition game against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, NHL.TV), when their goalie evaluation is expected to continue.

"I think it's important we see both guys under live bullets and see where they're at," coach Geoff Ward said following a scrimmage Friday. "An exhibition game against an NHL lineup is going to be a little different than a scrimmage, so I think we want to give both guys the opportunity to stick their heads in there and see where they're at."

Calgary is expecting to bring four goalies to Edmonton: Talbot, Rittich, Jon Gillies and Artem Zagidulin.

"We've been happy the way the goaltenders have played," Ward said. "Our evaluation process is ongoing. We'll see going into that final exhibition game. I think we have the opportunity to play a couple guys. I don't think we'll necessarily name a starting goalie to play in that game. We still have one more game to go and we'll continue to process."

Rittich was 24-17-6 with a 2.97 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and two shutouts in 48 games this season. Talbot was 12-10-1 with a 2.63 GAA, .919 save percentage and two shutouts in 26 games (22 starts). -- Aaron Vickers

Arizona Coyotes

Coach Rick Tocchet said the Coyotes will likely use goalies Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers against the Nashville Predators.

"What's going on, the way the format is and what's been thrown at us, I think if you're going to go all the way, you need two goalies," Tocchet told The Associated Press on Friday. "And they're going to play, I think."

Kuemper and Raanta are healthy after each missed part of the season because of a lower-body injury. Kuemper was 16-11-2 with a 2.22 goals-against average, .928 save percentage and two shutouts in 29 games. Raanta was 15-14-3 with a 2.63 GAA, .921 save percentage and two shutouts on 33 games (32 starts).

The Coyotes (33-29-8, .529 points percentage), the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference, will play the Predators (35-26-8, .565), the No. 6 seed. Game 1 of the best-of-5 series is in Edmonton on Aug. 2. Arizona has an exhibition game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-A+, NHL.TV).

With the first three games scheduled to be played in four days, Tocchet said Arizona may have an advantage with Kuemper and Raanta rested and healthy.

"I'm not quite sure you can just run a goalie all the way through and win a Stanley Cup," Tocchet said. "I'm not saying some goalies can't do it, but in this format, it's going to be tough. We're lucky, like I said, to have that option and not have that drop-off in a sense." -- John Kreiser

Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad missed his third consecutive practice Saturday but the defenseman is expected to be in the lineup when the Panthers play the New York Islanders in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

"He'll be ready to go [for real games]," coach Joel Quenneville said.

Ekblad skated before practice Saturday after not skating the previous two days.

"We'll see how he goes as we go over the next few days," Quenneville said.

The Panthers and Islanders play Game 1 of their best-of-5 series in Toronto on Aug. 1. Florida has an exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday (12 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-F, SUN, NHL.TV).

With Ekblad missing practice, Mark Pysyk took his place on a defenseman pair with MacKenzie Weegar, though Quenneville said Pysyk would play forward against the Islanders.

Aleksi Saarela, who had not skated on one of the top four lines in camp, was part of the top line with center Aleksander Barkov and forward Evgenii Dadonov.

Ekblad scored 41 points (five goals, 36 assists) in 67 games this season. -- Alain Poupart

Edmonton Oilers

Darnell Nurse did not participate in a scrimmage to honor former teammate Colby Cave on Saturday.

The defenseman has been practicing with the Oilers throughout training camp and is expected back Sunday, according to Oilers coach Dave Tippett.

Forward Riley Sheahan was forced to leave midway through the scrimmage, held to honor Cave, who died April 11, four days after having surgery to remove a colloid cyst causing pressure to his brain. He was 25.

"Darnell Nurse was unfit to play today, but he'll be fit to practice tomorrow so that's a good thing," Tippett said. "I haven't checked on Sheahan yet."

Edmonton will play the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers in one of eight best-of-5 series, with the winner advancing to the playoffs and the loser having a chance at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in the Second Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery on Aug. 10.

Edmonton (37-25-9, .585 points percentage) is the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and Chicago (32-30-8; .514) is the No. 12 seed. Game 1 of the Oilers-Blackhawks series will be at Rogers Place on Aug. 1. Edmonton is the hub city for the 12 Western Conference teams.

The Oilers have an exhibition game against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN). -- Derek Van Diest