Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Buffalo Sabres
Jacob Bryson will return to the lineup for the Sabers against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday (7 pm ET; SN, MSG-B, NBCSCA, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The defenseman missed four games with a lower-body injury sustained against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 23.
“Tweaked my groin a little bit and then had to get an MRI to see what was going on,” Bryson said. “The results came back good and got some work done and feel a lot better now.”
Bryson practiced with the Sabers on Saturday for the first time since the injury and skated with Casey Fitzgerald on the third pair at practice and the morning skate. He has one goal and five assists in 20 games this season.
“He probably won’t get his normal minutes unless we see and feel that he’s back up to game pace,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said. “But once he gets back to game pace, and now hopefully we maintain health in our top four, he can just focus on his game.”
Forward Vinnie Hinostroza left practice early Saturday with an undisclosed injury and did not participate in the morning skate.
“He’s been nursing something,” Granato said. “He’s still kind of in a day-to-day category.”
Ilya Lyubushkin also remains day to day. The defenseman was injured Nov. 28 late in the third period against the Tampa Bay Lightning and has not skated with the Sabers since. –Heather Engel
Colorado Avalanche
Josh Manson is out week to week for the Avalanche with a lower-body injury.
The defenseman, injured during a 6-4 win against the Buffalo Sabers on Thursday, has six points (two goals, four assists) in 21 games this season.
Andreas Englund was recalled from Colorado of the American Hockey League. He has one assist in four NHL games this season.
“Englund has played well when he’s been up with us,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Saturday. “I really like what he did when he was up. … Just another big (6-foot-3, 189 pounds), heavy, strong guy that’s been an efficient puck mover for us on the back end.”
Philadelphia Flyers
Cam Atkinson said he’s getting closer to making his season debut, but the forward remains day to day with an upper-body injury.
Atkinson added he’s been fully cleared for contact and is not restricted in any way.
“It’s obviously good to be back with everyone and take a little bit of licks and see how I do,” Atkinson said Saturday. “Just day to day for me right now.
“It’s been pretty good. A little bit of an adjustment but just working out the kinks. I’m getting close, but not enough to where I think I can help this team right now. But I’m closer than not.”
Atkinson was second on the Flyers in goals (23) and points (50) last season. Philadelphia is last in the NHL in goals per game (2.36).
Atkinson said the nature of his injury has allowed him to skate and stay in shape that way but that it might take a game or two for him to get his timing with the puck back to normal.
“If I was playing and if we had a day off, even one day off, even if I played 30 games and I took a day off, I still feel like that next practice my timing is just a little bit off,” he said. . “Maybe it’s more mental than not. So obviously not playing any games it’s going to take a game or two to get adjusted, but we’re on a pretty good schedule for me right now. I’ve revved it up a lot and I ‘m feeling good. I feel like my timing is pretty solid, but you really won’t know until you play a game.” — Adam Kimelman
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