Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Washington Capitals
John Carlson returned from a lower-body injury for the Capitals when they hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning at Capital One Arena in Washington on Friday.
The defenseman missed six games and was labeled a game-time decision. Washington went 1-3-2 without him.
Carlson hadn’t played since he was injured in the first period against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 29. He has six points (two goals, four assists) in nine games this season.
“It was kind of a weird play,” Carlson said after the morning skate. “I got spun around and stopped simultaneously… I’m feeling a lot better. I feel really good now and I’m just trying to make sure I’m doing the right things on the path back.”
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov participated in the morning skate but missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury.
The Capitals were coached by assistant Kevin McCarthy; head coach Peter Laviolette entered the NHL COVID-19 protocol Thursday and will miss at least two games.
“He has no real symptoms,” McCarthy said. “He feels good, but obviously he’s in the protocol.” — Tom Gullitti
Florida Panthers
Aaron Ekblad will return for the Panthers against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (4 pm ET; SN, BSFL, ESPN+, SN NOW).
“You want your best-skating defenseman in your lineup for that one, right?” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Friday. “So we were kind of happy it timed out the way it did because we’re going to need to skate very, very well. And even if you skate really well, it’s still not going to be enough for the two very special players ( Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl) that [I] used to see a lot there in Winnipeg. And they are worth watching.”
The defenseman, who was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury on Oct. 19 has missed the past 11 games with a lower-body injury. Florida was 6-4-1 without Ekblad.
“Extremely excited,” Ekblad said. “These things are the worst. Sitting out [stinks], but I’m really proud of the way the team played. Certain guys stepped up in some big ways. And you saw their true colors of how good some of the players are on this team. So it’s been fun to watch. It’s going to be even more fun to get back in the action.”
Ekblad, who left in the second period of a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 17, has one goal in three games this season. He will skate on a pair with Marc Staal against the Oilers.
“I’m really pleased with the way we survived that injury,” Maurice said. “I would never come out and tell you that I was worried about it, but you take it [Ekblad] out of your lineup… we lost him in [the third game of the season]. He’s such an important part of what we do right now. So I was concerned. And I’m really happy. We also learned a whole bunch of things along the way. … It was a good experience, but we don’t need to go through it again.” — Alain Poupart
Carolina Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen is out for the Hurricanes with a lower-body injury, and the timetable for his return is unclear.
“I’m not going to say week to week because I don’t know,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday. “He’s not coming back tomorrow.”
Andersen, who was injured in practice Tuesday, is 5-3-0 with a 2.72 GAA and an .891 save percentage in eight games. He made 18 saves in a 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.
“He’s just a little off. He tweaked something at practice (Tuesday),” Brind’Amour said. “Goalies are weird. If you’re not feeling 100 percent, it’s tough to go.”
Andersen suffered a torn MCL on April 16 and missed the remainder of last season, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Hurricanes lost to the New York Rangers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Brind’Amour said he was not sure if Andersen would travel for a two-game road trip which begins at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday (9 pm ET; ALT, BSSO, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Pyotr Kochetkov allowed two goals on 22 shots in a 7-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and Antti Raanta served as the backup.
Kotchetkov was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Tuesday and backed up Raanta in a 3-0 loss at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
Raanta is 3-1-1 in five starts this season with a 2.36 GAA and a .915 save percentage. Kochetkov was 3-0-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .902 save percentage in three NHL games last season.
The Hurricanes said forward Teuvo Teravainen would not travel with them ahead of the road trip. He had two assists Thursday before sustaining an upper-body injury in the second period and has seven assists in 14 games this season. — Kurt Dusterberg
Vancouver Canucks
Tanner Pearson will be out 4-6 weeks after having hand surgery, the Canucks announced Thursday.
The forward, who was placed on injured reserve, did not play in the third period of a 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
Pearson has five points (one goal, four assists) in 14 games this season, averaging 13:30 of ice time.
Forward Sheldon Dries was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League. He has one assist in four games with the Canucks this season.
The Canucks next play at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 pm ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW).
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