Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Montreal Canadiens
Mike Matheson will return against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 pm ET; CITY, SNE, TVAS, BSSUNX, ESPN+) after missing the past four games with a lower-body injury.
“I know he’s going to help us more with the transition, and defensively too,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said after the morning skate. “He’s a veteran that we need.”
The 28-year-old defenseman was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for a defenseman Jeff Petry and forward Ryan Poehling on July 16. He has six points (one goal, five assists) in nine games since making his Canadiens debut in a 5-4 shootout win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 19.
Matheson, who was paired with Jordan Harris at the morning skate, missed the first 17 games because of another lower-body injury.
“I work really hard in the offseason and during the season to be ready and to avoid injuries and to be the best I can be at,” Matheson said. “It’s a little bit out of your control sometimes and so it’s important not to get too negative about it and stay positive and control the things that you can control.” — Sean Farrell
Philadelphia Flyers
Tony DeAngelo will play against the New York Rangers (7 pm ET; NBCSP, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW) after missing four games, including two following the death of his grandmother, Jo-Ann DeAngelo.
“My grandma on my dad’s side,” he said. “We were super close.”
DeAngelo learned of the news before the Flyers game at the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 11.
“She always told me that no matter what she’d want me to play right away, but there was no way I could have played last week,” he said.
DeAngelo had been scratched for two games prior to leaving the Flyers. He has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) and leads Philadelphia in average ice time (24:19) in 26 games. He also has a minus-12 even-strength goal differential, worst among Flyers defensemen.
“I’ve got to play a little better,” DeAngelo said. “I knew that. Obviously you don’t want to be scratched. And even if you don’t agree with it, it is what it is, it’s not my call. But there’s more to my game. A little bit of inconsistency in probably the last couple. But I feel like I’m starting to come along again, as I was early in the year and looking to pick back up on it tonight.”
Kevin Hayes will be scratched Saturday. The forward had been benched during the third period of a 2-1 win at the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.
Hayes leads the Flyers with 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 31 games. Philadelphia is averaging 2.39 goals per game, third fewest in the NHL, but coach John Tortorella said he was focused on bigger things.
“I can’t keep looking at things because we’re worried about scoring,” he said. “I’ve got to look at the big picture of what this team is going to be, what the standard is, of how we have to play. So that far outweighs losing some offense in a particular game.”
Patrick Brownwho was out Thursday because of an upper-body injury, will play.
The Flyers also recalled forward Kieffer Bellows from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, and placed forward Lukas Sedlak on unconditional waivers to allow him to return to his native Czech Republic. — Adam Kimelman
Minnesota Wild
Ryan Hartman will return to the lineup when the Wild host the Ottawa Senators on Sunday (2 pm ET; NHLN, BSN, BSWI, TSN5, RDS, SN NOW).
The forward missed 21 games with an upper-body injury. He was injured at 5:36 of the second period during a fight with a Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi in a 4-3 shootout win at Chicago on Oct. 30.
“Very unique and awkward play,” Hartman said. “He punched the top of my shoulder with my arm fully extended. I was very, very lucky. A very preventable injury which is kind of why it was so frustrating. But yeah. I don’t think I’m going to be fighting. the next couple of weeks.”
Hartman elected not to have surgery with a plan to rehab naturally and return this season. He was idle for a couple of days before working out in the gym. He began skating roughly one week ago and joined the team at the morning skate Dec. 12.
Hartman, who has five points (one goal, four assists) in nine games, will play right wing with center Frederick Gaudreau and left-wing Matt Boldy.
“I think ‘Hartzy’ can play anywhere right,” coach Dean Evason said. “He’s just a hockey player. We’ve seen him play left wing, right wing, center ice. He plays the game hard, he plays it right.”
Coming off an NHL career-high 65 points (34 goals, 31 assists) last season, Hartman said he’s excited to be back in the lineup.
“It’s been a long seven weeks,” said Hartman. “I’ve never missed a long amount of time like that. Very frustrating but look forward to getting that energy back and compete for something.
“I feel great. I feel 100 percent. Best case scenario with what went on and I’m happy that it worked out.” — Jesse Pierce
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