Boston Bruins
Jeremy Swayman is ahead of schedule in his return from a lower-body injury and returned to practice Tuesday. The goalie was injured in a collision with a teammate Patrice Bergeron against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 1.
“He’s starting to check boxes,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Montgomery said Swayman would not need a rehab start in the American Hockey League and could return right to the NHL, although he would not say whether that could come as soon as Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers. Swayman has played four games this season, going 2-1-0 with a 3.45 goals against average and .878 save percentage in three starts.
“Linus is playing too many games,” Montgomery said of the starter Linus Ullmark, who is tied with three other goalies with 13 games played this season. “He leads the league in games played, so we want to get ‘Sway’ back as soon as possible. I can’t say it’s a rotation we’re going to get back to, but getting more of a split rotation going.”
Swayman said he was feeling great getting back with the Bruins on Tuesday. His goal was to get back on the ice as soon as possible.
“Really good, really excited to be back with these guys,” he said. “I have complete trust with the medical staff here. It all started in Pittsburgh actually, with their medical staff treating them like their own, really got me in the right direction.”
Which is good, given what the alternative could have been.
“I’ve never been carried off the ice before, and never want to again,” Swayman said. “I was feeling it out right when I got off the ice. Being able to put weight on it was definitely a positive. … I was really, really fortunate to be in the position I am.” — Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Toronto Maple Leafs
Matt Murray will start when the Maple Leafs visit the Pittsburgh Penguins (7 pm ET; TVAS, ATTSN-PT, TSN4, ESPN+).
The 28-year old goalie was a full participant for a third consecutive practice Monday. He sustained an adductor injury during the morning skate Oct. 15.
“Matt Murray, that’s the plan that he is preparing for that,” coach Sheldon Keefe said Monday. “I haven’t spoken to anyone since practice ended, but based on what I observed in practice, he very much looks ready to go.”
Murray has played one game for the Maple Leafs this season, a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 12. He is 0-1-0 with a 4.05 goals-against average and .826 save percentage after being traded to Toronto by the Ottawa Senators on July 11.
“The progress has been really good,” Murray said. “(The medical staff) does a heck of a job here. We’re doing things the right way, so I’m happy with the progress.”
Goalie Ilya Samsonov, who sustained a knee injury in a 2-1 win against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 5, was on the ice for the full practice but shared a net with Erik Kallgrenwho will back up Murray against the Penguins.
“I haven’t had an update since we left practice but the amount of work he did today tells me he is feeling really good,” Keefe said. “I know they were going to start off the day feeling it out and making sure they’re not progressing too quickly but we expect him to take a step today from what he has been doing on the ice and it looks like he did that and then some.” — Dave McCarthy
Detroit Red Wings
Tyler Bertuzzi is set to return for the Red Wings against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center (10 pm ET; SN1, BSW, BSDET, ESPN+, SN NOW) after the forward missed 13 games with a broken hand.
Bertuzzi returned to practice Nov. 8 and skated on a line with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on Monday. He was injured during the second game of the season when he blocked a shot in a 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 15.
“We’re excited about getting him going,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “That line can win the zone battle.”
Red Wings defenseman Jake Wallman will make his season debut after missing the first 15 games with a shoulder injury. — Dan Arritt
Buffalo Sabres
Henri Jokiharju will be back in the lineup when the Sabers host the Vancouver Canucks (7 pm ET; MSG-B, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The defenseman was injured Oct. 20 against the Calgary Flames when a puck hit him in the face.
“I’ve been waiting for it for a couple of long weeks so it’s nice,” he said Monday.
Jokiharju rejoined the Sabers for practice Nov. 9 in a no-contact jersey and was back in a regular practice jersey at the morning skate Saturday. On Monday, he was paired with defenseman Jacob Bryson.
“You’re adding a guy that can play 25 minutes,” coach Don Granato said Monday. “That is a lot of hockey. To have a guy that can give you more stability for 25 minutes is significant. You could look at our margin of defeat and error in the last few nights, could simply be put in that context. In that context, yes, adding Jokiharju is huge.
“How long will it take him to get back to his level of proficiency, we don’t know that. He hasn’t had a lot of practice, and this is probably a supplement to his practice, getting back in there to get back up to his form. I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on him, obviously, but he’s a talented guy and that’ll be a big help getting him back.”
Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who has been out since sustaining a lower-body injury Oct. 22, has been skating on his own and could be back practicing with the team this week.
Jack Quinn did not practice Monday and is being evaluated for an undisclosed injury. The forward is not expected to play this week. — Heather Engel
Chicago Blackhawks
Tyler Johnson practiced with the Blackhawks for a second consecutive day, but the forward isn’t ready to come back from a left ankle injury.
“Tyler was looking good on the ice,” coach Luke Richardson said. “He won’t be back tomorrow, but hopefully soon. He’ll need a couple of practices and [we’ll] see how he feels.”
The Blackhawks play the St. Louis Blues at United Center on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, BSMW).
Johnson was injured when he was hit into the boards by the Florida Panthers forward Alexander Barkov early in the third period of a 4-2 win Oct. 25. He has six points (two goals, four assists) in six games this season. — Tracey Myers
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