Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Toronto Maple Leafs
John Tavares is expected to play when the Toronto Maple Leafs open the regular season on Wednesday against the Montreal Canadiens (7 pm ET: SN, TVAS, ESPN+).
“Feeling good, tomorrow looks good so I’m excited about that,” Tavares said. “The process it has taken to get here, not ideal but the medical staff, performance staff helping me get to this point has been tremendous. So a lot of credit to them and I’m excited I can be there right from the get go “
The Maple Leafs captain sustained an oblique injury in a 4-1 preseason win against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 24 which was expected to keep him out for a minimum of three weeks but he has recovered quicker than expected.
Tavares practiced in full for the second straight day on Tuesday, centering a line with the left wing Denis Malgin and right wing William Nylander.
“It gives the team a boost and a jolt for sure,” coach Sheldon Keefe said. “His talent and what he brings to our team, he makes us that much more dynamic and harder to check and defend. And he’s our captain so having the presence of your captain right from the start of the season is always good, certainly better than not. Power play, all those kind of things right from the start of the season, everything is in place just sort of how you envisioned it coming in so to that end, we are thrilled to have him back.”
Tavares had 76 points (27 goals, 49 assists) in 79 games last season. — Dave McCarthy
New Jersey Devils
Nico Hischier returned to practice on Tuesday but remains questionable for the start of the regular season due to a hamstring strain.
“I definitely still got to do some stuff in the gym, start skating with the team (regularly),” Hischier said. “I have already felt good, but there’s definitely stuff I still need to work on with my hamstring right now, so it’s more or less day to day, a game-time decision.”
New Jersey opens the season at the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (7 pm ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW).
“At the end of the day, I have to feel ready,” Hischier said. “I don’t want to come back too early in a long season. It’s something small. If you start too early, it’s going to bother you for a while. You have to be careful with that.”
The center was limited to 6:24 of ice time in a 2-1 preseason win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 26 because of cramping and did not play in any of the remaining preseason matches.
“He got out there, he practiced and he got to where we wanted to get him to,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “In all likelihood, he’ll practice again tomorrow and we’ll see where he’s at. He’s just day to day, but it was great to get him back up for practice.”
Hischier set NHL career highs in goals (21), assists (39) and points (60) in 70 games last season. — Mike G. Morreale
Carolina Hurricanes
Derek Stepan signed a one-year, $750,000 contract. The forward attended training camp on a professional tryout contract.
Stepan had 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 58 games with the Hurricanes last season. He did not have a point in three Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“Having Derek in Carolina last season, we know what he brings to the table and what he adds to our team,” general manager Don Waddell said. “He gives us additional forward depth and provides us with yet another veteran presence in the locker room.”
The 32-year-old has 504 points (177 goals, 327 assists) in 817 regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, Ottawa Senators and Hurricanes, and 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists) in 109 playoff games. .
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