Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
St. Louis Blues
Alexey Toropchenko is expected to play in the season-opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (8 pm ET; BSMW, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The forward was originally projected to be out until mid-December following offseason shoulder surgery in July that Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said was a 4-5 month recovery before Toropchenko was reevaluated.
“Yep, 100 percent,” Toropchenko said Friday when asked if he was playing Saturday. “Excited, feels strong, healthy, ready to go. Of course, hard work all summer. You can see where I’m at right now. Way ahead of schedule and I’m ready to go.”
The Blues will make the final decision following the morning skate Saturday but all signs point to Toropchenko playing; he skated on a line with Noel Acciari and Nathan Walker.
“Check out, see how he did today,” coach Craig Berube said after practice Friday. “He looks ready, he’s skating extremely well and he’s strong. We’ll just see tomorrow.”
Forward Logan Brown, who sustained an upper-body injury in a 5-2 preseason loss to the Dallas Stars on Oct. 1, did not practice Friday and Berube said there was no further update on his status. — Lou Korac
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards Owen Tippett and Cam Atkinsonand defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen all will be out when the Flyers host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday (4 pm ET; SNP, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Tippett is day to day because of an upper-body injury sustained in a collision with the New Jersey Devils forward Ondrej Palat with 36 seconds left in the first period of the Flyers’ 5-2 win Thursday.
Atkinson (upper body) and Ristolainen (undisclosed) are also day to day. Atkinson has been out since Sept. 25; Ristolainen left practice early Wednesday, but coach John Tortorella said the injury had been lingering.
Forward Jackson Cates was recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, and defenseman Ronnie Attard was sent to the AHL. Forward Hayden Hodgson was placed on waivers, and forward Linus Sandin cleared waivers and returned to Sweden due to personal reasons. — Adam Kimelman
Arizona Coyotes
Nick Schmaltz will not play for the Coyotes against the Boston Bruins on Saturday (7 pm ET; NESN, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The forward sustained an upper-body injury in the first period of a 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.
Schmaltz was second on the Coyotes in goals (23) and points (59) in 63 games last season.
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