Vancouver Canucks
Brock Boeser has resumed skating and puck-handling less than a week after the forward had hand surgery.
Boeser, who was expected to be out 3-4 weeks after having surgery Sept. 26, has been back on the ice with injured players for 4-5 days, coach Bruce Boudreau said Monday.
“He’s been skating really hard,” Boudreau said. “He’s still not shooting pucks right now and I think he has another doctor’s appointment soon, so we’ll see how that goes. But they’re putting him through quite a lot of skating, which is going to keep his conditioning up.”
The Canucks open the season Oct. 12 at the Edmonton Oilers, and Boeser was expected to miss 3-7 games based on the timeline given last week. Boudreau did not have an updated return date but said, “He’s determined. He wants to get back as soon as possible.”
Boeser agreed to a three-year, $19.95 million contract ($6.65 million average annual value) July 1.
Boudreau said he’s hoping Ilya Mikheyev resumes skating Tuesday. The forward, who agreed to a four-year, $19 million contract ($4.75 million AAV) on July 13, is week to week because of a lower-body injury sustained in a preseason game against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 25, a 3-2 overtime loss.
There was no update on defenseman Travis Dermott, who left practice last Tuesday after a collision had him “feeling a little woozy,” according to Boudreau. — Kevin Woodley
San Jose Sharks
Nico Sturm did not play against Eisbaren Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the top professional league in Germany, in the NHL Global Series Challenge at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin on Tuesday.
Sturm, who’s from Augsburg, is the only native of Germany on the Sharks and was looking forward to playing in his home country.
“It’s a health thing,” coach David Quinn said prior to the Sharks’ 3-1 win.
For Sturm, this was his third time in Berlin. He played twice in the city with junior teams, but this was going to be his first time playing at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Quinn said that it is possible Sturm will play against the Nashville Predators when the teams open the regular season in the 2022 NHL Global Series at the O2 Arena in Prague on Friday and Saturday.
“We anticipate he will be ready for the weekend, but we just don’t know the situation,” Quinn said.
Sturm took a hit from Paul Cotter in the first period of San Jose’s preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday but seemed optimistic about his health at practice Monday.
“Pretty good,” Sturm said. “I think we’re kind of on the precautionary side with that. Obviously, it [stinks]. They pull you out with the spotters and you go through the concussion evaluation obviously afterwards, but at the end of the day it’s for the benefit of us players, even though at that moment you want to jump back out.
“Like I said, we’re on the side of caution in terms of a little bit [Tuesday] as well. So, we’ll see how it goes. But in terms of practice, I felt totally fine. Everything was normal. At the end of the day, the coaches and [doctors]they’re going to tell me what they think’s best and that’s how we’re going to do it.” — Amalie Benjamin
St. Louis Blues
Scott Perunovich will be out at least six months for the Blues because of a shoulder injury.
The defenseman was injured during a 4-1 preseason win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 27 and will have surgery Thursday for a fractured left shoulder.
Perunovich had six assists in 19 games with the Blues last season after not playing in 2020-21 because of a torn shoulder labrum.
“It’s tough for him, tough for the team,” said coach Craig Berube. “Can’t catch a break.”
With defenseman Marco Scandella (right hip) six months out, Perunovich was expected to battle for one of the bottom defense pair jobs in training camp.
“You feel bad for a guy like that,” forward Brayden Schenn said. “He was looking good, looking good before the camp, during the camp. I just feel bad for him and not much you can do but train, get his health back as quickly as possible.”
Forward Logan Brown did not practice Monday and is day to day because of an upper-body injury sustained during a 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Saturday in Independence, Missouri.
“He should be fine,” Berube said. “Day-to-day kind of thing. Hopefully it’s not too long and he can get in a game here again.”
Forward Vladimir Tarasenko also missed practice Monday because of an illness. — Lou Korac
Pittsburgh Penguins
Jeff Carter practiced fully Tuesday for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury.
The forward took contact after he joined Pittsburgh in a no-contact capacity during a morning skate Monday. Carter was injured midway through a scrimmage Sept. 24.
“Obviously when we can get him participating in a full capacity like he did today, it’s encouraging from our standpoint,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’re a better team when he’s in our lineup. It would be great to get him an exhibition game under his belt before it all starts. So, our hope is he continues to progress and we’re able to do that.”
The Penguins have one preseason game remaining, against the Buffalo Sabers on Friday, and open the regular season Oct. 13 against the Arizona Coyotes.
Carter was back at third-line center with left wing Danton Heinen and right wing Kasperi Kapanen.
“I think with [Kapanen’s] skill set, if we can really find our groove, I think we can really be a big help to this team,” Carter said. “Obviously depth and depth scoring, helping out the big guys, is kind of our role. It’s the plan to get it done.”
Goalie Tristan Jarry returned after missing a preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday due to an undisclosed illness.
Teddy Blueger, usually center on the fourth line, was absent. He is day to day because of an upper-body injury sustained in practice Sept. 28.
Blueger skated on his own before the morning skate Monday. — Wes Crosby
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