Welcome to the 2022-23 NHL Training Camp Buzz. Training camp is underway for all 32 teams and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin is expected to play for the first time this preseason when the Capitals play at the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. Ovechkin is among 13 forwards listed on Washington’s tentative roster for the game, along with Yevgeny Kuznetsov, TJ Oshie and Lars Ellereach of whom is looking to play for the first time this preseason as well.
Ovechkin, who did not play in the Capitals’ first two preseason games, is beginning his 18th NHL season. The 37-year-old scored 50 goals last season for the ninth time, tying the NHL record shared by Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy.
Goalie Darcy Kuemper is expected to make his Capitals preseason debut after signing a five-year, $26.5 million contract ($5.25 million average annual value) on July 13. — Tom Gullitti
Anaheim Ducks
Trevor Zegras is being evaluated for an upper-body injury and it is unclear how long the Ducks forward could be sidelined.
Zegras was injured during the second period of the Ducks’ 3-1 preseason win against the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday.
“We’re sending him for a more in-depth look and hopefully we will have those results by the morning,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said Thursday. “So we’re in a holding pattern on that.”
Zegras was second among NHL rookies with 61 points (23 goals, 38 assists) in 75 games last season.
The Ducks open the regular season against the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 12.
Dallas Stars
Ty Dellandrea is expected to be out a couple of weeks for the Stars because of a broken finger.
The 22-year-old forward sustained the injury in the second period of a 5-2 preseason loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Dellandrea scored a short-handed goal prior to the injury.
“He blocked a shot in the hand. Looks like he’s got something broken,” Dallas coach Peter DeBoer said Thursday. “Doesn’t look like it’s serious, no surgery or anything like that. So a couple of weeks out. It’s broken like the tip of your finger type thing. I’m hoping it’s like 2-3 weeks.”
Selected by Dallas with the No. 13 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Dellandrea had 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) in 68 games with Texas of the American Hockey League last season. He played one NHL game last season, but in 2020-21 had five points (three goals, two assists) in 26 games.
“He’s put in a good showing and he got injured doing what we asked him to do, which is block a shot and play hard,” DeBoer said. “That’s how you have to play the game. If you’re going to get injured, now’s the better time than obviously two or three weeks from now. I liked his game tonight, and he’s had a good camp.”
The Stars open the season at the Nashville Predators on Oct. 13.
New Jersey Devils
Nico Hischier has a hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in 10 days, Devils coach Lindy Ruff said Thursday.
The center was limited to 6:24 of ice time in a 2-1 preseason win at the Montreal Canadiens on Monday due to cramping and missed a 4-1 preseason win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.
The Devils open the regular season at the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 13.
Hischier set NHL career highs in goals (21), assists (39) and points (60) in 70 games last season.
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