Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2020-21 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.
Montreal Canadiens
Ben Chiarot will return to the lineup against the Calgary Flames on Friday (6 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, SNW, ESPN+, NHL.TV) after missing 15 games with a broken hand.
The Canadiens defenseman practiced on the top pair with Shea Weber at the morning skate. Chiarot had surgery after sustaining the injury during a fight with J.T. Miller of the Vancouver Canucks on March 10.
“It’s a part of my game and it’s something that’s always been there and has to always be there,” Chiarot said. “The way I play, you’re going to have to answer the bell at times. You know I’m asked to make the game hard on the other team’s best players.”
Goalie Carey Price took part in the skate but will not dress after practicing the previous two days for the first time since aggravating a lower-body injury April 5. He could return against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, coach Dominique Ducharme said.
Jake Allen will make his sixth straight start Friday with Cayden Primeau as the backup.
Forward Cole Caufield was recalled from Laval of the American Hockey League and placed on the taxi squad. The No. 15 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft practiced on a line with Jake Evans and Michael Frolik.
Ducharme said Caufield would not enter the lineup barring an injury to a forward, because of NHL salary cap constraints, and that no decision had been made whether he will remain with Montreal for a five-game road trip that begins at the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
“We want him to see how it is and how the guys are practicing, being around the guys and seeing what’s going on,” Ducharme said. — Sean Farrell
Carolina Hurricanes
Teuvo Teravainen took part in his first full practice Friday after being out since March 4 because of a concussion.
There is no timeline for the return of the forward, who has missed 26 of the past 27 games.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said it was a positive sign for Teravainen after he had been skating prior to practices and morning skates for approximately the past two weeks.
“Well, I don’t want to jinx it, that’s for sure,” Brind’Amour said Friday. “But yeah, I mean, that’s a big good sign that he’s actually with us, practicing in a regular jersey or whatever. No restrictions, I guess is the best way to put it.
“I’d love to be able to say it’s close. It’s up to him. He’s got to feel confident in his abilities to go out and play the way he can. So we’ll just kind of … like I said, the positive thing is he’s out there with us. So that’s a lot better than it was. So I think that’s a good step in the right direction.”
Prior to playing 14:30 against the Detroit Red Wings on March 4, Teravainen missed the previous seven games. He has scored nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 13 games this season.
Carolina (28-10-4) is tied for first place with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the eight-team Discover Central Division. The top four teams qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Dallas Stars
Tyler Seguin skated with the main group Thursday for the first time since having right hip labral repair on Nov. 2.
Seguin was expected to be sidelined for at least four months, and general manager Jim Nill said Monday the center could return to the lineup in two weeks.
“He looked good,” coach Rick Bowness said. “This is the next stage of getting him back with the team. Just talking to him before practice, he enjoyed being around the guys, having breakfast with the guys, the kibitzing that goes on in the locker room. You miss that when you’re skating by yourself every day. He participated in the drills and looked good. We need to get him back as quick as we possibly can. We won’t put him back until we know he’s ready, but this is a big step forward in getting him ready to play.”
Seguin led the Stars with 50 points (17 goals, 33 assists) in 69 games last season.
Forward Alexander Radulov (core muscle procedure) and goalie Ben Bishop (knee injury) each is out for the season.
Dallas (15-14-12) is sixth in the Central, seven points behind the fourth-place Nashville Predators. — Tracey Myers