Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.
Minnesota Wild
Matt Dumba will return to the lineup for the Wild against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; BSN, BSSO, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The defenseman missed two games with an upper-body injury sustained crashing into the boards in a 3-2 win at the New York Rangers on Jan. 28.
“Just little upper-body stuff but feeling all good now,” Dumba said. “It’s exciting. Playing in front of our home fans, Saturday night in St. Paul, always fun.”
Dumba has scored 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in 39 games.
St. Louis Blues
Marco Scandella will be out of the lineup for the Blues when they host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) after sustaining a lower-body injury Thursday.
The defenseman, who has played in each of St. Louis’ 45 games this season and scored 10 points (one goal, nine assists), was injured in a 7-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils and will be sidelined, according to coach Craig Berube, “day to day, week to week.”
Jake Walman, who will play for the first time since Jan. 13, will replace Scandella in the lineup. The defenseman, who has scored three points (one goal, two assists) in 19 games this season, has played just five games since Nov. 14.
“Using his feet, right? He’s got great feet, skating pucks out of the zone, on breakouts and things like that and using his feet to defend,” Berube said of Walman. “That’s what he’s got to do, he’s got to be a hard defender, use his stick and he’s going to be put in penalty kill situations. We’ll need him to be a good penalty killer for us too.”
Walman will be paired with Robert Bortuzzo. — Lou Korac
Vancouver Canucks
Travis Hamonic could return to the lineup when the Canucks host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE).
The defenseman sustained an ankle injury Dec. 8 on a hit from Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand and has missed 21 games. He rejoined the Canucks at practice this week.
“Definitely be able to play next week but game-time decision for today,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said.
Hamonic has one assist in nine games this season after missing training camp and all of October on a personal leave and missing another eight games on two subsequent road trips.&
“He’s definitely a top-6 defenseman,” Boudreau said. “I don’t think it’s a problem putting [Hamonic] in at all.”
Defenseman Noah Juulsen, who has two assists in seven games this season, is likely to come out of the lineup when Hamonic returns.
Quinn Hughes is in NHL COVID-19 protocol and will miss his third game Saturday. The defenseman is expected to return against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. — Kevin Woodley
Detroit Red Wings
Troy Stecher returned to the lineup for the Red Wings against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
The defenseman had not played since Nov. 4 because of a wrist injury that required surgery.
Stecher has one assist in six games this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Evgeni Malkin will be a game-time decision for the Penguins against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
The center took part in an optional skate Friday after he was removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol. Malkin has missed two games while in protocol, a 4-2 win against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday and a 2-0 win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.
“I would anticipate the probability that he will play,” coach Mike Sullivan said Friday.
Malkin has scored 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 12 games, including 10 points (three goals, seven assists) during a nine-game point streak before entering protocol. He made his season debut Jan. 11 after having knee surgery in June.
Forward Drew O’Connor, who has missed 11 games with an upper-body injury, also participated in the optional practice Friday but remains week to week. — Wes Crosby
Boston Bruins
Patrice Bergeron could return to the lineup for the Bruins next week.
The center left with 8:44 remaining in the third period of a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday after colliding with Penguins forward Sidney Crosby. He did not play in a 6-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday or against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
The Bruins next play at the New York Rangers on Tuesday and at the New York Islanders on Thursday.
“I don’t know about Tuesday, let’s get back and get on the ice Monday, see if he’s joining us then,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Saturday. “If so, then it becomes a lot more likely. But I believe he will play next week.”
Bergeron has scored 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in 43 games this season.
“Everybody saw, he slid into the boards,” Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said Thursday. “He has a laceration on the back of his head. We’re just taking it day by day. No time frame whatsoever. Just worried about his health, just like every other player in terms of what the process is.”— Amalie Benjamin