Toronto Maple Leafs center Tyler Bozak will return to the lineup Monday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bozak missed 12 games with a lower-body injury. He suffered the injury Oct. 25 in a game against the Blue Jackets in Columbus. He will center the Maple Leafs' top line between Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk.

"We all know what he brings to the lineup. He plays in all situations and plays big minutes for us. He's a really well-rounded player. We're happy to have him back," van Riemsdyk said. "Me, Phil and Bozie have some good chemistry. So if that's the way they decide to go tonight, I think we can do some good things."

Prior to the injury, Bozak had three goals and six points in 11 games. His return comes at a perfect time for a Toronto team that has won three of four but scored only three times in the past two games.

"Hopefully I can help out out there and play well," Bozak said. "I might be a step behind for the first period, but hopefully it doesn't take that long [to catch up]."

It's a busy start to the week, with nine games on the NHL schedule Monday, and NHL Live with Steve Mears and Butch Goring at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network will preview all the action.

We'll go out live on our Arena Cam to Scottrade Center to set up the St. Louis Blues' battle with the Minnesota Wild with Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Michael Russo. Also, our Ice Pass will preview the Boston Bruins hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins in a battle of division leaders and rematch of last spring's Eastern Conference Final, as well as games between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs plus the Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey Devils.

NHL Network analyst Barry Melrose joins us to break down coaching performances from around the League.

Remember to submit your #AskButch questions through Twitter via @NHLNetwork, and join the conversation on Twitter as we ask you to pick the game of the night.

The Los Angeles Kings activated forward Kyle Clifford from the injured reserve list and placed forward Trevor Lewis on IR (retroactive to Nov. 21), the team announced Saturday.

Clifford, out with an upper-body injury, missed the past six Kings games. Clifford has played in 16 games this season and has one goal and 32 penalty minutes.

The Anaheim Ducks placed defenseman Luca Sbisa and goaltender Viktor Fasth on injured reserve Saturday.

Sbisa suffered a tendon tear in his right hand in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and will have surgery Monday. Sbisa, who has one assist in nine games this season, is out 6-8 weeks.

Fasth is suffering from muscle inflammation (lower body) and is out 3-4 weeks. Fasth is 2-2-1 with a 2.95 goals-against average and .885 save percentage.

The Ducks recalled goaltender Frederik Andersen and defenseman Nolan Yonkman from the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League.

The Chicago Blackhawks activated forward Michal Handzus from injured reserve prior to their game against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Handzus, who was placed on IR on Nov. 14 with a lower-body injury, has one goal and two assists in nine games with the Blackhawks this season. He missed 13 games due to the injury.

New York Rangers backup goaltender Cam Talbot will have his father, Mark, watching in person when he gets the start Saturday when the team's annual "Dads Trip" comes to Music City for a game against the Nashville Predators.

But having his father in the stands won't be the only thing making the night special as Talbot gets his first start since making 22 saves to shut out the Montreal Canadiens, 2-0, on Nov. 16. Talbot played college hockey at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, located about 100 miles south of Nashville. The Ontario native didn't say if he expected an Alabama contingent at Bridgestone Arena, but he was excited to continue New York's hot goaltending of late, which saw a high point Thursday when Henrik Lundqvist made 41 saves to lead the Rangers to a 3-2 win against the Dallas Stars.

"I look at it as just me going out there and getting the chance to play again, try and do what [Lundqvist] did and give the team a chance to win," Talbot said Friday. "He did a heck of a job last night, and I'm going to go in there tomorrow and try to do the same."

Detroit Red Wings forward Daniel Alfredsson will miss his fifth straight game Saturday with a groin injury. His presence would have contributed in more ways than one when Detroit faces the Ottawa Senators, the team for whom Alfredsson played the previous 17 seasons.

In his absence, Gustav Nyquist has seized a prime opportunity to find a spot on the Red Wings roster. Playing his first game of the season after being called up from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League, Nyquist looked at home Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. On a line with fellow Swedes Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen, Nyquist scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 4-3 win against the Hurricanes.

Alfredsson has played at times with Zetterberg and Franzen and was impressed by Nyquist's performance with his new linemates.

"[Gustav] is confident and poised with the puck. He's quick and makes good plays," Alfredsson said Saturday. "Playing with Z and Franzen, he fit in extremely well. He made plays and found open spots. You could tell he was excited. Playing the way he did, he brought energy and made plays."

Five games on the Friday schedule prepare us for a busy weekend of NHL action, and NHL Live with Steve Mears and E.J. Hradek, at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network, will get you set.

We'll check in on our arena cams from Consol Energy Center, where Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports on the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New York Islanders, and Verizon Center for the game between the Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.

NHL.com writer Corey Masisak joins us to discuss this week's Super 16 power rankings, and NHL Network analyst Barry Melrose will call in as well to discuss the current plight of Vancouver Canucks coach John Tortorella and hand out his Mullet of the Week.

North Dakota captain Dillon Simpson also checks in as part of this week's College Hockey Report. Simpson and his teammates take on Boston University on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. on NBCSN.

Our Flashback Friday feature will go back 10 years to celebrate the inaugural Heritage Classic, when the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens.

Remember to submit your #AskEJ questions through Twitter via @NHLNetwork or @EJHradek_NHL, and join the conversation on Twitter as we ask you to pick the game of the night.

Eight days after being hired as interim coach of the Buffalo Sabres, Ted Nolan is starting to put his imprint on the team, which has gone 1-2-0 since he took over.

Buffalo's roster shakeup started in earnest Tuesday when rookies Rasmus Ristolainen and Johan Larsson were assigned to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League and Nikita Zadorov was returned to his junior team, the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Sabres planned to send Mikhail Grigorenko to the AHL for a conditioning assignment, but it was rejected by the NHL so Grigorenko will be back in the lineup Thursday as the Sabres take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

He'll be joined by Luke Adam and Brayden McNabb, both of whom have previous NHL experience but will be making their season debuts for Buffalo on Thursday. Adam made his mark with the Sabres in 2011-12 when he had 10 goals and 20 points in 52 games, but played four games last season.

The Boston Bruins host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday in a big Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference matchup on NHL Network at 7 p.m. ET, and NHL Live will get you ready for that puck drop and the other games scheduled, at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network. We'll also fire up our Arena Cam in Winnipeg and talk to Eddie Olczyk about the Chicago Blackhawks' seven-city, 13-day circus trip, which continues against the Winnipeg Jets.

Tickets are on sale now for the Coors Light Stadium Series games at Yankees Stadium involving the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, and we'll talk to Islanders captain John Tavares about this great event. We'll also get NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, who played for all three teams, about what to expect for a goalie playing outdoors.

Remember to submit your #AskEJ questions through Twitter via @NHLNetwork or @EJHradek_NHL, and join the conversation on Twitter as we ask you to pick the game of the night.