The Tampa Bay Lightning were without injured goaltenders Andrei Vasilevskiy (blood clot) and Kristers Gudlevskis (upper body) when they opened training camp on Friday in Brandon, Fla. That left them shorthanded for drills, so public relations director Brian Breseman put on the pads to help out.

Breseman manned one of the goals for the first group of skaters. He played goaltender while growing up, including for the club team at East Carolina University, according to the Tampa Tribune.

Detroit Red Wings forwards Darren Helm and Jerome Verrier sustained injuries when they collided Friday during a drill on the first day of training camp in Traverse City, Mich.

Helm was taken to a hospital for the NHL's concussion protocol, and coach Jeff Blashill said he'll miss at least a week. “With the concussion protocol he’ll be, I guess we say day to day but it’s probably a little bit longer than that,” he said when asked about Helm’s return, according to the Red Wings website.

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, who is recovering from offseason hip surgery, was on the ice with his teammates Friday for the start of training camp in Cedar Park, Texas.

"Coming off surgery it felt a little different," Benn told the Stars website. "I was wondering how it was going to go out there but I'm pretty happy with how it went. I felt pretty good and I'm just trying to build here each and every day."

Benn, had surgery in late April on one hip and in May on the other. He has been rehabbing all summer.

SYOSSET, N.Y. -- The moment New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic was hit by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi in the second-to-last game of the 2014-15 regular season, he knew something was wrong.

"I hadn't felt anything like that before," Hamonic said.

Hamonic sustained a Grade 3 torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee on the play and was forced to miss the Islanders' first-round series against the Washington Capitals in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Islanders lost the physical series in seven games.

Hamonic was all smiles Friday, when the Islanders opened training camp. The 25-year-old said he trained normally during the offseason and knows he'll be expected to play a big role on the Islanders' blue line when they open the season Oct. 9 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Center Marcus Kruger was missing from the first day of on-ice work at Chicago Blackhawks training camp Friday at the University of Notre Dame's Compton Family Ice Arena.

Kruger, 25, is still in Sweden while he waits for his U.S. work visa to be processed. J.P. Barry, who represents Kruger through the CAA Sports agency, said the process is going smoothly and Kruger will be in Chicago next week.

"He's got a visa issue," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "We expect him to be here next week."

SYOSSET, N.Y. -- New York Islanders prospect Joshua Ho-Sang was returned to the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League, the Islanders confirmed Friday.

Newsday reported Ho-Sang was sent back to juniors after being late for the Islanders' first day of training camp, where he was slated to skate with center John Tavares and left wing Anders Lee.

Ho-Sang, a first-round pick (No. 28) by the Islanders at the 2014 NHL Draft, was conspicuously absent when players began practicing Friday. Afterward, coach Jack Capuano said he needed to speak with general manager Garth Snow regarding Ho-Sang's whereabouts.

New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias did not take part in any on-ice work with the team at training camp Friday because of an issue with his right knee.

"Patrik has been having an issue with his right knee over the last week," Devils general manager Ray Shero said. "We both feel that it is best to monitor this. He will continue to work off ice with our training staff and skate on his own prior to joining the team for formal, on-ice, workouts."

Coach Alain Vigneault borrowed a key phrase from "Apollo 13," one of his favorite movies, when he assessed the New York Rangers on Thursday, one day before the opening of training camp.

"There are two phrases in that movie that sort of caught my attention," Vigneault told Blueshirts United. "One of them is, 'Failure is not an option,' when they've got to find a way to bring the astronauts back. That's sort of us. That was sort of us going into last year, and that's sort of us going into this year.

"We believe that we have a team that has the elements to win the Stanley Cup. We firmly believe that, so failure is not an option."

After an offseason spent in meetings and taking in leadership advice, Nick Foligno is eager to finally take the ice as Columbus Blue Jackets captain.

"I'm more comfortable on the ice, that's for sure," Foligno told the Columbus Dispatch on Thursday. "That's where I can do my leading and be that guy."

Foligno was named the sixth captain in Blue Jackets history May 20. He is the first since Rick Nash wore the "C" for the 2011-12 season.

Forward Phil Kessel will make his debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday in their preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Consol Energy Center, coach Mike Johnston told the Penguins website on Thursday.

Kessel, a five-time 30-goal scorer acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, will not play in Pittsburgh's first preseason game, against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday.