NHL Buzz: Kuemper placed on injured reserve by Capitals

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Washington Capitals

Goalie Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Alexander Alexeyev were each placed on injured reserve Sunday with an upper-body injury, prior to the Capitals' 5-2 win at the Winnipeg Jets.
Kuemper, who was placed on IR retroactively to when he was injured against the Calgary Flames on Dec. 3, traveled with the Capitals to Winnipeg and participated in their morning skate for the first time since he was injured.
Alexeyev did not accompany the team after being injured on an illegal check to the head from Seattle Kraken defenseman Jamie Oleksiak on Friday. Oleksiak was
suspended three games
.
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov returned from a lower-body injury that had sidelined him since Nov. 5. Defenseman Lucas Johansen was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League on Sunday.
In addition, forwards Nicklas Backstrom (hip resurfacing surgery on left hip) and Tom Wilson (torn ACL left knee) traveled with the Capitals for the first time since their offseason surgeries.
"They're going to stay with us hopefully from this point and continue to push through and get in practice and reps," Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. "The thing is, it's tough when you lose practice time at this point in the year with travel and we've been on the road so much you just don't have as much of it as you'd like to get those guys back in it. But we'll find time and continue." -- Tom Gulitti

Los Angeles Kings

Drew Doughty is day to day for the Kings because of a lower-body injury.
The defenseman was a late scratch when Los Angeles lost 6-5 in overtime at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday. It was the first game Doughty missed this season.
Doughty was second in the NHL in ice time per game (26:20) behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (26:59) entering Sunday. He has 17 points (one goal, 16 assists), including seven power-play points in 30 games this season.

Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Eichel did not play for the Vegas Golden Knights when they lost 3-1 to the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
The forward did not participate in the morning skate. He had one shot on goal in 20:15 of ice time in a 2-1 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday after missing the previous two games because of a lower-body injury.
Eichel leads the Golden Knights with 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 27 games this season.

St. Louis Blues

Torey Krug returned for the Blues in their 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman had six shots on goal in 20:53 of ice time. He was able to practice two consecutive days this week for St. Louis, which went 1-1-0 in his absence.
Pavel Buchnevich missed his third straight game after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Rangers. The forward has not practiced this week but has been working out off the ice. Berube said he could return against the Nashville Predators on Monday. -- Lou Korac

Buffalo Sabres

Henri Jokiharju is out week to week for the Sabres because of a lower-body injury, coach Don Granato said.
The defenseman, who was placed on injured reserve, sustained the injury in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, when he had two shots on goal, one hit and one block in 23:59 of ice time.
Jokiharju has four points (one goal, three assists) in 16 games, missing 11 games earlier in the season because of a facial fracture.
Forward Vinnie Hinostroza, who has not played since Nov. 30, was also placed on injured reserve because of an undisclosed injury.
Defenseman Kale Clague and forward Brett Murray were each recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League. -- Wes Crosby