NHL Buzz: Talbot day to day for Wild, won't play against Sharks

Welcome to the NHL Buzz! Throughout the 2020-21 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

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Minnesota Wild

Cam Talbot is day to day with a lower-body injury and will not play against the San Jose Sharks at Xcel Energy Center on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; FS-N, FS-WI, NBCSCA, NHL.TV).
The goalie did not play after the first period of a 4-1 win against the Sharks on Friday, making 11 saves on 12 shots. Kaapo Kahkonen made 17 saves in relief.
"All indications are it's not serious," Wild coach Dean Evason said after the game.
Talbot, who signed a three-year contract Oct. 9, has started four of the Wild's first five games this season, going 2-1-0 with a 2.34 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.
Kahkonen will start Sunday and Andrew Hammond will be the backup.
"I'm confident whenever I play," Kahkonen said Friday. "It's still about the team and whoever is the starting goalie on the game days it's his net. I'm living day by day and game by game. Obviously I love playing and everybody loves playing. It's great to play in the NHL, but I'll just try to go day by day."
Kahkonen is 2-0-0 with a 1.20 GAA and .951 save percentage in two games this season. Hammond has not played in the NHL since the 2017-18 season.
Alex Stalock, who was expected to compete with Talbot for the starting job, has not played this season because of an upper-body injury. -- Jessi Pierce

Dallas Stars

Jamie Benn will be a game-time decision against the Nashville Predators at American Airlines Center (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-SW, FS-TN, NHL.TV).
The forward was not on the ice for an optional morning skate. He sustained a lower-body injury after colliding with Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson in the second period of a 7-0 win Friday.
Benn returned briefly at the end of that period, but the Stars captain did not play in the third. Jason Dickinson took Benn's place at left wing on the top line with center Roope Hintz and right wing Denis Gurianov at practice Saturday.
"He can skate with them, for starters," Stars coach Rick Bowness said of Dickinson. "You want to play with those two, you have to be able to skate and he can fly with them. He's very reliable on both ends of the ice. I know he's a natural center. We had to use him on wing in the [Stanley Cup Playoffs], and we're putting him on the wing now because of the injuries on our left side."
Forward Joel Kiviranta, who left practice Saturday with a lower-body injury, was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 22. -- Tracey Myers

Washington Capitals

Tom Wilson will not play against the Buffalo Sabres at Capital One Arena (3 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSG-B, NHL.TV).
The forward did not practice Saturday after leaving a 4-3 shootout win against the Sabres on Friday with a lower-body injury early in the third period.
Connor McMichael
, the No. 25 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, will replace Wilson in the lineup and make his NHL debut.
"We talked quick in the locker room," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said about McMichael. "It was more just a message to relax and have fun, enjoy it. He worked hard to get to this point. He's a good player. We just talked about his strengths and where he can contribute, the line he would be playing with and more just not to be nervous. He's ready for this. Just go out and play the game and do what he's done in the past.
"So if you can send a kid out a little bit easier about it, sometimes it's better for him, but I often find that once you get through the anthem and the first shift, it's just hockey after that. He's going to realize he's been doing this all of his life and go out and play a good game for us." -- Tom Gulitti