NHL Buzz: Ovechkin game-time decision for Capitals with upper-body injury

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

#

Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin will be a game-time decision against the New Jersey Devils at Capital One Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The 37-year-old forward missed the past three games because of an upper-body injury but is trying to return for Washington's final game of the season, even though it has been eliminated from contention for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I think every game has meaning for Alex," Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. "And, again, we're not going to put a player in there that isn't ready to play. With regard to any player tonight, if they're ready and they want to play and they're cleared, then they'll play."
Laviolette said defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body) and Matt Irwin (undisclosed) and forward Anthony Mantha (lower body) also will be game-time decisions. Goalie Charlie Lindgren is out after sustaining an upper-body injury against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, so the Capitals signed Reid Cooper to an amateur tryout agreement to back up Darcy Kuemper against the Devils. The 24-year-old was 20-6-1 with a 1.92 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and three shutouts in 27 games for Curry College, an NCAA Division III team, this season.
Ovechkin has missed nine games this season: two with lower-body injuries (Jan. 21, March 14), three with this upper-body injury and four to attend his father Mikhail's funeral in Russia (Feb. 14-21). He still leads Washington with 42 goals and 74 points.
With 822 goals in 1,346 games during his 18 seasons, Ovechkin is 72 away from Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 894. -- Tom Gulitti

#

Colorado Avalanche

Artturi Lehkonen will return for the Avalanche to play the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ALT, TSN3, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The forward missed 15 games following surgery to repair a fractured finger sustained during an 8-4 win at the Montreal Canadiens on March 13.
"He is in the lineup tonight," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said.
Lehkonen is third on the Avalanche with 20 goals and fifth with 49 points in 62 games this season, each an NHL career high.
Josh Manson, who has missed 21 games since reinjuring his previous lower-body injury during a 7-5 loss to the New Jersey Devils on March 1, could be ready for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs next week. He previously missed 31 games after leaving a 6-4 win at the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 1 because of the injury.
"Feeling good," Manson said. "Just want to kind of get some practice reps and stuff, get that flow the game kind of back, you know the situations that you'll come across in a game. But everything's feeling good. So far it's been a slow road, but it's been a steady road, and just looking forward to being able to come back."
Forward Darren Helm has resumed skating after missing five games because of a recurring lower-body injury. He's not expected to be ready for the start of the playoffs.
"I'm just waiting on him to say he's good, but he's not joining the group yet or anything, so it's going to be a little bit," Bednar said Wednesday. "I don't know if he'll be ready. We'll see. He could be." -- Ryan Boulding

Winnipeg Jets

Nikolaj Ehlers will not play for the Jets against the Avalanche on Thursday.
The forward cleared concussion protocol but has an upper-body injury following a hit from Ryan Hartman in the third period of a 3-1 win at the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. Jets coach Rick Bowness said did not say whether Ehlers will be ready for Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round.
The playoffs begin Monday.
"He said he's feeling better, but he'll get reassessed tomorrow when we go back," Bowness said. "At this point, it's too early to say that."
Ehlers has 12 goals and 26 assists in 45 games this season.
Forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois, Mark Scheifele, and Blake Wheeler, and defensemen Josh Morrissey and Nate Schmidt, will also be out of the lineup to rest ahead of the playoffs.
"We wanted to sit a few more guys tonight, but the guys that have played 81 games, they want to play that 82nd game, so we got to give them that" Bowness said. "If those guys want to play in a full 82 games, then we're not going to take that away from them."
Dominic Toninato
will play after the forward was recalled from Manitoba of the American Hockey League. -- Ryan Boulding