NHL Buzz: Marner returns to practice for Maple Leafs

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitchell Marner practiced Sunday for the first time since injuring his shoulder in a collision during practice with defenseman Jake Muzzin on Dec. 3.
The forward has scored 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 24 games. He missed six games with the injury before the Maple Leafs had five games postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
"His rehab was upended by the shutdown and the pause in our activities," general manager Kyle Dubas said after Toronto's first practice since being shut down due to the outbreak. "It was good to see him out there in practice today but certainly not a player we would rush along whatsoever. It's tough to predict at this point. After a few more days of practice, we would have a better read on that but certainly to see him out in practice today was a step in the right direction."
Center
John Tavares
also rejoined the Maple Leafs for practice after he was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol on Dec. 17. The Toronto captain said he experienced a strong headache, body aches and a lot of fatigue on Dec. 18 but began feeling much better the following day.
"Everything felt like it was moving very fast and I wasn't moving very fast myself," Tavares said. "Obviously I was just trying to get my heart rate up and fight through the fatigue. It was just knocking some of the rust off and trying to get your timing back. To be expected when I haven't skated in nine or 10 days roughly."
Tavares has scored 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 29 games. -- Dave McCarthy

Colorado Avalanche

Gabriel Landeskog practiced and is expected to return when the Avalanche host the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.
The forward sustained a lower-body injury in a 7-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 10 and missed three games.
"That's a big positive for us, especially with some of the new guys on the [NHL COVID-19] protocol list," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "We first pegged his injury at about two weeks, right before Christmas, and he was feeling good. Unfortunately, he hasn't had a lot of practice time, but now with the game (Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights) being rescheduled, he should be really good to go for [Dallas]. So he'll get three days of practice and the pregame skate if he wants it."
Landeskog, who has scored 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in 22 games, skated Sunday on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Andre Burakovsky. He scored 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) during a 10-game point streak from Nov. 22-Dec. 10.
The Avalanche haven't played since a 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Dec. 16 when six players were in COVID-19 protocol.
The Avalanche announced the following five players are in protocol, along with their projected return dates: defenseman/forward Kurtis MacDermid (Monday), forwards Nazem Kadri (Tuesday), Logan O'Connor (Thursday) and Mikko Rantanen (Friday), and goalie Pavel Francouz (Jan. 5).
Bednar said the Avalanche will recall a goalie and "a forward or two" from the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League.
"I think we're going to be good on the back end," he said. -- Rick Sadowski

Edmonton Oilers

Coach Dave Tippett returned to run practice after missing three games in NHL COVID-19 protocol.
The Oilers skated for the first time since a 5-3 win at the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 18. Edmonton had four games postponed and is scheduled to return to play at the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.
"I had zero symptoms, I would have never known I had COVID if I hadn't of tested positive," Tippett said. "It was a complete surprise to me that I tested positive."
Tippett went into protocol Dec. 14 and was not on the bench for a 5-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs that night, a 5-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 16, and the win at Seattle. Assistant Glen Gulutzan filled in for Tippett.
The Oilers closed their facility Dec. 20 after a handful of players went into protocol. They practiced on the campus of the University of Alberta on Sunday with the 2022 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship opening at Rogers Place.
"I'm happy to be back today, but our guys also seemed happy to be back," Tippett said. "They were in good spirits and had lots of energy on the ice and that's a good sign." -- Derek Van Diest

Minnesota Wild

Defenseman Jared Spurgeon and forward Joel Eriksson Ek will not play in the 2022 Discover Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 1 at Target Field in Minneapolis, coach Dean Evason said.
Spurgeon, who was initially injured Nov. 20 against the Florida Panthers, reaggravated a lower-body injury Dec. 16 that has caused him to miss eight games.
Eriksson Ek sustained an upper-body injury in a 7-4 loss at the Dallas Stars on Dec. 20, the last game the Wild played. Four games have been postponed due to COVID-19 concerns.
"Neither one will play in that game," Evason said. "It's disappointing for any player that can't play to have this be.
"Both are not positive, not rosy outcomes, but as far as timeline and all of that, I do not have a time frame."
The Wild expect to have forward Jordan Greenway return after he missed the game in Dallas with a lower-body injury. -- Jessi Pierce