NHL Buzz: Khaira could return for Blackhawks on Saturday

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

Chicago Blackhawks

Jujhar Khaira could return to play against the Nashville Predators on Saturday (2 p.m. ET; BSSO, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The forward has not played since he was taken off the ice on a stretcher following a hit by New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba in a 6-2 loss on Dec. 7 and had been in concussion protocol.
"Even when [Khaira] first practiced, came back on the ice and guys saw him, you could see the guys light up," Blackhawks coach Derek King said Friday. "I'm looking forward to having him back, I know the team is. He can't go out there and I call it, 'Forrest Gump' game. If you watch the movie, he did so much in how long, 2 ½ hours? I don't need [Khaira] going out there, trying to be the hero and solve our problems in three periods. He has to play his game and manage it."
Khaira scored two goals in 18 games this season.
Forward Henrik Borgstrom (non-COVID illness) was activated and could play. He scored three points (two goals, one assist) in 17 games.
Goalie Kevin Lankinen was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Friday. -- Tracey Myers

Philadelphia Flyers

Sean Couturier is week to week with an upper-body injury.
The forward was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Dec. 26 and did not play for Philadelphia in its return from the holiday break Dec. 29, a 3-2 overtime win against the Seattle Kraken.
Couturier scored 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 29 games. He last played Dec. 18, when he had an assist in a 4-3 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Jeff Carter entered NHL COVID-19 protocol Friday for the second time this season.
The center previously missed three games in protocol from Oct. 23-28. Carter is fifth on the Penguins with 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 27 games.
Carter's absence leaves Pittsburgh without three centers for its next scheduled game against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
Evgeni Malkin, the second-line center when healthy, is nearing a return from knee surgery June 4, but will not play. Carter has been second-line center after filling in on the first line for Sidney Crosby, who made his season debut Oct. 30 after missing the first seven games because of wrist surgery before being unavailable the following five games while in COVID protocol.
Teddy Blueger, who had been third line center, is also in COVID protocol.
Pittsburgh has seven players in protocol: Carter, Blueger, forwards Dominik Simon and Kasperi Kapanen, defensemen Mike Matheson and John Marino, and goalie Tristan Jarry.
Evan Rodrigues
was placed in protocol Monday and was removed Friday. He has been first-line left wing in place of Jake Guentzel (upper body), who could return with first-line right wing Bryan Rust (lower body) against San Jose.
The Penguins are also without second-line left wing Jason Zucker, who is week to week with a lower-body injury.-- Wes Crosby

Toronto Maple Leafs

Forward William Nylander and defensemen Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin each is an option to play when the Maple Leafs host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, TVAS, NHL LIVE, ESPN+).
Each player practiced Friday after being removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol.
"They'll continue to go through the process here of getting cleared medically to get out of the League's protocol," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "We'll have to see how they progress through tomorrow. They could be an option, yes, but everybody else out there had multiple days to prepare themselves to be ready to play. Rielly, Muzzin and Nylander have different situations with just one practice, so we are just going to be mindful of that knowing it's not an easy process to get back up and running."
Nylander skated in his regular spot at right wing with center John Tavares and left wing Alexander Kerfoot; Rielly skated with his regular partner TJ Brodie, and Muzzin was with Justin Holl. -- Dave McCarthy

Colorado Avalanche

Mikko Rantanen and Logan O'Connor are expected to play Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks.
The forwards returned to practice on Thursday after being removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol.
Rantanen said he would be "ready for sure" after his third practice Saturday. He said he was asymptomatic during a nine-day quarantine.
"To have almost a full lineup and hopefully a full lineup, it's going to be important for us going forward in the second half of the season and pushing for a good season into the playoffs." Rantanen said.
Rantanen practiced at right wing on the top line with left wing Gabriel Landeskog and center Nathan MacKinnon. O'Connor was at right wing on a line with left wing J.T. Compher and center Alex Newhook.
Defensemen Ryan Murray and Bowen Byram practiced in a regular jersey for the first time since each was injured. Murray has missed nine games with a lower-body injury he sustained Nov. 27 against the Nashville Predators, and Byram missed eight games with a head injury he sustained Dec. 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Bednar said goalie Pavel Francouz could return from COVID-19 protocol as early as Friday, and forward Darren Helm could clear protocol Saturday.
The Avalanche (17-8-2) are 13-2-1 in the past 16 games. They haven't played since a 5-2 loss against Nashville on Dec. 16. -- Rick Sadowski

St. Louis Blues

Pavel Buchnevich, Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist have been cleared to play for the Blues against the Minnesota Wild in the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Target Field in Minneapolis on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; TNT, SN1, TVAS, ESPN LIVE).
Buchnevich missed a 4-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday because of a non-COVID-19 illness but the forward took part in an optional practice Thursday. Barbashev, a forward, was removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol Thursday.
Buchnevich is second on the Blues with 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 29 games. Barbashev is fourth with 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 31 games.
"They're both fine," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "'Buchy' is feeling a lot better today and 'Barby' is cleared to play. ... I think [Buchnevich] is cleared to play; he skated today. I think he's fine. I can't predict two days later.
"Barby has just one skate, is going to skate tomorrow night a little bit. We've got options, so it's a good thing."
Sundqvist was removed from COVID-19 protocol Tuesday and the forward has practiced the past three days but was not available to play Wednesday.
"'Sunny' I think's a go," Berube said. "He's skated now a couple times; he's feeling pretty good."
Forward Brayden Schenn, who has not played since sustaining an upper-body injury Dec. 12, skated Thursday, his fifth straight day of practice, but Berube was not sure of his availability.
"'Schenner' is still up in the air," he said. "We'll have to play that one by ear. It's how he feels. I think it's day to day and it feels different. He's a tough one, so we'll have to wait and see how it goes."
Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo and forward Dakota Joshua, each in COVID-19 protocol since Dec. 26, will not travel to Minneapolis. -- Lou Korac