NHL Buzz: McDonagh out 2-4 weeks for Predators with upper-body injury

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

#

Nashville Predators

Ryan McDonagh is out 2-4 weeks with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman was placed on injured reserve by the Predators on Monday after he was struck in the face by a puck during a 4-1 win at the New York Islanders on Friday. He has six assists this season, his first with Nashville after he was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 3.
The Predators recalled defenseman Jordan Gross from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. They are off until visiting the Lightning on Thursday.

#

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin could each be a game-time decision with an illness for the Penguins against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, ATTSN-PT, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Pittsburgh's top two centers did not practice Monday following a day off Sunday. Backup goalie Casey DeSmith was also absent with an illness.
"I'm not sure how they'll be. Hopefully, they'll feel better tomorrow," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "Obviously, they weren't feeling well today. We felt it was best to keep them away from the rink. We'll see how they feel in the morning."
Danton Heinen, a healthy scratch the past three games, replaced Crosby at first-line center with left wing Jake Guentzel and right wing Rickard Rakell. Teddy Blueger moved from the fourth line to the second, taking Malkin's spot with left wing Jason Zucker and right wing Bryan Rust.
Crosby leads Pittsburgh with 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 25 games, and the NHL in even-strength points with 28 (12 goals, 16 assists). Malkin's 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) are tied with Guentzel for second on the Penguins.
Defenseman Kris Letang skated with forward Ryan Poehling, who is day to day with an upper-body injury, for about 45 minutes before practice. Letang has not been cleared for any hockey-related activity after having a stroke Nov. 28. -- Wes Crosby

Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Eichel did not play for the Golden Knights in their 4-3 shootout win against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Monday because of a lower-body injury.
The center was on the ice for the morning skate after he left in the third period of a 4-1 win at the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. Eichel scored 1:04 into the game.
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Eichel was at TD Garden on Sunday getting treatment. Eichel has 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 26 games. The native of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, has not played in Boston since Dec. 29, 2019, when he was with the Buffalo Sabres.
Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo missed his fourth straight game for personal reasons. -- Amalie Benjamin

#

Montreal Canadiens

Brendan Gallagher is out at least two weeks for the Canadiens with a lower-body injury.
The forward had missed the past three games after he was injured during a 4-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 29. He has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 22 games this season.
David Savard did not play at the Vancouver Canucks on Monday because of an upper-body injury. The defenseman was injured during a 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday but finished the game. He has eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 24 games.
"It will be an extra challenge for us, but our young D back there are excited," defenseman Kaiden Guhle said. "We try to jump on these opportunities when guys get hurt. We try to stop up and fill-in these roles, so us young D are excited tonight to get that opportunity.
"(Savard) is a big player for our team offensively and defensively. He blocks shots, he's always sound in the D-zone, moving pucks. We're going to have to step up our game here a little bit and we're excited to do that."
The Canadiens visit the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; ROOT-NW, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW), the second of a back-to-back set, and host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Philadelphia Flyers

James van Riemsdyk hopes to return for the Flyers against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday or at Vegas on Friday.
The forward had surgery to repair a broken left index finger Oct. 28. He was expected to be out six weeks; Friday will be exactly six weeks after surgery.
"I'm definitely progressing," van Riemsdyk said. "It's a slow, tedious thing. ... Day by day I feel like I'm getting better. Hoping to be pretty close to getting back into the swing of things and get into a game pretty soon."
Van Riemsdyk took part in an optional morning skate Monday but did not play in a 5-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche. It was the 20th game he's missed since sustaining the injury when he was hit by a puck against the Sharks on Oct. 23. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in six games.
Van Riemsdyk said he's been able to stay in shape, and now it's just a matter of getting his puck handling and timing back.
"I'm sure it's not going to feel perfect when I get back in," he said. "I think the more experience you have the more you learn to play and think through different situations if you have different access to different abilities and skills in that current moment and kind of go from there. ... As long as my hands feel good, I think I'll be in good shape." -- Adam Kimelman

Washington Capitals

The Capitals were without goalie Darcy Kuemper and defenseman Martin Fehervary for their 3-2 win at the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
Fehervary left a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday midway through the second period after he was checked into the boards by Milan Lucic. Fehervary was placed on injured reserve Monday.
Kuemper left late in the second after he was elbowed in the head by Tyler Toffoli. Washington coach Peter Laviolette said Kuemper is day to day.
The Capitals recalled goalie
Hunter Shepard
from Hershey of the American Hockey League. Charlie Lindgren made 28 saves against the Oilers.
Defenseman Dmitry Orlov is traveling with Washington but missed his 14th game because of a lower-body injury. -- Harvey Valentine

Colorado Avalanche

Forwards Artturi Lehkonen (upper body) and
Jean-Luc Foudy
(lower body) each did not play against the Flyers.
Lehkonen was injured during the first period of the Avalanche's 5-1 loss at the Bruins on Saturday and is day to day.
Foudy came out briefly during the morning skate and is also day to day.
Lehkonen is fourth on the Avalanche with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 22 games.
"We're going to miss him," coach Jared Bednar said. "Obviously missed him last game. But it just is what it is. Hopefully he's back sooner rather than later."
Foudy, who was called up from Colorado of the American Hockey League on Nov. 28 and made his NHL debut the next day, does not have a point in three games.
They join a crowded Avalanche injury list that includes forwards Valeri Nichushkin (ankle), Evan Rodrigues (lower body), Shane Bowers (upper body), and defensemen Josh Manson (lower body), Bowen Byram (lower body) and Kurtis MacDermid (lower body). In addition, forwards Gabriel Landeskog (knee) and Darren Helm (hip) have yet to play this season with each recovering from offseason surgery.
Nathan MacKinnon left the game Monday in the first period because of an upper-body injury. There was no update after the game.
"It takes a little bit more from everyone involved when you're down a bunch of guys, so staying mentally tough and sort of letting the positivity shine through I think is really important," Bednar said.
Forward Charles Hudon, who was recalled from the AHL on Sunday, played his first NHL game since March 10, 2020, with the Canadiens. He had 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 20 AHL games this season. -- Adam Kimelman

Ottawa Senators

Artem Zub is out at least three weeks with a broken jaw.
Senators coach D.J. Smith said the defenseman sustained a "small fracture" after taking a puck to the face in a 3-2 overtime win against the New York Rangers on Friday.
The 27-year-old is averaging 22:01 of ice time per game, second on the Senators behind his defense partner, Thomas Chabot (26:08).
"He plays a lot of minutes, plays against really good players," Smith said. "Obviously, our record hasn't been great without him. Other guys are going to have to step up and be better. Our forwards are going to have to hold onto pucks in the [offensive] zone a lot longer to take pressure off of the [defense]."
Ottawa (10-13-1) is 3-6-1 without Zub. He has four points (two goals, two assists) and is minus-1 in 14 games.
"You'll have to play on, clearly, but it's not ideal losing a guy like him," Smith said. "But we've said it before: Other teams go through injuries, you have no choice, you have to find a way to win."
Nikita Zaitsev will play on the first pair with Chabot. Zaitsev was recalled from Belleville of the AHL on Dec. 1, three weeks after being waived and demoted by the Senators. Smith said Zaitsev got some "mental reprieve" playing in Belleville. -- Callum Fraser

#

Tampa Bay Lightning

Haydn Fleury is day to day for the Lightning with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman has one assist in 13 games. He signed a two-year contract ($762,500 average annual value) with Tampa Bay on July 13.