NHL Buzz: Bennett scratched for Flames against Jets

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

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Calgary Flames

Sam Bennett will be a healthy scratch against the Winnipeg Jets at Bell MTS Place on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, SNW, NHL.TV).
Flames coach Geoff Ward on Thursday said it was because of the forward's play and not because of rumors that he asked to be traded.
"Not a strange situation, so you can speculate as much as you want about it being that way," Ward said. "It's not. The relationship Sam has in our locker room with his teammates and coaching staff is fine. Everything that's going to happen in terms of where the speculation is going has to do with [general manager Brad Treliving] and (Bennett's agent) Darrin Ferris. Really, anything you're looking for that way is there, but as far as the relationship between the player and his teammates and the player and the coaching staff, there's no strain whatsoever. We're all good with each other."
Bennett has one assist and a minus-5 rating in nine games this season. He scored 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 52 games last season.

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Columbus Blue Jackets

Elvis Merzlikins will miss at least the next three games with an upper-body injury.
The goalie sustained the injury in practice Wednesday.
Joonas Korpisalo is expected to start against the Dallas Stars at Nationwide Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, SNE, SNO, FS-O, FS-SW, NHL.TV). Matiss Kivlenieks, who was recalled from the taxi squad, will be the backup.
Merzlikins is 2-2-1 with a 2.76 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in six games (five starts) this season.

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Detroit Red Wings

Filip Zadina could return to the lineup against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on Friday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, SUN, FS-D, NHL.TV).
The forward, who has missed the past seven games because of NHL COVID-19 protocol, practiced Thursday. Zadina has two assists in four games this season.
"I don't know. I mean, it's going to be different obviously than the practice, but I've been skating a lot," Zadina said. "I've been doing a lot of conditioning stuff. Just trying to get in shape as soon as I can, and I think I'm ready to go."
Forwards Adam Erne, Robby Fabbri and Sam Gagner, and defenseman Jon Merrill each played in a 5-1 loss to the Lightning on Wednesday after they were removed from protocol. Erne and Fabbri each missed eight games; Gagner and Merill each missed six.
"I think the boost will come in time for sure," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "But I think as you saw last night, your first game back's not easy. It's hard enough when you're coming out of training camp and you've been going, and then to take a pause, it'll take Filip some time to get going at full speed. … The one thing I would say with Filip is, he appears to be feeling good, so hopefully he can hit the ground running here."-- Nicholas J. Cotsonika

Pittsburgh Penguins

Kris Letang practiced for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury on Jan. 30.
The defenseman remains day to day after he was injured in the first period of a 5-4 overtime win against the New York Rangers. He did not play in a 3-1 loss to the Rangers on Monday.
"I won't talk about the injury. I felt pretty good today on the ice," Letang said Thursday. "Skated a bit earlier on my own. After that, I was able to go out with the team."
Defensemen Mike Matheson, who has missed the past eight games with an upper-body injury, also took part in practice.
The Penguins play the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, MSG+, ATTSN-PT, NHL.TV)
"Right now, their status is still day to day, but that's certainly encouraging," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
Letang and Matheson are two of seven Penguins defensemen currently out of the lineup. Brian Dumoulin (lower body), Marcus Pettersson (upper body), Juuso Riikola (upper body) and
Zach Trotman
(knee) are injured, and John Marino entered NHL COVID-19 protocol Wednesday. -- Wes Crosby

Buffalo Sabres

Coach Ralph Krueger tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Thursday.
The 61-year-old is in his second season as Sabres coach.
The NHL announced Tuesday that the Sabres would have their games postponed through at least Monday, and that their training facilities would remain closed.
Games against the New York Islanders on Tuesday and Thursday and against the Boston Bruins on Saturday and Monday have been postponed. Rescheduled dates will be announced.
Sabres forward Taylor Hall and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen were placed on the NHL COVID-19 protocol list Tuesday, and forward Tobias Rieder and defenseman Brandon Montour were placed in protocol Wednesday, followed by defenseman Jake McCabe on Thursday.
The Sabres are next scheduled to play the Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center on Feb. 11.