Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Ottawa Senators
Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Shane Pinto will each return from injury against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SN1, NBCSCA).
Tkachuk, a left wing, missed two games with a lower-body injury sustained during the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he represented the United States. The Senators captain took reps alongside Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux on the first line at practice Friday.
Tkachuk has 44 points (21 goals, 23 assists) in 56 games for Ottawa (29-25-4), which has lost five straight and trails the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets by four points for a wild card in the Eastern Conference.
“This is what it’s all about here,” Tkachuk said. “I’m excited for this opportunity to kind of show everybody what this group is all about. I know we’re in a little bit of a skid right now, but I’m really looking forward to getting on the ice and kind of proving all the doubters wrong.”
Norris, a center who missed six games with a mid-body injury, will play on the second line between David Perron and Drake Batherson. He has 31 points (19 goals, 12 assists) in 50 games.
“There’s not a ton that you can do when you’re hurt other than rehab and do your best and just think about hockey 24/7,” Norris said Friday. “I’ve definitely pictured myself coming back and I think we’ve got 24 games left. It’s really intense and exciting hockey. These are the types of games that you don’t want to miss.”
Pinto, a center who missed four games with an upper-body injury, will play with Ridly Greig and Michael Amadio on the third line. He was previously a game-time decision against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 8, but the team chose to be extra cautious with his rehab.
Pinto has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in 46 games.
“I think it was that they wanted me for the last 25 [games]; they didn’t want to risk anything that early, especially with the [4 Nations Face-Off] break coming up,” Pinto said. “So, it worked out.” -- Callum Fraser
Nashville Predators
Roman Josi (upper body) was placed on injured reserve by the Predators prior to their game at the New York Islanders on Saturday.
The defenseman, who is week to week, did not play in a 2-1 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
Josi, who is Predators captain, was boarded by Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett and did not play the third period of a 4-1 loss Tuesday.
”Obviously with those things, it's day to day, could be week to week, it could be season-ending,” coach Andrew Brunette said. We don't really know yet."
Josi has 38 points (nine goals, 29 assists) in 53 games while averaging 25:02 of ice time.
Nashville is already without defensemen Jeremy Lauzon (lower body) and Adam Wilsby (upper body), who are each out for the remainder of the season. Forward Jake Lucchini and defenseman Spencer Stastney were recalled from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Saturday.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Cole Sillinger will not play in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+, TVAS-D, FX-CA) with an upper-body injury sustained Thursday, but coach Dean Evason said the forward may not be out long term.
Sillinger was injured in the Blue Jackets’ 5-2 win at the Red Wings on Thursday, not returning after taking a hit by Moritz Seider. His last shift ended with 6:18 left in the first period.
The 21-year-old has 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 54 games this season. Columbus enters the outdoor game at Ohio Stadium tied with Detroit for the two wild cards in the East.
New York Rangers
Forward Chris Kreider (upper body) was placed on injured reserve by the Rangers and forward Brett Berard was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Saturday.
Kreider remains day to day and can be activated at any time, but he has missed three consecutive games and could miss his fourth in a row when the Rangers host the Nashville Predators at Madison Square Garden on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSG2, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS).
The injury is not related to the back injury he dealt with earlier in the season.
Kreider has 21 points (17 goals, four assists) in 48 games this season.
Berard, a rookie, has played 19 games with the Rangers this season with seven points (three goals, four assists). He was first recalled from Hartford on Nov. 24 and reassigned Jan. 11.
Berard has 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 31 AHL games this season.
Earlier Saturday, the Rangers made a trade with the Colorado Avalanche, acquiring defenseman Calvin de Haan forward Juuso Parssinen and two draft picks for defenseman Ryan Lindgren, forward Jimmy Vesey and unsigned draft pick Hank Kempf. -- Dan Rosen
New Jersey Devils
Jacob Markstrom participated in an optional morning skate before the Devils faced the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, MSGSN).
The 35-year-old goalie has not played since Jan. 22, when he sprained his MCL during a 5-1 win against the Boston Bruins. His recovery timeline was 4-6 weeks.
"He's progressing very well," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Obviously [he was] taking on more and more today. It's another important day for him.
“He's had no setbacks, just moving in a positive direction. So, I'd say he's getting closer. No doubt."
Markstrom is 21-9-5 with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and three shutouts in 36 games this season, his first with New Jersey. -- Matt Komma
Anaheim Ducks
John Gibson will start against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CHSN, Victory+, KCOP-13, TNT, SN).
The goalie had been unavailable the past three games because of an upper-body injury. He left after the second period of 3-2 overtime win against the Bruins on Feb. 22.
Gibson is 9-9-2 in 24 games (23 starts) this season with 2.66 GAA and .916 save percentage.
Gibson, who played his 500th NHL game on Feb. 4, will be honored for the milestone before the game Saturday.
Oscar Dansk, who backed up Lukas Dostal during Gibson’s absence, was returned to San Diego of the American Hockey League on Friday. -- Dan Arritt
Toronto Maple Leafs
Calle Jarnkrok could make his season debut at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday (1 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, TSN4, TVAS).
The 33-year-old forward had groin and sports hernia surgery Nov. 18 and hasn’t played since March 14, 2024. He was third-line center at practice Saturday.
"I feel great out there,” Jarnkrok said. “I'm just waiting for the last medical clearance here. I don't know if it will be tomorrow or the next day, or the day after that, but I'm really close."
Jarnkrok had 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 52 games last season.
Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forwards Max Domi and Steven Lorentz will be game-time decisions after each missed practice with an undisclosed injury.
Ekman-Larsson did not play the final 14:41 of the third period in a 3-2 win at the New York Rangers on Friday. Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said the injury is not connected to a lower-body injury sustained early in a game at the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 1.
Defenseman Chris Tanev is feeling better but is expected to miss at least the next two games with an upper-body injury sustained on his second shift against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, Berube said. -- Wes Crosby
Winnipeg Jets
Morgan Barron will return against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SNW, NBCSP).
The forward missed eight games for the Jets with an upper-body injury. He will play on a line with Rasmus Kupari and Alex Iafallo.
“We missed his eyes,” Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. “He’s just a guy you’re comfortable with as a coach. You know what you’re going to get every night… He certainly has size, power. He’s a big power forward. He’s responsible without the puck, heavy on the forecheck, we use him on the penalty kill.”
The 26-year-old was placed on injured reserve after sustaining the injury late in the third period of a 4-1 win at the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 28 when he collided with Canadiens center Kirby Dach.
“It was just kind of a weird play; I didn't really think much of it at first,” Barron said. “Something felt a little off and then we got it checked out after the game. That’s the game, that’s hockey, things are moving at a high speed and weird stuff happens sometimes.”
Barron has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 52 games this season. -- Darrin Bauming
Los Angeles Kings
Drew Doughty returned for a 6-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday after missing a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday with a lower-body injury.
Though the defenseman did not disclose specifics of his injury, he indicated to the team website Friday it was something that will need to be managed the remainder of this season.
Doughty missed the first 47 games after breaking his ankle in a preseason game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 25. He made his season debut Jan. 29 before playing for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
He has four points (one goal, three assists) in nine games while averaging 25:25 of ice time. -- Taylor Baird
Toronto Maple Leafs
Max Pacioretty was placed on injured reserve by the Maple Leafs on Friday.
The forward missed his fourth straight game because of tightness that began during practice after returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, according to coach Craig Berube.
Pacioretty has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 37 games this season.
Chris Tanev is day to day with an upper-body injury and also did not play at New York.
The defenseman left a 5-4 overtime win at the Boston Bruins on Tuesday after only two shifts and 49 seconds of ice time. He did not practice Wednesday.
Philippe Myers, who has been a healthy scratch the previous three games, replaced Tanev against the Rangers and skated on a pair with Jake McCabe. Myers was plus-2 in 18:28.
Defenseman Marshall Rifai was recalled from Toronto of the AHL on Friday. -- Dave McCarthy
New York Rangers
J.T. Miller and K'Andre Miller were in the lineup for a 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Friday, while Chris Kreider was out.
J.T. Miller, a forward, did not practice Thursday because of an illness but skated Friday morning. He had an assist and won 13 of 16 face-offs in 19:42 of ice time against Toronto.
K’Andre Miller, a defenseman, sustained a lower-body injury in a 5-1 win at the New York Islanders on Tuesday and left midway through the second period after playing 10:13. He practiced Thursday in a noncontact jersey and skated Friday morning in a regular jersey. He played 23:30 against the Maple Leafs and had three shots on goal.
Kreider, a forward, has missed three games with an upper-body injury. He was a full participant at practice Thursday on a line with left wing Will Cuylle and center Mika Zibanejad and was on the ice Friday morning. -- Dave McCarthy
