Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Bryan Rust was activated off injured reserve and returned for the Penguins on Sunday. He played 19:22 and was minus-2 with six shots on goal in a 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at PPG Paints Arena.
The forward missed seven games with an upper-body injury. Rust took full contact for the first time in practice Friday ahead of Pittsburgh's 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
The Penguins were 2-5-0 after Rust was injured in a 7-6 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 25, when he had two goals and an assist. When healthy, Rust is normally first-line right wing with center Sidney Crosby. He has seven goals in his past nine games.
Pittsburgh (28-27-8) trails the Detroit Red Wings by eight points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. They have lost six of seven, including three straight while being outscored 15-1.
“Very,” coach Mike Sullivan said before the game of the importance of having a short memory after losing the past two games by a combined score of 11-1.
Forward Drew O'Connor, who has been out two games because of a concussion, skated before the game Sunday but did not play. -- Wes Crosby
Chicago Blackhawks
Andreas Athanasiou is nearing a return for the Chicago Blackhawks, who host the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NHLN, NBCSCH).
The forward has not played in four months since sustaining a groin injury during a 5-3 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 9. He had a setback in early December but has been skating since Feb. 10.
Athanasiou has four assists in 11 games this season.
Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who has been out since January, returned for a 4-1 loss at the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Zaitsev sustained a right knee injury during a 2-1 shootout win against the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 16.
Zaitsev has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 27 games this season.
New York Rangers
Jacob Trouba is expected to miss 2-3 weeks because of a lower-body injury.
"After some testing and further evaluations the last 24 hours, he's going to be out probably around 2-3 weeks," Rangers general manager Chris Drury said Friday. "At some point in the near future we'll give an update on where he's at, but that's the update on him."
The defenseman left a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday with 4:32 remaining in the third period, not long after skating back for a puck in the Rangers' zone and taking a hit from Panthers forward Jonah Gadjovich, whose left leg appeared to make contact with Trouba's right leg.
Trouba, New York's captain, has 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) and is averaging 21:46 of ice time in 60 games.
New York acquired defenseman Chad Ruhwedel in a trade with the Penguins on Friday for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
The Rangers (41-18-4) have a four-point lead on the Carolina Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
