NHL Buzz: Athanasiou plays for Blackhawks for 1st time in 4 months

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Chicago Blackhawks

Andreas Athanasiou played for the Blackhawks for the first time in four months when they hosted the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.

The forward had been out 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.

"Obviously he's a veteran guy who's been around so he knows how fast the League gets this time of the year," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. "I just told him to make sure he uses his speed and have a shot-first process. ... So just to get him using his speed, thinking moving that puck north will be a real help for our whole lineup to have him back doing that and if he's shooting first, usually we're recovering pucks even in the second half of last game."

Athanasiou took part in line rushes with Tyler Johnson and Darren Raddysh during the morning skate. He has four assists in 11 games this season.

Forward Landon Slaggert could make his NHL debut for the Blackhawks against the Los Angeles Kings on Friday. The 21-year-old signed a two-year, entry-level contract Sunday. Slaggert had 31 points (20 goals, 11 assists) in 36 games with the University of Notre Dame this season.

Slaggert was selected by Chicago in the third round (No. 79) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

"We're going to try and do that (debut Friday), unless something changes between now and then," Richardson said. -- Tracey Myers

Florida Panthers

Kyle Okposo made his Panthers debut when they played at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.

The forward was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Friday for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. It will become a fifth-round pick if Florida wins the Stanley Cup this season.

Okposo, who has 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 61 games this seasn, was expected to play on a line with Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell.

Nashville Predators

Dante Fabbro will be out 2-3 weeks for the Predators with an upper-body injury.

The defenseman was injured in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. He played 3:28, his last shift coming with 5:20 remaining in the first period.

Fabbro, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Nashville on Friday, has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 53 games this season.

The Predators (37-25-4), who hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference, visit the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; SN, BSSO).

Calgary Flames

Jacob Markstrom is day to day for the Flames with a lower-body injury.

The goalie was expected to start for the Flames against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday before the team said he was injured and recalled Dustin Wolf from Calgary of the American Hockey League.

Markstrom is 22-17-2 with a 2.68 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and two shutouts in 41 games this season.

Wolf backed up Dan Vladar against the Avalanche.

Calgary (31-28-5) entered Tuesday eight points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner was absent from practice Monday after the forward did not play in a 3-2 win at the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.

Marner sustained a lower-body injury during a 4-1 loss at the Boston Bruins on March 7, though he finished the game. He scored and had three shots on goal in 20:51 of ice time.

Toronto (37-19-8), which is third in the Atlantic Division, visits the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

“Mitch is day to day, unlikely to play on Thursday,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We think this time is important for him, but day to day from that point.”

Forward Nicholas Robertson was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League on Monday.

Jake McCabe (maintenance) also did not practice; the defenseman had an assist and two shots in 21:53 against the Canadiens.

Defenseman Mark Giordano was a full participant in practice for the first time since sustaining a concussion Feb. 29 during a 4-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes. He skated on an extra pair with Connor Timmins. -- Dave McCarthy

Vancouver Canucks

Tyler Myers could return for the Canucks against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET; SNP, ALT).

The defenseman returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a lower-injury sustained in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 29. He was listed as week to week and has missed the past four games.

"It was good to get back out with the guys," Myers said after practice Tuesday. "It's getting pretty close here so we'll see in the next day or few days what game it's going to be. I know the coaches are still talking and still got to have some conversations with the medical staff. But we'll see after I talk to them where we kind of stand."

If not Wednesday, Myers likely will be back against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

"I like to get certain guys practice time and [Myers] had a really good practice day so whether he plays tomorrow or the next game, he's getting close," coach Rick Tocchet said. "It gives coaches hard decisions."

Myers has 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) and a plus-12 rating in 62 games this season, his best offensive output in five seasons in Vancouver. He averaging 18:57 of ice time, including 2:11 on the penalty kill, third most on the team.

With Myers close to returning, defenseman Noah Juulsen seems most likely to come out of the lineup. He sat out five straight games in mid-January, the last time Vancouver had a full roster of healthy defensemen.

Juulsen has seven points (one goal, six assists) playing in an NHL career-high 49 games with the Canucks this season.

"Just because we're playing well I still think you want to put your best players out there," Tocchet said. -- Kevin Woodley

Carolina Hurricanes

Brendan Lemieux signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Hurricanes on Monday.

The 27-year-old forward has three points (two goals, one assist) in 25 games this season. He played his 300th NHL game against the Calgary Flames on Sunday, a 7-2 win at PNC Arena.

Lemieux had signed a one-year, $800,000 contract July 11, 2023, and could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

"Brendan has brought an element of toughness to our lineup," Carolina general manager Don Waddell said. "He understands his role with our club, and we're glad to keep him in Raleigh for another season."

Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round (No. 31) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Lemieux has 72 points (35 goals, 37 assists) in seven seasons with the Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Kings, Rangers and Winnipeg Jets, and one goal in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Justin Danforth has a concussion and will be out longer than day to day, Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said Monday.

The forward missed a 2-1 loss to the Predators on Saturday with an illness. He had one assist and was plus-2 in 10:35 of ice time in a 4-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers on March 7.

Goalie Elvis Merzlikins started for Columbus at Montreal on Tuesday. He was day to day with an upper-body injury and last played March 2, when he made 26 saves in a 5-2 win at Chicago.