NHL Buzz: Tanev could return from injury for Maple Leafs on Thursday

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Toronto Maple Leafs

Chris Tanev practiced with the Maple Leafs and has not been ruled out for their game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN4, SCRIPPS).

The defenseman has missed the past six games after sustaining an upper-body injury Feb. 25 during a 5-4 win against the Boston Bruins.

“I don’t know, it’s day to day here,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said Wednesday. “We will make a decision tomorrow when he comes in and we see how he feels.”

Tanev did not practice on a regular pair but said he’s pleased with his recovery.

“Feeling good," he said. "Just progressing day by day on the timeline that was given to us. Just trying to get better every day. There was a timeline given to us, so I’m just trying to check the boxes and when that’s there, hopefully I’ll be playing.”

The Maple Leafs (39-22-3) have gone 3-3-0 without Tanev, who has 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) and is plus-26 in 57 games. He is averaging 19:48 of ice time per game. -- Dave McCarthy

Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes returned from a lower-body injury against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday.

The Canucks captain and top defenseman missed the past four games, including a 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. Hughes participated in the morning skate in a noncontact jersey for the first time since sustaining the injury March 1.

"There's a good possibility," Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said before the game. "I saw him this morning. He looks good, so there's a good possibility he'll be in the lineup tonight."

The reigning Norris Trophy winner as the League's top defenseman, Hughes had skated on his own since sustaining his latest injury, during a 6-3 loss at the Seattle Kraken, but Tuesday was his first time on the ice with the full team.

Tocchet said he'd normally like to get Hughes into a practice before returning but said with two sets of back-to-back games this week, that may not be possible.

“It's a hard one this time of year,” Tocchet said Tuesday morning. “If it's November/December, you'd like a guy to get a practice or two, but things change sometimes. This many games left (18), you’ve got to change a few protocols. But obviously the safety of him is obviously No. 1.”

Hughes missed six games and was out more than three weeks because of an oblique injury before and after the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, which he was forced to miss. The game in Seattle was his third back, and Tocchet has said the latest injury was in part a result of compensating for the first one.

The 25-year-old has 60 points (14 goals, 46 assists) in 50 games, which still leads Vancouver by 21 points and is third among NHL defensemen. Hughes is eighth in the NHL in time on ice per game (25:07). -- Kevin Woodley

Dallas Stars

Roope Hintz (face) could return Sunday at the Colorado Avalanche, Stars coach Pete DeBoer said.

The forward has missed the past two games after he was hit by a deflected puck during a 5-4 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. He’s been listed as day to day.

“He looks pretty good,” DeBoer said after practice Wednesday. “He can’t get his heart rate up because of the blood flow for I think it was five days from the time of the injury. But I think once we clear that five-day hurdle, I would think he looks pretty good.

“I would call him possible for Sunday.”

Hintz has 52 points (25 goals, 27 assists) and is plus-13 in 59 games this season.

New York Rangers

Adam Fox skated in a noncontact jersey for the first time since being sidelined because of an upper-body injury but missed his seventh straight game Tuesday, a 2-1 loss at the Winnipeg Jets.

The defenseman was placed on injured reserve Feb. 26, one day after falling hard on his left shoulder during the third period of a 5-1 win against the New York Islanders. There is no timeline for his return.

Fox, who was second on the Rangers and fifth among NHL defensemen with 48 points (five goals, 43 assists) in 58 games this season at the time of the injury, has not played since Feb. 25.

He averages a team-high 23:14 of ice time per game; the Rangers are 2-3-2 since his injury. -- Darrin Bauming

Pittsburgh Penguins

Ryan Shea is week to week because of an upper-body injury.

The defenseman was absent from the morning skate before the Penguins’ 3-2 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday. Shea, who has five points (two goals, three assists) in 30 games this season, played a season-high 24:18 in a 3-1 win at the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

Vladislav Kolyachonok replaced Shea on the top defense pair with Kris Letang on Tuesday, his fourth game since being claimed off waivers from the Utah Hockey Club on Feb. 9.

"We're trying to become more familiar with Vlad's game," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "We've liked what we've seen to this point in the games that he's played in. We really like his mobility, his skating, his ability to close on people in the defensive zone.

"I think Kris is a guy that could potentially be a great mentor for him."

Tommy Novak, acquired in a trade from the Nashville Predators on March 5, also wasn’t available Tuesday. The forward is day to day because of a lower-body injury.

Connor Dewar took Novak's place at second-line left wing next to center Evgeni Malkin in what was his second game since being traded from the Maple Leafs on Friday.

P.O Joseph remains week to week because of an upper-body injury the defenseman sustained March 1. -- Wes Crosby