NHL Buzz: Talbot could return for Senators against Flyers

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Ottawa Senators

Cam Talbot could make his return against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TSN5, RDS2, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The goalie, who hasn't played since March 4 because of a mid-body injury, faced shots in the goal usually defended by starter during the morning skate. Coach D.J. Smith said the Senators will make a game-time decision on which goaltender, Talbot or Mads Sogaard, will start.
"He's come back [from injury] every time and been really solid," Smith said of Talbot. "I mean, he's been solid for a lot of games for us. He carried us through December, but so has [Sogaard] as of late as well. These are tough decisions. We know the situation that we're in with how many games [are left] and what we think we'd have to win to possibly have a chance, and we're going to need both of them."
Talbot is 15-14-1 with a 2.84 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 32 games this season. On Wednesday, Talbot said he felt "really good" in practice.
"To be back for this, the last eight games or so, whatever it is, it's huge," Talbot said. "I've been working to be a part of this. I didn't want to be out for the year and stuff like that. I've put in a lot of work in the last few weeks just to make sure I was back to at least be a part of it."
Defenseman Thomas Chabot could be out the rest of the regular season because of an upper-body injury. He left during the third period of a 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers on Monday after taking a hit by Panthers forward Givani Smith.
The Senators (36-33-5) are five points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Each team has eight games remaining.-- Callum Fraser

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St. Louis Blues

Pavel Buchnevich and Robert Thomas will not play for the Blues against the Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, BSMW, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Each forward is out with an upper-body injury.
"Thomas has been dealing with something, so they both will not be players tomorrow," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said Wednesday. "Thomas maybe (could play Saturday). That's all I know."
Buchnevich had a goal and an assist in 19:10 of ice time in a 6-5 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Thomas scored a goal in 15:53 of ice time.
Buchnevich is second on the Blues with 66 points (25 goals, 41 assists) in 59 games this season; Thomas is third with 63 points (17 goals, 46 assists) in 70 games.
Kasperi Kapanen will shift from wing to center against the Blackhawks.
"It's new for him. We'll see how he does," Berube said. "He hasn't really [played center], probably when he was young, but he's got a good head. He's pretty solid defensively, and I feel like he's the best guy to do the job." -- Lou Korac

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Toronto Maple Leafs

Ryan O'Reilly's return from a broken finger is getting closer for the Maple Leafs, and coach Sheldon Keefe did not rule out the possibility that he could be back this week.
"Just to continue to ramp him up and make sure things respond positively both as he is shooting more, handling pucks more and then also just making sure he's safe in terms of minimizing risk for re-injury," Keefe said Tuesday. "… I would call it unlikely to play this week but that hasn't been ruled out necessarily. I think the plan is more to ramp him up through this week and then look more towards next (week to return to play)."
The center took part in the optional morning skate Wednesday before the Maple Leafs lost 3-2 in overtime to the Panthers. He has not played since March 4, when he sustained the injury during a 4-1 loss to the Canucks. O'Reilly had surgery and the initial time frame for a return was four weeks.
He took part in a skill development session that included handling and shooting pucks with teammates Tuesday but departed before the main session began.
"Today he didn't practice, but he did everything but practice and he got a lot of work in individually himself before we even got out there," Keefe said. "The hope is he will continue to progress towards practice here."
O'Reilly has five points (three goals, two assists) in eight games with the Maple Leafs since being acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 17.
Forward Noel Acciari did not practice Tuesday after sustaining an undisclosed injury during a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. He skated on his own Wednesday but did not play against the Panthers.
"He's day to day at this point," Keefe said Tuesday. -- Dave McCarthy