NHL Buzz: Vanecek makes Panthers debut against Sabres

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Florida Panthers

Vitek Vanecek made his Panthers debut with a shutout in a 4-0 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

The goalie was acquired from the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday for forward Patrick Giles.

Florida is his fourth NHL team: Vanecek played two seasons with the Washington Capitals (2020-22), two with the New Jersey Devils (2022-24), and one with the Sharks.

Vanecek was supposed to start for San Jose on Tuesday in Buffalo but was held out for trade-related reasons.

"I am here to do everything I can to help the team win games," Vanecek said. "Really good guys, really good team. I hope we go as far as possible, win the Stanley Cup again." -- George Richards

Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman was not in the lineup for a 4-0 loss against the Boston Bruins on Saturday and is day to day with a lower-body injury.

The defenseman and Lightning captain played 2:57 in a 6-5 win against the Sabres on Thursday. He did not practice Friday as part of a day off for all Lightning players who participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, but was on the ice for warmups before the game Saturday.

Hedman has 50 points (11 goals, 39 assists) in 61 games this season. He was replaced in the lineup by Nick Perbix. -- Corey Long

Ottawa Senators

Dylan Cozens and Dennis Gilbert were each in the lineup for a 4-3 overtime win against the New York Rangers on Saturday, one day after being acquired in a trade with the Sabres.

Cozens, a forward, had an assist and a game-high nine hits in 17:27 of ice time. He has 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 62 games this season.

Gilbert, a defenseman, had three hits in 6:19. He has five assists in 25 games.

"I really wanted to be a part of the solution in Buffalo," Cozens said Friday. "I dreamt every day about being a part of a good team in Buffalo, playing in the playoffs in Buffalo, so it's tough, it's sad, for sure. But at the same time, there's a very exciting opportunity in Ottawa and I'm super excited to be a part of the Sens."

Washington Capitals

Sonny Milano sustained a "fairly significant setback" in his recovery from an upper-body injury, Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said Friday.

The forward hasn't played since being injured against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 6.

Milano was cleared for full contact practices last week, but he has not skated with the Capitals this week.

"He definitely had a setback, which is tough to see because he's been working so hard to come back," Patrick said. "We see him on the ice, but even away from the ice, he's putting in the time and he really wanted to come back and be available for the playoffs and I think in pushing to do that he had a fairly significant setback last week. So, it's kind of back to the drawing board a little bit with him. So, really hard to see. He's torn up about it, as are we, and we'll just have to figure out next steps in the next couple of days."

Milano had no points in three games this season before he was injured. -- Tom Gulitti

New York Rangers

Chris Kreider returned to the lineup Saturday, a 4-3 overtime loss at Ottawa, after missing six games with an upper-body injury.

The injury, which was not related to the back injury he dealt with earlier in the season, had kept the forward out since Feb. 22, when he scored in an 8-2 loss to Buffalo.

Kreider had one shot on goal in 15:12 of ice time Saturday. He has 21 points (17 goals, four assists) in 49 games this season.

Los Angeles Kings

Andre Lee signed a two-year, $1.5 million contract ($775,000 average annual value) with the Kings on Saturday.

The 24-year-old forward has three points (one goal, two assists) in 19 games this season, his first in the NHL.

Los Angeles hosts the St. Louis Blues on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; KMOV-TV, Matrix-MW, FDSNW, Victory+).

Edmonton Oilers

Mattias Ekholm will miss his second straight game Saturday against the Dallas Stars (10 p.m. ET, CBC, SN, CITY, Victory+).

The defenseman missed his first game of the season, a 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday for what Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch initially called "maintenance," before specifying Saturday it was an injury.

It's expected to keep Ekholm out for at least one more game. Edmonton visits Buffalo on Monday.

"It's an injury," Knoblauch said. "He will be joining us on the road trip, but whether he's playing that first game in Buffalo or sometime when we're in New York (next week) … we expect he will be with us."

Defenseman John Klingberg will also miss his second straight game Saturday with an undisclosed injury. Jake Walman will make his Oilers debut after the defenseman was acquired in a trade with the Sharks on Thursday. -- Gerry Moddejonge