NHL Buzz: Hedman returns to practice, day to day for Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman returned to practice Wednesday after he missed a 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday with an upper-body injury.
The defenseman is day to day after he was hurt in the second period of a 6-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday after a check by Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov.
"You want him out here," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said of Hedman returning to the ice.
Hedman is averaging 23:59 in ice time per game, which leads the Lightning. He is second among Tampa Bay defensemen with 42 points (six goals, 36 assists) in 60 games.
Cooper said that having depth on defense will be important as the postseason gets close. The Lightning recently recalled Darren Raddysh from Syracuse of the American Hockey League and could recall defenseman
Philippe Myers
before the season ends.
"That's why they're here and it's that time of the year where, you know, bodies start breaking down, what happens with all the teams," Cooper said. "Part of the moves made at the [NHL Trade] deadline were to give us an opportunity to be able to call guys up.
"So, we'll see what the status is on 'Heddy' later today but it's why you need everybody here."
The Lightning (38-21-5) are third in the Atlantic Division, five points behind the second-place Toronto Maple Leafs, and will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW). -- Corey Long

Edmonton Oilers

Evander Kane practiced Wednesday and could play Thursday when the Oilers visit the Boston Bruins (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN, TVAS).
The forward has missed nine games with an upper-body injury he sustained Feb. 17. Kane took line rushes with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman on Wednesday.
"I haven't followed up with our training staff just yet, but I think all signs are pointing in the right direction," Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. "But I'll follow up and we'll see tomorrow morning. It's a good sign."
Kane has 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 24 games this season. He missed 31 games after his wrist was cut by a skate blade Nov. 8 against the Lightning.
"I think I see a hockey player with great on-ice habits, someone that goes hard to the net, takes pride in his wall work, someone who's physical, someone who understands ways to change momentum in the game that have nothing to do with scoring a goal, and he's a real valued member of our team," Woodcroft said of Kane. -- Amalie Benjamin

Washington Capitals

John Carlson practiced with the Capitals on Wednesday wearing a no-contact jersey. It was the defenseman's first time on the ice with them since being struck in the head with a slap shot from Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon on Dec. 23. When Carlson might be ready to play remains unknown.
"This is an off-in-the-distance thing," Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. "But there's a process that goes with where he's at and what he's gone through, and this is the beginning of the process as far as him joining our team."
Carlson is scheduled to see the doctor again in the next few days to assess his recovery. Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said Friday that Carlson could "get serious about seeing if he can come back" near the end of March.
Washington (31-28-6) trails the Pittsburgh Penguins by five points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with 17 games remaining. The Capitals hope Carlson can get healthy in time to play this season.
"With what happened to him, we want to make sure that he's 100 percent ready to go no matter what," forward T.J. Oshie said. "So, if not, that [stinks], but I'd rather [Carlson] be healthy and ready to rock long term than force something."
Defensemen Martin Fehervary (lower body) and Nick Jensen (upper body) also practiced Wednesday after each was injured against the Anaheim Ducks on March 1. Fehervary was in a full contact jersey and Laviolette said he is day to day. Jensen was in a no-contact jersey and Laviolette said he will most likely not play when Washington hosts the New Jersey Devils on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSWA, MSGSN2, ESPN+, SN NOW). -- Tom Gulitti

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes recalled goalie
Pyotr Kochetkov
on an emergency basis from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old goalie is 10-4-5 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 19 NHL games (18 starts) this season, and 13-5-2 with a 2.39 GAA and .916 save percentage in 20 AHL games.
Kochetkov was recalled after Carolina goalie Antti Raanta left after the first period with an undisclosed injury in a 4-3 shootout win at the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday.
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said after the game Raanta was removed for precautionary reasons.
Kochetkov
scored a goalie goal
for Chicago in its 4-1 win at Manitoba on March 3.
Carolina hosts Philadelphia on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, NBCSP, ESPN+, SN NOW).

Vegas Golden Knights

Adin Hill did not practice with the Golden Knights on Wednesday because of a lower-body injury.
The goalie made 39 saves in a 2-1 loss at the Florida Panthers on Tuesday. It is expected Jonathan Quick will start at Tampa Bay on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSSUN, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Hill is 16-7-1 with a 2.50 GAA and .916 save percentage in 27 games (25 starts) this season.
Vegas is also without goalie Logan Thompson, who is week to week with a lower-body injury sustained Feb. 9. Laurent Brossoit (lower body) has been limited to three games this season.
Quick, who was acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 3, made 25 saves in his Golden Knights debut on Sunday, a 4-3 win against the Canadiens.
"We're keeping an eye on that," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "We'll see how he'll [feel] tomorrow morning. It's good for Jonathan to get some good practice time, some live work. He hasn't had a lot since he's been here. So, we'll make a decision on the goalie tomorrow."
Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore had a maintenance day Wednesday and also did not practice. Theodore scored and played 22:28 on Tuesday.

New York Rangers

Ryan Lindgren practiced in a no-contact jersey Wednesday, the first time the defenseman was on the ice with his Rangers teammates since leaving in the first period of a 6-3 loss at Washington on Feb. 25.
Lindgren was checked into the boards by Oshie. He remains day to day with an upper-body injury and will likely miss his fifth consecutive game when the Rangers visit the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, MSG, ESPN+, SN NOW).
K'Andre Miller will return Thursday from a three-game suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct against Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. The defenseman was on the first pair with Jacob Trouba at practice.
Tyler Motte practiced in full, though Jonny Brodzinski skated on the fourth line at right wing with left wing Jimmy Vesey and center Barclay Goodrow. Motte has missed one game since leaving a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on March 2 with an upper-body injury sustained when the forward was elbowed in the face by Senators forward Austin Watson at 12:49 of the first.