NHL Buzz: Kane to return for Oilers against Bruins

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Edmonton Oilers

Evander Kane will play when the Oilers visit the Boston Bruins on Thursday (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 and did so again in the morning skate Thursday.
"He can't make up for the time lost all in the first period tonight, so I just want him play his game," Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said Thursday. "Simple, straightforward, direct. I would say that the injuries that he's had, they were freak injuries. But he's a warrior who came back and played early in coming back from the wrist and tried to play through some of the mid-body stuff. So, I just want him to find his game, play simple, bring what he brings."
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.
"As long as he's playing at the top of his game when the games matter most, that's what he'll remember this year from," Woodcroft said. "It won't be from some of the freak injuries. It'll be from playing good hockey deep. And if he can do that, I think he'll be pretty happy."
Edmonton has gone 5-3-1 without Kane.
"Not having him has been a challenge," Woodcroft said. "Without Evander Kane, one of the best players in the NHL, the team is four points out of first in the conference. The side benefit of that is that you learn a lot about other people that are being asked to do a little bit more." -- Amalie Benjamin

Carolina Hurricanes

Pyotr Kochetkov started in goal for the Hurricanes against the Philadelphia Flyers after he was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old rookie replaced Antti Raanta, who suffered a groin injury in a 4-3 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday. He allowed two goals on 10 shots before leaving the game after the first period. In 23 games, Raanta is 16-2-3 with a 2.32 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and three shutouts.
"Right now, we're hoping it's not too serious, but we'll see," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said.
In 19 NHL games this season, Kochetkov is 10-4-5 with a 2.33 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and three shutouts.
Defenseman Jalen Chatfield missed his first game of the season with an undisclosed injury. He has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 62 games.
"We're in that situation where, if somebody's a little iffy, we hold them out," Brind'Amour said. "I think he will be out for a little while, but not too, too long."
Jesse Puljujarvi skated with the Hurricanes for the first time Thursday, but did not make his debut against the Flyers The 24-year-old forward had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 58 games this season with the Oilers before he was acquired for forward prospect
Patrik Puistola
on Feb. 28.
"I want to give him as much time as possible to learn what we're doing before we just throw him out there because there's a lot to take in," Brind'Amour said. "At the same time, we've got to get him going." -- Kurt Dusterberg

Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman did not play for the Lightning against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday because of an upper-body injury.
The defenseman is day to day after he was injured in the second period of a 6-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday after a check by Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov. He did not play in a 5-2 win against the Flyers on Tuesday.
Hedman was on the ice prior to an optional skate Thursday.
"You want him out [there]," Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said Wednesday.
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.

Los Angeles Kings

Trevor Moore will play for the Kings when they visit the Colorado Avalanche (9 p.m. ET; SN1, SN360, ALT, BSW, SN NOW, ESPN+).
The forward has missed seven games after leaving a 2-1 loss at the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 21 with an upper-body injury.
"Moore is good to go," Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan said after morning skate.
Moore has seven goals and 13 assists in 42 games with the Kings this season.
McLellan also said that defenseman Sean Durzi, who left a 4-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Monday with an upper-body injury, did not travel with the team.
Durzi is fifth on the Kings with 27 assists and is second among their defensemen with seven goals in 62 games this season.
Los Angeles recalled defenseman
Jordan Spence
on Wednesday. Spence has played three games with the Kings this season and averaged 14:19 of ice time. -- Ryan Boulding