NHL Buzz: Tavares playing for Maple Leafs against Flames

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Throughout the 2021-22 season, NHL.com will have you covered with the latest news.

Toronto Maple Leafs

John Tavares is playing for the Maple Leafs against the Calgary Flames on Friday (TSN4, SNW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The center did not play in a 3-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday because of a lower-body injury sustained in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
Tavares was a full participant in practice Friday on a line with Alexander Kerfoot and Mitchell Marner. Tavares also occupied his usual spot on a power-play unit with Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Morgan Rielly and Marner.
Tavares was tied for the Maple Leafs lead in goals (seven) and points (13).
"Whether he's thriving and scoring at a high clip like he is right now or whether it wasn't going in for him earlier in the season, defensively he's been great for us so his complete game has been great," Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. -- Dave McCarthy

San Jose Sharks

Coach Bob Boughner and seven Sharks were removed from NHL COVID-19 protocol were expected to join them for a full team practice on Friday.
Forwards Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc and
Matt Nieto
, and defensemen
Erik Karlsson
,
Jake Middleton
,
Radim Simek
and
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
skated the past three days before flying to meet the Sharks in Colorado.
San Jose, which lost 4-1 at the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, plays at the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.
"It's been a heck of a long time, " Boughner said Wednesday, speaking to the media for the first time since being placed in protocol on Oct. 30. "Watching the team it's tough, obviously, but feeling good. ... I dealt with basically a head congestion and a headache for 4-5 days and then I was fine."
Forwards Sasha Chmelevski, Joel Kellman and John Leonard, and defensemen Artemi Kniazev, Jaycob Megna, Nicolas Meloche and Ryan Merkley were assigned to San Jose of the American Hockey League.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators cancelled practice Friday out of an abundance of caution with nine players in NHL COVID-19 protocol.
Matt Murray, Alex Formenton and Nikita Zaitsev were placed in protocol Thursday.
Murray, a goalie; Formenton, a forward; and Zaitsev, a defenseman, joined defenseman Josh Brown, Victor Mete and Nick Holden, and forwards Austin Watson, Connor Brown and Dylan Gambrell.
The Senators lost 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.
"There's not a guy that I can say didn't give everything he had," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "It's unfortunate when we're this shorthanded, but I thought our guys couldn't have played much harder."
Ottawa, which lost to the Boston Bruins 3-2 on Tuesday, did not practice Wednesday for precautionary reasons. The Senators also canceled practice Monday.
The Senators play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
Forward Andrew Agozzino and defensemen Dillon Heatherington and Lassi Thompson were recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Thursday.
Forwards Scott Sabourin and Egor Sokolov were recalled from Belleville on Monday, and defenseman Erik Brannstrom was recalled on Sunday. -- Calum Fraser

Pittsburgh Penguins

Chad Ruhwedel and Marcus Pettersson were placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol by the Penguins on Friday, one day after they returned to the lineup.
The defensemen each missed three games because of COVID-19 protocol before returning for a 3-2 shootout win against the Florida Panthers on Thursday. They will be ineligible to play at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday because of Canada's mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement after testing positive.
Defenseman Juuso Riikola was recalled on an emergency basis from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
The Penguins also recalled goalie Louis Domingue from the AHL. Tristan Jarry, who will start for the Penguins against the Washington Capitals on Sunday, will not make the trip to Ottawa.