NHL Buzz: Pacioretty returns for Golden Knights

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

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Vegas Golden Knights

Max Pacioretty played against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday (BSSO, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
The forward had not played since Oct. 14, when he sustained a lower-body injury against the Los Angeles Kings in the second game of the season.
Pacioretty scored three points (two goals, one assist) in two games. -- John Glennon and Danny Webster

Nashville Predators

Filip Forsberg played against the Golden Knights on Wednesday.
The forward skated on a line with Ryan Johansen and Eeli Tolvanen during the morning skate. He has not played since a 3-2 overtime win at the Calgary Flames on Nov. 2 because of an upper-body injury. He left the ice at 10:16 of the third period following a collision with teammate Roman Josi.
Forsberg practiced Monday for the first time since the injury and did conditioning work Tuesday.
Forsberg scored seven points (four goals, three assists) in nine games. -- John Glennon

Los Angeles Kings

Drew Doughty skated in a full-contact jersey Wednesday for the first time since injuring his knee Oct. 22.
"He had a doctor's appointment yesterday and the doctors cleared him to take it up a notch," coach Todd McLellan said. "He's going to be fully involved in the skate today, and our practices over the next little bit, and he's getting closer to playing."
The defenseman, who took a knee-to-knee hit from Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa during a 3-2 overtime loss, resumed skating with the Kings on Friday.
Doughty was expected to be out eight weeks and to need six weeks to resume skating. Friday marked four weeks since the injury.
He was not expected to play when the Kings hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; TNT, SNO, NHL LIVE).
At the time of the injury, Doughty was second on Los Angeles with seven points (one goal, six assists) in four games and first in average ice time per game (22:37).

St. Louis Blues

Brayden Schenn returned to the lineup at the Detroit Red Wings (BSDET+, BSMW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE) after the forward missed nine games with an upper-body injury.
Schenn was injured in the first period of a game against the San Jose Sharks on Nov. 4.
"Really good to see him back," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "He pushed even last game too, but we held him out. He's good to go. He's a very good player for us, two-way player. We know that. He can provide offense for us, but he plays a hard game and does a lot of things for us. We're excited to have him back."
Schenn scored six points (three goals, three assists) in nine games. The Blues were 3-5-1 without him.
"He's an emotional leader for us," defenseman Torey Krug said. "We miss his physicality, his scoring touch. He does everything for us, so he's a jack of all trades. To have him back in the lineup, it's a big step for our group and for our consistency down the middle. Our team got better today by putting him in the lineup." -- Louie Korac

Washington Capitals

Nicklas Backstrom
skated with the Capitals for the first time this season when he participated in their morning skate Wednesday wearing a dark blue, no-contact jersey.
The center has not played this season because of a hip injury, and coach Peter Laviolette said there remains no timetable for when Backstrom will be ready.
Backstrom has been skating on his own for the past month.
"This is another step," Laviolette said. "It's really good to have him out there just to see him on the ice. It's a little bit different when somebody's out for a week and they come back in a blue jersey and they're working their way back in, so he's still got work to do. We're still going to work in the best interest of Nick, but certainly the fact that he joined us in a skate is a real positive for everybody. Really good."
Forward T.J. Oshie (lower body) was placed on injured reserve and missed his second straight game when Washington played the Montreal Canadiens (SN1, SNE, SNO, NBCSWA+, RDS, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).
Forward Conor Sheary (upper body) skated briefly before the morning skate but also missed his second straight game. -- Tom Gulitti