NHL Buzz: Guentzel to play for Penguins tonight
Svechnikov to start season on IR; Norris out for Senators opener; Bennett doubtful for Panthers' 1st game
© Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Penguins
Jake Guentzel will play for the Penguins in their season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS).
The forward practiced at his usual spot at first-line left wing Monday and participated in an optional morning skate Tuesday. Guentzel was originally expected to miss at least five games to start the regular season after having right ankle surgery on Aug. 2.
"It's kind of remarkable what each day kind of does for an injury like this," Guentzel said after practice Monday. "I'm feeling really good. … You're going to have those doubts a little bit. That's the biggest thing, you have to make sure you're comfortable out there. Make sure you're ready to go."
Guentzel had been skating since training camp opened Sept. 21. He joined practice in a no-contact capacity on Sept. 29 and began to take full contact on Oct. 3, but did not play in either of Pittsburgh's final two preseason games after.
"Do I expect him, when he does go back in the lineup, to go through some growing pains? Possibly," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Monday. "He's got a real high hockey IQ, but my experience has been it takes players a couple of games to get their timing back."
Guentzel led Pittsburgh with 36 goals in 78 games last season and was third with 73 points, behind centers Sidney Crosby (93) and Evgeni Malkin (83). -- Wes Crosby
Anaheim Ducks
Leo Carlsson did not practice Tuesday and is day to day with a lower-body injury.
The 18-year-old rookie center was injured during practice Friday when he fell during a drill and slid into the end boards.
Carlsson is not on injured reserve, so it's possible he could play for the Ducks in their season opener at the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Carlsson had one assist in five preseason games.
The Ducks claimed forward Ross Johnston from the New York Islanders on Tuesday; Anaheim forwards Isac Lundestrom (Achilles, out four months) and Alex Killorn (broken finger, out 4-6 weeks) will begin the season on injured reserve. -- Dan Arritt
Carolina Hurricanes
Andrei Svechnikov will start the season on injured reserve.
The forward had surgery in July for a torn ACL in his right knee sustained in a 4-0 loss to the Golden Knights on March 11. He wore a yellow no-contact jersey throughout preseason practices, but did not play in any of Carolina's exhibition games.
"We kind of hoped that he would be ready," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said Tuesday. "He certainly looks good and everything, but that's not something where you want to rush him back. He's close, but he's not ready. So, we will go without him for a while."
The Hurricanes host the Ottawa Senators in the season opener for each team Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, SN1, RDS).
Svechnikov was tied for second on the Hurricanes with 55 points (23 goals, 32 assists) in 64 games prior to his injury last season and was selected to the NHL All-Star Game for the first time.
"The medical staff has a certain criteria he's got to reach with his strength and obviously he's not quite there," Brind'Amour said. "Obviously you watch him and you can't tell that anything is there, but you just can't take a chance."
Brind'Amour was uncertain whether Svechnikov would travel with the team on Carolina's six-game road trip following the home opener.
"Probably not. We'll see," Brind'Amour said. "He's real close. Its' got to be right. We're leaving on Thursday or Friday, so I don't anticipate that happening. … We played without him a lot at the end of the year and obviously through preseason. Next guy up and you keep going and be hopeful he returns soon." -- Kurt Dusterberg
Ottawa Senators
Josh Norris will not play in the Senators' regular-season opener at the Hurricanes on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, SN1, RDS) because of a shoulder injury.
Norris, a center who hasn't played since re-injuring his shoulder on Jan. 21, practiced Tuesday, but has not been cleared for contact. Forward Zack MacEwen, who is day to day with an upper-body injury, did not practice, and if he cannot play Wednesday, the Senators will dress 11 forwards and six defensemen.
"For one game, you can do it," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "If there are whistles, icings, that makes it significantly easier. I think when you run into a situation, maybe, where you play seven minutes straight, six minutes straight, five minutes straight of no-whistle hockey, that's where it gets a little tricky."
Restricted free agent center Shane Pinto is currently without a contract because of Ottawa's NHL salary cap situation. If Norris were to be placed on long-term injured reserve, that would free up enough space to sign Pinto, but Smith anticipates Norris playing "very soon." -- Callum Fraser
Los Angeles Kings
Viktor Arvidsson is questionable to play for the Kings in their season opener against the Colorado Avalanche at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; MAX, TNT).
Arvidsson sustained a lower-body injury in practice on Monday, general manager Rob Blake said.
"Right now it would be day to day," Blake said of Arvidsson, who did not practice on Tuesday.
Arvidsson had 59 points (26 goals, 33 assists) in 77 games last season, fourth on the Kings.
After Wednesday, Los Angeles next plays Saturday against Carolina. -- Dan Greenspan
Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett is doubtful for the season opener at the Minnesota Wild on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; BSWI, BSN, BSFL) with a lower-body injury.
"I would list him as longer than day to day," coach Paul Maurice said Saturday. "He is doubtful for the opener. I would say he misses a couple weeks, maybe."
Bennett played 9:43 and did not have a point in a 6-3 preseason win at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
The 27-year-old forward had three points (one goal, two assists) in three preseason games. -- Derek Van Diest
Seattle Kraken
Shane Wright, the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, was assigned to Coachella Valley of the American Hockey League on Saturday.
Seattle received a special exemption allowing them to send the 19-year-old forward to the AHL instead of back to Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League.
"We see advancements in each part of his game," coach Dave Hakstol said Friday. "He's played each of the four available (preseason) games. We've put him into different situations, a couple of games where he's been higher up in the lineup, a couple of games where he's had a depth role in the lineup."
Wright had two assists in four preseason games with Seattle. He had two points (one goal, one assist) in eight games for the Kraken last season and played eight games for Coachella Valley, registering six points (four goals, two assists), before helping Canada win the gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
Wright finished the season with Windsor and had 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 20 games.
"It's a process and we all have to understand it's a different process for everybody," Hakstol said. "There's never a race to get there and in our society, in this day and age, everybody thinks it is and that it should be. But that's not the case. For the young guys we want them to get here when they're ready and for everybody else just have the opportunity to come in and be at their best."
The Kraken begin the season at the Golden Knights on Tuesday (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS). -- Derek Van Diest
