Preseason Buzz: Suter looks sharp in return for Wild

Welcome to the NHL preseason! The 2018-19 regular season opens Oct. 3.
This is a busy time, with rookies looking to make a name for themselves and veterans trying to lock down roster spots. Each day we will have all the updates of note right here.
Here is the preseason news for Thursday:

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Suter looks like old self in return with Wild

Ryan Suter made his preseason debut in the Minnesota Wild's 4-3 win against the Winnipeg Jets at Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday. It was the defenseman's first game since fracturing his right ankle against the Dallas Stars on March 31. He led the Wild in ice time with 21:22.
"It felt fine, it felt good," said Suter, who has been in the top three in the NHL in ice time during each of his six seasons with the Wild. "It felt like just another preseason game. That was my goal, to be in good enough shape to be in a preseason game or the first game of the season. I felt fine."
He admitted playing with some caution.
"A couple of times going back for pucks you think about it a little bit," said Suter, who had two shots on goal and one blocked shot. "There were certain points, but I think that's just preseason."
Suter is focused on being ready for the Wild's regular-season opener at the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 4 (9 p.m. ET; ALT, FS-N, FS-WI, NHL.TV).
"Now we're not talking about [the injury]," he said. "Now we're talking about our team and playing Colorado and focused on that. For me, now it's another week to get ready and be even better for the first game."

Krug happy after first game back for Bruins

Torey Krug said he felt good Wednesday after his first game for the Boston Bruins since breaking his left ankle in Game 4 of the Bruins' loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Second Round on May 4.
"OK energy-wise," the defenseman told the Bruins website after Boston's 3-2 overtime loss against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden. "You can never prepare for the physicality and pushing off guys in the corner, getting hit and going back for pucks. You can't prepare for that just because you don't have that same competitiveness in practice. Your teammates don't want to blow you up or anything."
Krug played 20:12 and had two blocked shots. He said he hopes to play in Boston's preseason finale against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The Bruins open the regular season at the Washington Capitals on Oct. 3 (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, NHL.TV).
Forward Noel Acciari played 14:25 and was credited with five hits in his preseason debut following offseason groin surgery.
"It was nice to get a game in and just kind of get in that game shape again," Acciari said. "Overall I felt pretty good."

Ladd likely to miss start of season for Islanders

Andrew Ladd (undisclosed) is unlikely to be in the lineup when the New York Islanders start the regular season at the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 4 (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, MSG+, NHL.TV).
"It's day to day," general manager Lou Lamoriello said of the forward. "He's been skating on and off. It will be an ongoing process. I don't think he'll be ready for the beginning of the season simply because he hasn't been at practice. But I don't think it's anything long-term."
Ladd has missed nine straight practices but skated on his own Wednesday. He had 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 73 games last season, his second with New York after signing a seven-year contract July 1, 2016.

Kempny, Boyd could miss opener for Capitals

Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny is day to day with an upper-body injury and center Travis Boyd is week to week with a lower-body injury.
Each was injured in the third period of the Capitals' 4-0 win at the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Kempny was injured on a hit by Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who has a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety Thursday for elbowing Kempny.
Boyd was injured blocking a shot.
It is unknown whether Kempny will be ready for the Capitals' season opener against the Bruins on Oct. 3. Boyd appears likely to begin the season on injured reserve.
The 25-year-old rookie was in competition with Nic Dowd for the fourth-line center job vacated when Jay Beagle signed with the Vancouver Canucks as an unrestricted free agent, but was expected to make the opening night roster.
Kempny, 28, was re-signed to a four-year, $10 million contract June 29. He was key contributor during the Capitals' run to the Stanley Cup after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Feb. 19 for a third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.
-- Tom Gulitti

Kessel skips practice with Penguins to receive honor

Phil Kessel was excused from practice with the Pittsburgh Penguins to be honored during the Action for Cancer Awareness Awards in Washington.
The forward received the Excellence in Cancer Awareness Award during the Prevent Cancer Foundation's 26th annual luncheon at the Library of Congress. During his time with the Boston Bruins in 2006-07, Kessel had surgery for testicular cancer and won the Masterton Trophy for perseverance that season.
Kessel is expected to rejoin the Penguins on Friday.
"He's very deserving of it," coach Mike Sullivan said. "It's a testament to his character and his care for people like him that have gone through that particular challenge. ... I think it says a lot about who he is as a person and what he represents."
In Kessel's absence, Zach Aston-Reese replaced him at second-line right wing next to center Evgeni Malkin and left wing Carl Hagelin. Derek Grant skated at fourth-line right wing in place of Daniel Sprong, who is day to day with a lower-body injury sustained in the third period of a 5-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.
Defenseman Justin Schultz practiced after missing the game Wednesday with an upper-body injury. He said he hopes to be ready for the season-opener against the Washington Capitals on Oct. 4. -- Wes Crosby

Davidson agrees to contract with Blackhawks

Defenseman
Brandon Davidson
and the Chicago Blackhawks agreed to terms on a one-year, $650,000 contract.
Davidson, an unrestricted free agent, came to camp with the Blackhawks on a professional tryout. He had seven points (four goals, three assists) in 51 games with the Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers and Islanders last season. He has 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 152 NHL games.
The move came one day after the Blackhawks assigned defenseman Adam Boqvist, the No. 8 pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, to London of the Ontario Hockey League.

Letestu signs one-year contract with Blue Jackets

Mark Letestu
signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 33-year-old center had 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 80 games last season, including four points (one goal, three assists) in 20 games with the Blue Jackets after he was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 25.
Letestu accepted a professional tryout contract with the Florida Panthers on Aug. 14 but was released Monday.
Letestu, who was with Columbus from 2011-15, has 210 points (93 goals, 117 assists) in 558 regular-season NHL games with the Blue Jackets, Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 36 Stanley Cup Playoff games.