Training Camp Buzz: Matthews on line with Tavares, Marner for Maple Leafs

Welcome to the Training Camp Buzz. The 24 teams who will be competing for the Stanley Cup began training camp at their facilities Monday. The teams are scheduled to head to their respective hub cities (Toronto for the 12 Eastern Conference teams, Edmonton for the 12 Western Conference teams), on July 26, with the Stanley Cup Qualifiers set to begin Aug. 1.

Here's a look around the League at the latest from training camp:

Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews scored two goals in a Maple Leafs scrimmage Sunday playing on a line with John Tavares and Mitchell Marner in place of Zach Hyman, who was "unfit to play."

Coach Sheldon Keefe said he wanted to see how the three players jelled.

"I've used them together before in certain situations," Keefe said. "I'm not afraid to change things up if things are not working."

Hyman was on the ice working with Toronto's backup goalies about an hour before the scrimmage. Keefe said he had low concern that the forward will not be ready for Game 1 of the best-of-5 series against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Aug. 2 in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city for the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. -- Mike Zeisberger

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby did not practice with the Penguins after leaving a scrimmage early Saturday for an undisclosed reason.

Crosby, who scored a goal in the first period, left the bench about 10 minutes into the 25-minute second period, went to the locker room, and did not return for the rest of the two-period scrimmage.

As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.

The center scored 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists) in 41 games this season and missed 28 games because of a core muscle injury that required surgery Nov. 14.

The Penguins will play the Montreal Canadiens in a best-of-5 qualifier series in Toronto beginning Aug. 1.

Philadelphia Flyers

Jakub Voracek returned to practice with the Flyers.

The forward, who had not missed practice since training camp opened Monday, did not take part in a scrimmage Saturday because of a delayed and inconclusive COVID-19 test he took Friday. A subsequent test was negative, and he was allowed to return Sunday.

"[Voracek] looked fine, a lot of energy, a lot of pop in his skating," coach Alain Vigneault said. "It was obvious he had skated back home [while the season was paused] a couple of times a week. He looked good, looked focused out there. I like the energy and enthusiasm be brought to our group."

Voracek scored 56 points (12 goals, 44 assists) in 69 games this season.

The Flyers will play in the round-robin portion of the Qualifiers along with the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals to determine seeding for the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia's first game is against Boston on Aug. 2 in Toronto, the hub city in the East.

St. Louis Blues

Vladimir Tarasenko was on the second power-play unit when the Blues practiced special teams for the first time in training camp.

The Blues, who were third in the NHL on the power play during the regular season (24.3 percent), had Tarasenko on a unit with defenseman Colton Parayko and forwards Tyler Bozak, Robert Thomas and Sammy Blais. The top unit of defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forwards Ryan O'Reilly, David Perron, Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz was kept intact.

"The first unit had great success this year," coach Craig Berube said. "The power play overall had great success, third in the National Hockey League. I wanted to keep it the same for now and see how it looks. It's just a start. Who knows how things go and things change."

Tarasenko, who had surgery on his left shoulder Oct. 29, was activated from injured reserve July 13. He scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 10 games this season but is expected to be fully healthy when the Blues play in the round-robin portion of the Qualifiers against the Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars to determine seeding for the playoffs in the Western Conference. Their first game is Aug. 2 against the Avalanche in Edmonton, the hub city for the West.

"I don't think we have a second unit," Schenn said. "It's a 1A-1B type of thing. I think maybe for today why they kept us together is because I think as units throughout the year with our unit and the other group, we were third in the League. Sometimes you don't want to mess with chemistry. We didn't have [Vladimir] all year and now we're going to need him in the playoffs here. We've got to find ways to jell both units." -- Louie Korac

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar did not participate in an Avalanche scrimmage after he left practice early Saturday.

"I can't say anything about Cale except that he was not fit to practice," coach Jared Bednar said after the defenseman wasn't on the ice or the bench for special-teams drills in the second session after participating in the first.

Defenseman Samuel Girard took his place on the top power-play unit.

Makar, a finalist for the Calder Trophy awarded to the NHL rookie of the year, scored 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 57 games. He missed 13 games because of separate upper-body injuries.

The Avalanche begin the round-robin portion of the Qualifiers with a game against the St. Louis Blues in Edmonton on Aug. 2. Colorado will also play the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights to determine seeding for the playoffs. -- Rick Sadowski

New York Rangers

Pavel Buchnevich did not participate in a Rangers scrimmage after leaving practice early Saturday for an undisclosed reason.

When asked if Buchnevich could miss the start of the Rangers' best-of-5 qualifier series against the Carolina Hurricanes, which begins Aug. 1 in Toronto, coach David Quinn said, "I can say that is not the case."

The forward, who's been skating on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, scored an NHL career-high 46 points (16 goals, 30 assists) in 68 games this season.

Rookie Kaapo Kakko was in Buchnevich's place during the scrimmage. The No. 2 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has had a strong camp after scoring 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 66 games.

"I thought Kakko had a really good day," Quinn said. "He's had a really good stretch since we've come back. His practices have been good. He just seems like a different kid. We've talked about him having a little more confidence in his game."

New York Islanders

Coach Barry Trotz said he wasn't happy with what he saw during an Islanders scrimmage.

"I didn't think we were as much on the puck," he said. "In some of our detail, we were really loose. I think we have a lot of work to do. I wouldn't say I was really happy with the whole group."

Trotz said he was happier with the way the Islanders looked Saturday and suggested that fatigue might have played a role.

"We've gone three days in a row, and it's early," he said. "I don't know if they were a little fatigued or what, but they weren't engaged the way they needed to be. I wasn't overly happy today. I was probably more happy yesterday because they were more engaged. We took a step backward in some areas.

"Not every day is going to be roses. Today was not a roses day for me personally."

New York will play the Florida Panthers in the Qualifiers. Game 1 of the best-of-5 series in Toronto is Aug. 1.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Josh Anderson was added to the Blue Jackets roster for training camp.

The forward had surgery on his left shoulder March 2, and the Blue Jackets said at the time that he would be out 4-6 months. He is expected to continue his rehab in Columbus, though coach John Tortorella said he didn't know what Anderson's status was.

"I haven't talked to anybody about where he is as far as health-wise," Tortorella said.

Anderson, who scored an NHL career-high 27 goals last season, scored four points (one goal, three assists) in 26 games this season.

The Blue Jackets, who have 34 players on their camp roster, will play the Toronto Maple Leafs in a best-of-5 qualifier series in Toronto beginning Aug. 2.

Vancouver Canucks

Jake Virtanen skated as an extra forward for the Canucks on Saturday with Zack MacEwen taking Virtanen's usual spot at right wing on a line with center Adam Gaudette and Antoine Roussel.

"[Virtanen] can take away whatever he wants from it," coach Travis Green said Sunday. "I've had lots of conversations with Jake."

Green said the decision to put MacEwen on that line was more about rewarding him for a strong performance during training camp.

"I think he came into camp in great shape," Green said. "I think he has some chemistry with Gaudette and Roussel, and that's a line I have to consider. There's nothing more else to say about it."

Virtanen scored 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) in 69 games, and MacEwen had six (five goals, one assist) in 17 games.

Green said he believes the Canucks have 15 forwards competing for 12 spots in the lineup for Game 1 of the Qualifiers against the Minnesota Wild on Aug. 2 in Edmonton.

"You'll probably see different lines after the scrimmage tonight; you might not," Green said. "But again, we're going to have some hard decisions to make, and this is a reminder that guys need to play their best (if they want to be in the lineup)." -- Dave McCarthy

Washington Capitals

Travis Boyd appears to be the front-runner to take Lars Eller's spot in the Capitals lineup when Eller returns to the Washington area to be with his wife, Julie, who is due to give birth to the couple's second child Aug. 8.

"I would say at this point it's Travis', that it would potentially be Travis', and that's what we're taking a look at," coach Todd Reirden said. "[On Saturday], when we didn't have [right wing T.J. Oshie], [Boyd] popped up on the right side with [center Nicklas Backstrom] and [left wing Jakub Vrana].

"He's a guy that can play both positions and I think that's what's going to be important here, just as we're finalizing all of our last players we're going to bring, is the versatility of some of our players," Reirden said. "For us, it's good to see Travis in both spots. I thought he did a fine job in the scrimmage yesterday."

Boyd, who scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 24 games, practiced at third-line center at times Sunday.

Eller intends to travel with the Capitals to Toronto and play their opening round-robin game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Aug. 3. Washington also plays the Philadelphia Flyers on Aug. 6 and the Boston Bruins on Aug. 8 in the round-robin, which will determine seeding for the playoffs. -- Harvey Valentine