Training Camp Buzz: Pastrnak, Kase 'unfit to participate' with Bruins

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:

Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase were called "unfit to participate" in practice with the Bruins on Thursday.

"As for the League, it's 'unfit to participate' right now," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Hopefully that changes in the near future. Any time players miss a session where we expect them back at full speed, then until he's out there, it is a concern for us as a team. But we're just going to forge ahead."

The forwards skated with a small group of teammates Wednesday. It was their first time on the ice during training camp, which began Monday. Each missed the first two days because of quarantine rules for players arriving from Europe, according to general manager Don Sweeney.

Tuukka Rask left practice early Thursday. Cassidy said the goalie had been stung by a shot in practice Tuesday.

The Bruins will play in the round-robin portion of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city, against the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers. Boston's first game is against Philadelphia on Aug. 2. The Bruins will play an exhibition game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 30.

Arizona Coyotes

Rick Tocchet said the Coyotes looked "rusty" and lacked sharpness during a scrimmage.

The Coyotes play the first game of their best-of-5 qualifying series against the Nashville Predators on Aug. 2 and play the Vegas Golden Knights in an exhibition game on July 30.

"I told the players that you just can't show up Aug. 2 and expect to turn on it," Tocchet said. "It's got to be ingrained every day that you've got to get that scar tissue built up, that competitive scar tissue. We can't waste a day, we can't waste a practice."

Tocchet was pleased with the energy and conditioning of the Coyotes earlier in the week, but not Thursday.

"We have a lot of work to do. It was a rusty day for me," Tocchet said. "We (need to) have a little more compete, a little bit more hockey IQ. There's too much running around and not knowing where your man is, and that's rust. We need to find that competitive balance and compete."

Defenseman Jason Demers agreed there must be improvement.

"There's a little bit of rust being knocked off and getting used to bumping guys and seeing so many guys on the ice because we've been skating in small groups," Demers said. "It's about getting our timing down." -- Alan Robinson

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Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon centered a line with Andre Burakovsky and Mikko Rantanen in a scrimmage during training camp in a new line for the Avalanche.

MacKinnon and Rantanen were frequent line mates with Gabriel Landeskog, who skated with Nazem Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin, before the season was paused on March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

"I see us as a line that can be tough to play against, handle pucks down low, create offense and be responsible defensively," Landeskog said of his new line. "I've played a lot with Nate and Mikko in the past, but we were having a lot of fun playing with Val and [Kadri], two high-quality players. Chemistry doesn't happen overnight, it's something you have to constantly work on, and I see a lot of potential between the three of us."

The Avalanche will play the St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars in the round-robin portion of the Stanley Cup Qualifiers to determine seeding for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Western Conference. Colorado will play its first game against St. Louis on Aug. 2, and will play an exhibition game against the Minnesota Wild on July 29.

"I'm not there yet, it just depends on how the next week or so of camp goes," coach Jared Bednar said of the lines being set. "You have this small window of games - one exhibition game, three round-robin games -- that are very meaningful, in my opinion. We're going to let this camp play out and see what type of decisions we may or may not have going into that exhibition game." -- Rick Sadowski

Winnipeg Jets

Josh Morrissey has found a comfort level with Dylan DeMelo as the top defense pair for the Jets.

Morrissey and DeMelo, who was acquired by the Jets in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 18 and played 10 games before the season was paused, have been getting back up to speed together in practice this week ahead of.Winnipeg's best-of-5 series against the Calgary Flames in the Qualifiers, which will begin in Edmonton on Aug. 1.

"For me, having that comfort level with a partner and just knowing where that player's going to be without really having to think about it, definitely allows you to play a faster game and make faster reads," Morrissey said. "He's such a smart player. He always makes the smart little play and he makes it look easy. He's got a good stick defensively, communicates well.

"He's been a big addition for our group. He fit in right away in the locker room and on the ice. For myself, personally, we developed a pretty immediate chemistry and I'm looking forward to building on that in the future."

Jets coach Paul Maurice agreed.

"It takes a little while to get used to a guy, his new partner," Maurice said. "He looks good this week. He's one of the highlights for me. He's been good. Probably [DeMelo] is one of those high-consistency thinkers. He's going to take the highest percentage play and make the right decision on it. And that makes him easy to read."

Laurent Brossoit was also on the ice at Bell MTS Iceplex on Thursday, the first time he has skated during Jets training camp.

The goalie stretched and did movement drills with goaltender coach Wade Flaherty, but took no shots. Brossoit shared the ice with a group of Winnipeg's extra roster players near the end of their session.

Brossoit missed the first three days of camp. The Jets gave no reason for his absence. He is expected to be the backup to Connor Hellebuyck for Winnipeg in its qualifier series against the Flames.

"We were expecting [Brossoit on the ice] and he'll just progress into more and more time, more and more reps as we get going," Maurice said. "We're hopeful that all players will be healthy for Game 1."

The Jets posted a

, during Phase 2 of the Return to Play Plan, and Brossoit was shown participating in that on-ice session.

Brossoit, who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, was 6-7-1 with a 3.28 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage in 19 games (15 starts) before the season was paused. -- Tim Campbell

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Montreal Canadiens

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

could have a chance to play for the Canadiens during their qualifier series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which begins Aug. 1.

Kotkaniemi, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, scored eight points (six goals, two assists) in 36 NHL games and was sent to Laval of the American Hockey League on Feb. 1. The 19-year-old center scored 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 13 AHL games and has impressed during the first days of training camp.

"I like what I've seen so far because his skating is back to where I think we saw it at its best at one point, and the rest of his game seems to be falling into place," coach Claude Julien said Wednesday.

The absence of center Max Domi could leave a spot open for Kotkaniemi. Domi and the Canadiens have agreed to wait 7-10 days before deciding if he'll participate in training camp. Domi has Type 1 diabetes and is more prone to having serious complications if he were to contract COVID-19.

Whatever Domi's status is, Kotkaniemi will have to continue performing at a high level to earn his way onto the Canadiens roster.

"What I'd like for Kotkaniemi is that, this week and next week, is that he continues to show us how well he's progressed," Julien said. "... I like what I'm seeing right now. He seems to have a good pace to his game and his skating, so we need to have a look at that. Just because right now Max isn't here doesn't mean it automatically goes back to Kotkaniemi that's going to be moved out of (a line with Paul Byron and Artturi Lehkonen). We'll make those decisions, as I said to everybody else, as we move forward here."

Pittsburgh Penguins

Tristan Jarry said he has not been informed by Penguins coaches how the goalies will be used against the Montreal Canadiens in the qualifier series, which begins Aug. 1.

Jarry shared the starting role with Matt Murray through much of the regular season before it was paused. Jarry played in the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game and was 20-12-1 with a 2.43 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in 33 games (31 starts).

Murray, who won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, was 20-11-5 with a 2.87 GAA and .899 save percentage in 38 games.

"They haven't said anything," Jarry said. "I think it's all up in the air. I think we're just trying to get back in shape as quickly as we can and get ready to play. Get ready for that first exhibition game."

The Penguins will play the Philadelphia Flyers in an exhibition game in Toronto on July 28.

When training camp opened Monday, coach Mike Sullivan said he had an idea of how the goalies would be deployed but would not disclose it. -- Wes Crosby

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