NHL Buzz: Seguin returns from injury for Stars against Predators
Letang of Penguins has heart surgery; Hamilton back for Devils against Red Wings
© Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Dallas Stars
Tyler Seguin returned to the lineup against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday.
The forward has not played since Dec. 1 and missed the past 58 games. He had hip surgery Dec. 5 and was expected to be out 4-6 months.
Seguin had 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 19 games prior to the surgery.
"We're making some lineup decisions that'll be tonight," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "We've got some game-time decisions. Seguin's in the mix. We've got still a little bit of flu going through some guys, so we've got some balls up in the air and some roster things we've got to deal with. We'll know more tonight."
Dallas has clinched second place in the Central Division and will play the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. DeBoer believes getting Seguin into a game before the playoffs begin Saturday could be beneficial.
"It'd be nice, I think," DeBoer said. "I don't think anyone wants to step in cold into a playoff game after being out the time he's been out. But it is only one game too. It's always nice to get those game-like reps and that feel if we can get him in." -- Robby Stanley
Pittsburgh Penguins
Kris Letang had surgery to close a patent foramen ovale (small hole in the heart), the Penguins said Wednesday.
The 37-year-old defenseman is expected to need 4-6 weeks to recover. He will not play in Pittsburgh's final regular-season game, against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNP, SNO, SNE).
A small hole in the wall of Letang’s heart was found after he had a stroke in January 2014. He missed five games after another stroke Nov. 28, 2022.
Letang played a season-low 17:21 in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday. He missed practice Tuesday because of a medical appointment, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
In his 19th NHL season, Letang has 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) and a Penguins-high 23:32 of ice time in 74 games.
Pittsburgh (33-36-12) will miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a third straight season after qualifying each of the previous 16.
Defenseman P.O Joseph, out because of an upper-body injury since March 1, practiced Tuesday for the first time in a regular jersey.
Defenseman Filip Kral was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League to ensure the Penguins had enough players to fill a lineup Thursday, Sullivan said. -- Wes Crosby
New Jersey Devils
Dougie Hamilton returned against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
The defenseman missed the past 18 games because of a lower-body injury. Hamilton has been skating on his own the past three weeks and participated in warmups prior to a 1-0 loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday.
New Jersey (42-32-7) is third in the Metropolitan Division and will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference First Round.
"He's worked hard," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I'd say he's a little bit ahead of schedule. I think ... 6-8 weeks was the projected time period and he's ahead of that. He's excited to go."
The 31-year-old left a 4-3 loss at Dallas on March 4 after getting tangled with Stars forward Mason Marchment behind the net in the first period.
Hamilton leads Devils defensemen in goals (nine) and is second in assists (31) and points (40) while averaging 19:48 of ice time in 63 games.
Washington Capitals
Nic Dowd signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Capitals on Wednesday. The deal, which begins next season, has an average annual value of $3 million.
Dowd was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. The 34-year-old set NHL career highs in goals (14) goals and points (27) while averaging 15:10 in ice time and playing all 81 games so far for Washington this season.
"Nic has been an integral member of our team, both on the ice and in our leadership group, and we are excited to extend his contract for an additional two years," Capitals general manager Chris Patrick said. "During his time in Washington, Nic has proven to be a consistent and reliable two-way player who can be trusted in all situations. This signing solidifies our depth at the critical center position as we move forward."
In seven seasons since signing with the Capitals as a UFA on July 1, 2018, Dowd has 150 points (75 goals, 75 assists) in 450 games. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round (No. 198) of the 2009 NHL Draft, he has 176 points (84 goals, 92 assists) in 581 NHL regular-season games with Los Angeles, the Vancouver Canucks and Washington.
The Capitals, who play their regular-season finale at Pittsburgh on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNP, SNO, SNE), will play either the Montreal Canadiens or Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the playoffs. -- Tom Gulitti
Edmonton Oilers
Leon Draisaitl will not play against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SNW, SNO, SNE).
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said Draisaitl would miss his seventh straight game but expects him to be ready for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
"Leon is not going to play," Knoblauch said. "We believe that all the guys that we have on our injured reserve will be joining us in playoffs. Most of them for game one."
Draisaitl leads the Oilers in goals (52) and points (106).
Connor McDavid will return to the lineup after being rested during a Oilers 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.
"We were playing three games in four days. We were playing back-to-back with travel, just a lot more risk at that point," Knoblauch said. "We were just being a little more safe. We feel that we're in a better position [for him to] play." -- Max Miller
Carolina Hurricanes
Skyler Brind'Amour made his NHL debut with the Hurricanes against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old forward is the son of Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour.
"I saw him last night at the hotel and we talked a little bit," Skyler Brind'Amour said. "And then this morning it's been all coach speak so I'm trying to understand the systems. Obviously, in Chicago we play the same style so it's nothing too crazy but a couple of nuances that he put me through."
Brind'Amour has 23 points (16 goals, seven assists) in 67 games with Chicago this season.
"Obviously it's a special moment for Skyler and myself," Rod Brind'Amour said. "I mean I watched him all his life and how hard he's worked and so it's nice for him to get this opportunity. It's well deserved and we'll see what happens."
Carolina dressed each of the four players who were recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Tuesday while resting seven regulars for their final regular-season game.
Defensemen Domenick Fensore made his NHL debut, with forward Bradly Nadeau and defenseman Riley Stillman also being inserted into the lineup.
Forwards Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook and Jackson Blake and defensemen Jalen Chatfield and Jaccob Slavin did not take part in the morning skate and did not play. -- Sean Farrell
Winnipeg Jets
Nikolaj Ehlers is week to week for the Jets because of a lower-body injury.
The forward was injured late in the second period of a 5-4 shootout win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday and did not return for the third. Ehlers was skating down the left boards when he collided with linesperson James Tobias, with Ehlers' right skate blade catching Tobias' skate.
He previously missed nine games because of a lower-body injury from Dec. 1-17.
"It's related to the first time," Jets coach Scott Arniel said Tuesday. "Obviously got reinjured again when he ran into the [linesperson]."
Ehlers has 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games this season, which is third on the Jets, behind forwards Kyle Connor (96 points) and Mark Scheifele (86).
Arniel also said forward Gabriel Vilardi, who has missed the past 10 games because of an upper-body injury, is day to day. Vilardi has NHL career highs in goals (27), assists (34) and points (61) in 71 games this season.
The Jets (55-22-4) won the Presidents' Trophy as the top team during the regular season and will face the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday.
Minnesota Wild
Jared Spurgeon and Jake Middleton returned to the lineup for a 3-2 overtime win against the Ducks at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday.
Spurgeon, a defenseman and the Wild captain, missed a 3-2 overtime win at Vancouver on Saturday after taking a puck in the throat during a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Friday.
"It was fine for the rest of the shift and then sort of when the whistle went I stood up and everything started to spin, and balance was sort of gone and stuff was starting to blur," Spurgeon said. "So, obviously a little panic for a bit there, not really sure what's going on. I'm just happy with the way it's recovered."
Middleton, also a defenseman, missed the previous four games because of an upper-body injury sustained on a hit from New York Islanders center Bo Horvat during a 3-1 loss April 4.
The Wild (45-30-7) clinched the first wild card in the West with the win and will play the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday.
Defenseman Zeev Buium, who joined the Wild and practiced Monday after signing a three-year, entry-level contract Sunday, did not play. -- Jessi Pierce
