NHL Buzz: Hughes, Pettersson doubtful for Canucks against Kraken

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Vancouver Canucks

Top defenseman Quinn Hughes and No.1 center Elias Pettersson are doubtful to play for the Canucks on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken (4 p.m. ET; SNP, KONG, KING 5, KHN), according to coach Rick Tocchet.

Neither player took part in practice on Friday.

“[Hughes] was getting evaluated today, and [Pettersson] has got something later today, so they're pretty well doubtful for tomorrow,” Tocchet said. “I don't know if its day to day or weekly. That’s why they are going to go see their people.”

Hughes, who won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman last season, leads Vancouver in scoring and is second among NHL defensemen with 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 34 games this season. He was listed as questionable going into Vancouver's most recent game on Dec. 23 against the San Jose Sharks with an undisclosed injury but played 24:45 and finished with two assists in a 4-2 win over San Jose.

Pettersson scored twice late in the second period against the Sharks, ending a six-game pointless slide, but only played one shift in the third. Tocchet said after the game he was “banged up” but didn’t “think it’s too bad.”

Pettersson is second on the Canucks with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games.

“It's hold the fort, next man mentality, that’s the way we have to think,” Tocchet said Friday. “Right now more than ever, and I know we've talked about it, it’s our staples. We have to play as a team, and we need five percent more from everybody. That’s really what it comes down to.”

The game against San Jose was Hughes' 399th in the NHL, and he finished it with 51 goals and 324 career assists, the third most assists in NHL history before 400 games for a defenseman behind only Bobby Orr (358) and Paul Coffey (326). Defenseman Erik Brannstrom, a healthy scratch the previous three games, comes into the lineup for Hughes but Tocchet doesn’t want him to do too much.

“You're not going to replace Quinn Hughes and I don't need him trying to do things that press the envelope,” Tocchet said. “He's just got to play a simple game to be honest. Go back for a puck, if you see the guy, give it to him, if there's a chance to join the rest, join it, walking the blue line, a guy like him, I want him to shoot the puck, he doesn't have to try to create too much on the blue line.”

Montreal Canadiens

Patrik Laine was a full participant at Montreal’s practice at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale on Friday afternoon, with the Canadiens scheduled to play the Florida Panthers on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN2, RDS).

Laine was slotted on the right side of the second line with center Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.

“He looked good today,’’ coach Martin St. Louis said.

The 26-year-old forward left Monday's 5-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets with an upper-body injury after playing 6:15 in the first period. He has been listed as day to day since.

After missing the first 24 games of the season due to a knee injury suffered in a preseason game, Laine has eight goals -- all on the power play -- with an assist in 10 games. — George Richards

Ottawa Senators

Linus Ullmark will not travel with the Senators on their upcoming five-game road trip due to a lingering back injury.

The goaltender, who is 8-0-1 in his past 10 starts, played the first period in a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday before leaving with the injury.

"No update," coach Travis Green said following practice on Friday. "Like I said, he tweaked his back. Still not good enough to skate."

Goalies Leevi Merilainen and Mads Sogaard were each recalled from Belleville of the American Hockey League on Friday. Anton Forsberg, a goalie who sustained an undisclosed injury warming up to start against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 14, will travel when the Senators visit the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CITY, SNW, SN360, TVAS).

"Our mindset is not going to change with who's in goal," Green said. "We don't all of a sudden say, 'Linus is in net; let's play run and gun hockey,' or 'He's not in net; let's play real defensive hockey.' We want to play a good 200-foot game no matter who's playing goal for us."

Defenseman Artem Zub (fractured foot) and forward David Perron (upper body) each skated for the first time since they were injured on Nov. 23. Neither is expected back imminently. Forward Michael Amadio, who left a 5-4 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 21 after taking a hit to the head from Vincent Desharnais, will "be out for probably a little bit more," Green said. -- Callum Fraser

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov did not play for the Wild in their 3-2 win against the Dallas Stars on Friday.

The forward has a lower-body injury and did not travel with the team.

"He was a little sore going into the break," Wild coach John Hynes said Friday. "Talked to the doctors yesterday and right now, as far as I know, he's day to day and we'll see how he feels moving forward. When you have guys like [Joel Eriksson Ek], [Jake Middleton] and Kirill out, then obviously guys are going to play more minutes or play in different roles, so it's a great opportunity for them to step up."

Kaprizov, who leads the Wild and is tied for fourth in the NHL with 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists), missed one game earlier this season because of a lower-body injury.

"Probably could have saved myself some time in my pre-scout this morning if I had known that earlier," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "When I look at Minnesota, they're a true sum of their parts as opposed to one player. They have four lines, they defend well, they have great goaltending. Probably a lot like us, you can take a player out of the lineup and still be competitive, but obviously that’s a big guy out for them."

Eriksson Ek, a forward, has missed 11 games with a lower-body injury. Middleton, a defenseman, has missed seven games with an upper-body injury and is on long term injured reserve.

After Friday, the Wild next host the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. -- Taylor Baird

Pittsburgh Penguins

Marcus Pettersson practiced Friday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury.

The defenseman wore a noncontact jersey, joining the Penguins after skating on an individual basis with skills coach Ty Hennes. Pettersson was originally considered week to week after falling awkwardly into the boards in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss at the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 14.

"Our medical team felt comfortable giving him the opportunity to participate in the practice, in the team practice," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said, "which I think is a really important step in the return-to-play process, just getting around the team environment, being on the ice with multiple players on the ice, the spatial relationships. That's the hardest part, especially if you're out for an extended period of time.

"So, to get him involved in the team practice today, I think, was a huge step for Marcus in his return to play. But certainly, it's encouraging."

Pettersson has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 32 games this season. In his absence, Matt Grzelcyk has recently played on a defense pair with Erik Karlsson.

The Penguins are also without rookie defenseman Owen Pickering (concussion) entering their game against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN).

Pickering, who will miss a second straight game, has been replaced by P.O Joseph on the top pair with Kris Letang. He watched part of practice Friday from the bench. -- Wes Crosby

San Jose Sharks

Jake Walman and William Eklund did not play in a 6-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday and each is day to day.

Walman is dealing with a lower-body injury, and Eklund an upper-body injury, according to Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky.

Eklund was injured Dec. 23 in the first period of a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks when defenseman Tyler Myers hit him hard along the boards, and did not play for the final two periods.

"I wouldn't say we're super concerned," Warsofsky said of Eklund. "I think he's taking some positive steps. He's had three days to have a little recovery and we'll see how tomorrow goes."

Walman was injured on Dec. 21 in 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. He leads Sharks defensemen in points with 25 (five goals, 20 assists).

"I would say they probably have similar timelines," Warsofsky said. "We'll see how the next couple days [go.]"

The Sharks next host the Calgary Flames on Saturday. -- Max Miller