NHL Buzz: Eriksson Ek to return from injury for Wild against Senators

Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

Minnesota Wild

Joel Eriksson Ek was activated from injured reserve and will return against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNNOX, FDSNWI, TSN5).

The forward, who has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) and is plus-10 in 22 games, missed 11 games with a lower-body injury after colliding with Vancouver Canucks forward Jake DeBrusk in overtime on Dec. 3.

“I think we hit each other’s knees,” Eriksson Ek said. “So yeah, just an unlucky play. …It’s never fun sitting out, not playing. Just happy to be able to skate and get back on the ice.”

Eriksson Ek is expected to center Marcus Johansson and Ryan Hartman on the second line.

“Getting him back is always a benefit,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I think just who he is as a player, who he is a guy, what he means to our team. It’s good.”

Kirill Kaprizov (lower body) remains day to day; the forward last played Dec. 23, a 4-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. -- Jessi Pierce

Tampa Bay Lightning

Jake Guentzel is day to day with an upper-body injury and will not play against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday (5 p.m. ET; FDSNSUN, TSN2, RDS).

The forward left in the third period of the Lightning's 6-2 win against the New York Rangers on Saturday. After the game, coach Jon Cooper said Guentzel left for precautionary reasons.

Guentzel is fourth among Tampa Bay skaters with 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) in 33 games.

Dallas Stars

Mason Marchment will be out long-term after taking a deflected puck to the face on Dec. 27.

The forward was injured in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Wild, when Evgenii Dadonov's shot from the point deflected off of Logan Stankoven's stick. The puck hit Marchment in the face, causing him to bleed onto the ice before being helped off by the training staff. He was taken to a hospital after the injury to be evaluated.

The Stars recalled forward Justin Hryckowian from Texas of the American Hockey League on Saturday, and he could replace Marchment in the lineup when they play the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN360).

"It's not good. We're waiting for the swelling to go down and then we'll see," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said Saturday. "Looks like it's more week to week than day to day."

Marchment has 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 33 games this season and is second on the team in scoring behind linemate Matt Duchene (30 points). His other linemate, Tyler Seguin, underwent hip surgery Dec. 5 and will be out 4-5 months. -- Taylor Baird

San Jose Sharks

Vitek Vanecek will be out week to week with a fractured cheek, Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said Saturday.

The goalie was struck in the head with an errant puck on the bench while serving as the backup in a 4-3 loss to the Jets on Dec. 17.

"It's frustrating. You feel for him and what happened, and just how flukey it was, but it happened," Warsofsky said. "That's the card we were dealt, and we know [Vitek] is going to work extremely hard to get back and help our hockey team."

Vanecek was moved to injured reserve Friday, and forward Klim Kostin was activated.

Kostin returned for a 3-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday after missing six games with an upper-body injury. He has four points (one goal, there assists) in 21 games this season. -- Max Miller