NHL Buzz: Guenther out indefinitely for Utah

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

Utah Hockey Club

Dylan Guenther will be out indefinitely for Utah with a lower-body injury.

The 21-year-old forward sustained the injury on a hit from Aleksander Barkov during a 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.

Guenther leads Utah with 16 goals and is third on the team with 34 points in 40 games. He signed an eight-year contract Sept. 20.

Coach Andre Tourigny said, "it's long, but not that long," when asked if the injury was season-ending. Tourigny also said Guenther was in the building Friday morning to start his rehab.

Forward Josh Doan was recalled from Tucson of the American Hockey League on Friday. He has 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 25 games since being assigned there Oct. 28.

Doan has two points (one goal, one assist) in 10 NHL games this season.

Nashvlle Predators

Steven Stamkos will be a game-time decision for the Predators against the Washington Capitals at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MNMT).

The forward left in the second period of a 5-2 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury. Stamkos did not practice Thursday because of a “maintenance day.”

“Hope so,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said of Stamkos’ chances of playing Saturday. “Obviously a little bit of a game-time [decision] here, but things are trending that way.”

Stamkos practiced with Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault at the morning skate Saturday. He has 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 41 games and has yet to miss one this season, his first with the Predators.

Nashville recalled forward Kieffer Bellows from Milwaukee of the AHL in case Stamkos is unable to play. Bellows has 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 95 NHL games. -- Robby Stanley

Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad has an undisclosed injury and did not play for the Panthers against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

“We want to be careful," Florida coach Paul Maurice said Saturday morning. "This is nothing sinister or long-term, but he played the other night. I thought he played very well with it. The question is, how many times do we want to do that? We have to let this thing heal.’’

Ekblad left Florida’s 3-2 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 3, then missed the following game against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday. The defenseman did play Wednesday, a 4-1 victory against the host Utah Hockey Club, but did not practice Friday.

“General body,” Maurice said earlier this week. “Let’s start a new one: General body; malaise.”

With Ekblad unavailable, defenseman Tobias Bjornfot was inserted into the lineup. -- George Richards

Calgary Flames

Connor Zary will be out indefinitely for the Flames because of a knee injury that will not require surgery.

The forward sustained the injury when he collided with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson at 6:34 of the second period during a 3-2 overtime win Tuesday. Zary was helped off the ice and did not return.

Helleson received a major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct.

Zary has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 40 games this season, his second in the NHL. He had 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) in 63 games with the Flames last season. Zary was selected by Calgary in the first round (No. 24) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

The Flames recalled forward Rory Kerins from Calgary of the AHL on Friday. He leads that league with 21 goals and is second with 34 points in 34 games this season.

Calgary hosts the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, FDSNW).

Dallas Stars

Mason Marchment is expected to be out 3-4 weeks after the forward had surgery to repair facial injuries he sustained when he was hit in the face by a deflected shot in a game against the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 27.

Marchment was in front of the net when Stars teammate Logan Stankoven tipped a shot by Evgenii Dadonov that hit Marchment under his visor. He's missed the past six games.

"No further details other than he's had the surgery and they were thinking it would be 3-4 weeks from the surgical date before he could be back," Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said Thursday. "We're still a long way to that. Nose and facial area, wasn't an orbital bone area. He had a lot of stuff going on there."

Marchment is fifth on the Stars with 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 33 games. -- Adam Kimelman