NHL Buzz: Hughes returns, Pettersson still out for Canucks

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Vancouver Canucks

Quinn Hughes returned for the Canucks in a 5-4 overtime loss at the Montreal Canadiens on Monday.

Hughes, Vancouver’s top defenseman and captain, had two assists in 26:15 of ice time. He had missed the previous four games with an upper-body injury.

Elias Pettersson, the Canucks No. 1 center, practiced Sunday but missed his fifth straight game.

Hughes, who skated with the top power-play unit on Sunday, leads Vancouver and is third among NHL defensemen with 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 34 games. He was labeled as questionable going into the game Dec. 23, but he played 24:45 and had two assists in the 4-3 win against the San Jose Sharks.

The Canucks went 1-2-1 in the four games he missed.

“Nice to be back, obviously hate missing time,” Hughes said after practice Sunday. “The way we went about it and handled it, lucky with the medical group we have and support system we have here, I think everything we did is how we wanted it to play out. Now, I’m in a spot where I am on the up and up.”

Pettersson, who is tied with Jake DeBrusk for third on the Canucks with 28 points (10 goals, 18 assists) in 34 games, scored twice in the second period against the Sharks but only played one shift in the third. He hasn't played since and didn’t practice until Sunday.

Dakota Joshua was placed on injured reserve Monday retroactive to Jan. 3. The forward went to the dressing room in the second period of a 3-0 loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday after Canucks forward Teddy Blueger hit Predators defenseman Roman Josi into his legs, although he returned for the third and finished the game.

Thatcher Demko took part in the morning skate but did not dress against the Canadiens. Demko sustained back spasms during a 4-3 shootout win at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, leaving in the second after getting spun around in a collision with teammate Noah Juulsen.

“He actually felt half-decent yesterday, so hopefully he has a good session today,” Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said. “So, I can’t really make a decision until I talk to him today.” -- Sean Farrell

Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad was on the ice after the morning skate on Monday but did not play in a 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.

Florida coach Paul Maurice did not disclosed the defenseman's injury after he did not practice on Sunday, saying only he would be a “morning skate decision."

“General body,” Maurice said. “Let’s start a new one, general body, malaise.”

Maurice did say whatever Ekblad is dealing with “just cropped up” during a 3-2 shootout win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Ekblad was held out for the end of the third period and did not appear in overtime.

Niko Mikkola participated in the morning skate but is also did not play. The defenseman has missed the past five games with an upper-body injury.

The Panthers recalled defenseman Tobias Bjornfot from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Sunday. -- George Richards

Minnesota Wild

Kirill Kaprizov has not resumed skating and remains day to day with a lower-body injury.

The 27-year-old forward has missed the Wild’s past five games since he last played Dec. 23, a 4-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Minnesota is 4-1-0 without Kaprizov.

Jake Middleton practiced Monday, and coach John Hynes said the defenseman’s return is “imminent.”

Middleton sustained an upper-body injury blocking a shot 37 seconds into the first period of a 7-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 12.

“We will see how he responded to this, whether he would be available for the next game (Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues) or two,” Hynes said. “ … Whether that’s tomorrow or not, not sure.”

Jakob Lauko also practiced for the first time since reaggravating a lower-body injury. The forward has been out since Dec. 14.

“I don’t know the exact timeline of him, other than he’s nearing pretty quick,” Hynes said.

Forwards Mats Zuccarello and Freddy Gaudreau did not practice due to illness. Hynes said he expects them to be able to play against the Blues on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, FDSNNO, FDSNWI).

Jared Spurgeon (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Monday, and defenseman Carson Lambos was recalled from Iowa of the AHL. Forwards Brendan Gaunce and Travis Boyd were also recalled under emergency conditions.

Spurgeon, a defenseman and the Wild captain, has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 32 games. He last played Dec. 31. -- Jessi Pierce

New York Rangers

Arthur Kaliyev was claimed by the Rangers off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.

The 23-year-old forward has yet to play in the NHL this season because of a fractured clavicle sustained on the second day of training camp. He was five games into a conditioning stint with Ontario of the American Hockey League (one goal, one assist).

Kaliyev signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with the Kings on Sept. 18. He was a second-round pick (No. 33) in the 2019 NHL Draft, has 71 points (35 goals, 36 assists) in 188 regular-season games and is without a point in nine Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The Rangers play the Dallas Stars at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; Victory+, MSG).

Matt Rempe was assigned to Hartford of the AHL. The forward must serve the eighth and final game of a suspension for boarding and elbowing Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Dec. 20 if he gets recalled.

New Jersey Devils

Erik Haula will be out several weeks with a sprained ankle, coach Sheldon Keefe said Monday.

The 33-year-old forward has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 42 games this season.

“He’s going to miss some time,” Keefe said. “It’s going to be weeks, so in terms of the actual timeline, it will [depend] on how he recovers, but he’s got a sprain on his ankle. It’s going to take some time for sure.” -- Darren Brown

Vegas Golden Knights

Nicolas Roy returned to practice Monday in a noncontact jersey and will not play when the Golden Knights visit the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday (10:30 p.m., SCRIPPS, NBCSCA, SN1).

The forward has missed the past eight games with an upper-body injury. He has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 31 games this season. Roy last played Dec. 15.

Victor Olofsson practiced Monday after the forward missed a 3-1 victory against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday due to illness. -- Paul Delos Santos