NHL Buzz: Woll making 'very good' progress for Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs

Joseph Woll skated for the fourth consecutive day at Maple Leafs practice Thursday while he continues to recover from a lower-body injury.

The goalie went through a series of agility drills and faced shots from skills coaches.

"(He's making) very good (progress)," Toronto coach Craig Berube said. "He's doing well. Keep him going here. We will see where he's at tomorrow."

Berube said he is unsure if Woll, who has missed each of Toronto's first four games, will be a full participant at practice Friday for the first time since Oct. 8.

"We will see how today goes and then we will make a decision on it," Berube said. "We are not going to rush him."

Toronto next hosts the New York Rangers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, MSG, NHLN).

Fraser Minten skated for roughly 45 minutes at an optional practice with skills coaches, going through a variety of drills at close to full speed. The forward has not played since sustaining a high ankle sprain at the 2024 Prospect Showdown against the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 15.

"He's getting a lot better," Berube said. "He's close, he's pretty close. That's as good as I can give you." -- Dave McCarthy

Pittsburgh Penguins

Alex Nedeljkovic was activated from injured reserve Thursday after missing the first five games this season with a lower-body injury.

The goalie has been assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on a conditioning loan.

Nedeljkovic, the expected backup to Tristan Jarry, was injured in a preseason game Sept. 30. He signed a two-year, $5 million contract to stay in Pittsburgh on June 20 after starting 12 of the final 13 games last season.

Jarry (1-1-0, 5.47 goals-against average, .836 save percentage) has started three of five games for the Penguins this season, allowing 12 goals on 73 shots. He gave up three goals on five shots in the first period Wednesday before Joel Blomqvist made 26 saves in relief for a 6-5 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres.

"It was a tough start for our whole team, quite honestly," coach Mike Sullivan said after the game. "I don't even think it was close to our best game out there. We just felt like, given the way the game started, that it was the right thing to make the switch.

"I think Tristan was victim of that, to a certain extent. He was also part of that to a certain extent."

A starter has not been announced for a game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, BSSO, NHLN).

Blomqvist, a 22-year-old rookie, is 2-1-0 with a 2.86 GAA and .913 save percentage in his first three NHL games (two starts). -- Wes Crosby

Vancouver Canucks

Derek Forbort has left the team for personal reasons, Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Thursday.

The defenseman has one assist in three games this season and coach Rick Tocchet did not have a timeline for his return ahead of their game against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

"I don't know yet, it's personal reasons right now," Tocchet said. "We will probably talk to him tomorrow."

Vancouver recalled defenseman Erik Brannstrom from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League and he could play Thursday despite arriving in South Florida late Wednesday night.

Brannstrom has played in 266 NHL games over the past six seasons with the Ottawa Senators.

"[He's a] puck-mover, that's the one thing we heard and even watching video that he can get the puck up," Tocchet said. "He is a one-pass, breakout guy plus he walks the blueline very well. When you have a guy who can walk the blueline and make that one pass out, to play fast, that's what we are looking for. There might be an opportunity tonight; we would like to see what he's got for us. He adds an element that we like." -- George Richards

Ottawa Senators

Artem Zub will be out at least one week with a concussion.

The defenseman, who left in the first period of an 8-7 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday after taking a high hit from Tanner Jeannot, did not practice Wednesday.

"'Zuby' is a really important player for our group; he plays some hard minutes," defenseman Travis Hamonic said. "We obviously know that and know the kind of player that he is and the presence that he brings for our group."

In Zub's absence, Jacob Bernard-Docker will make his season debut. He practiced on a defense pair with Tyler Kleven on Wednesday; Hamonic took Zub's spot on the first pair with Jake Sanderson.

Goaltender Linus Ullmark, who missed the game Monday due to a strain, skated Wednesday but did not practice with the team. Anton Forsberg is expected to start against the Devils on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, RDS2, TSN5). Ottawa recalled goalie Mads Sogaard from Belleville of the AHL on Wednesday.

Ullmark, who signed a four-year, $33 million contract Oct. 9, is 1-1-0 with a 2.58 GAA and .914 save percentage in two games this season.

"Anticipation is a great thing. [Ullmark] could be ready (Thursday), I guess," coach Travis Green said. "We'll see tomorrow how he is. I'm not going to announce my starter tomorrow, if that's what we're getting at." -- Callum Fraser

Columbus Blue Jackets

Erik Gudbranson was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with an upper-body injury.

The defenseman left at 18:28 of the second period of a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday after a collision with teammate Sean Monahan at center ice. He appeared to be holding his right arm.

Gudbranson, who has played in each of the Blue Jackets' three games this season, had 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 78 games with them last season.

"It's a big hole, right? His presence is big," Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. "It's big physically but he's a leader in our locker room. Obviously, he's an assistant captain, a guy that we've relied on. He's played extremely well all through training camp and to this point. It's unfortunate that we don't have him in our lineup tonight."

Defenseman Jack Johnson will enter the lineup when the Blue Jackets host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, MSG-B).

Columbus added goalie Jet Greaves on emergency recall from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Wednesday with Elvis Merzlikins dealing with an upper-body issue.

San Jose Sharks

Macklin Celebrini is not expected to play for the Sharks for their game at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday.

The forward was placed on injured reserve Saturday, retroactive to Oct. 10, with a lower-body injury and is eligible to return Friday.

"It's a week-to-week thing, and he's working extremely hard to get back," coach Ryan Warsofsky said Monday. "He's putting a lot of work into it. We'll just kind of take it day by day. We have a really good plan from our training staff and our sports performance staff, what we want to do."

Celebrini, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, did not travel with the Sharks for games at the Dallas Stars on Tuesday (a 3-2 shootout loss) and the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

"He's in the rehab process," Warsofsky said. "He hasn't gone on the ice yet. I haven't checked in with our training staff today yet, so we'll see.

"I'm sure he's frustrated, and it's a learning moment for him in his career. He's going to have a long career, and he's going to have some injuries and things along the way that will pop up. I know he's working extremely hard to get back as quickly as he can. He's just taking it day by day, and it's just part of the game of hockey." -- Max Miller

Minnesota Wild

Jared Spurgeon will not travel on the first half of Minnesota's upcoming five-game road trip and is day to day with a lower-body injury.

The defenseman missed the first 13 games last season because of a shoulder injury sustained in the preseason, and was limited to 16 games in the regular season because of hip and back injuries, last playing Jan. 2. The Wild captain had hip surgery Feb. 6 and back surgery about four weeks later.

"Sometimes you go through with the surgeries, and then you go into that major activity, from training camp into the regular season, and the fact that he's -- we're hopeful that he's going to be back for the second half of the trip," coach John Hynes said. "…Today's news is really good and talking with 'Spurg,' he looks good and sounds good. And so hopefully that's the plan that's going to come through."

Forward Joel Eriksson Ek returned to practice after missing the past two games with a broken nose. Eriksson Ek has surgery on Monday and will be wearing a bubble while it heals for the next few weeks.

Eriksson Ek is expected to play at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, BSN, BSWI).

"It was just an unlucky play," Eriksson Ek said. "Luck, I don't think this is lucky but yeah it could have been worse too for sure."

Defenseman Jonas Brodin missed practice (maintenance) but is expected play Saturday. Forward Marcus Johansson, who missed one game with a lower-body injury, practiced and is also expected to play against the Blue Jackets. -- Jessi Pierce