NHL Playoffs Buzz: Pacioretty likely to return for Maple Leafs in Game 3

Welcome to the NHL Playoffs Buzz. The postseason is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Max Pacioretty is likely to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Ottawa Senators in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP, ESPN2).

The forward has been out with an undisclosed injury since Feb. 8. He would skate on a line with Max Domi and Bobby McMann.

"Just really excited," Pacioretty said. "I waited a little bit here for this and I've put in a lot of work and had a lot of great people in my corner help me out and fortunately I'm ready to go. This is why I'm here and now I got to pitch in and help the team win."

The Maple Leafs lead the best-of-7 series 2-0.

Pacioretty had 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 37 games after signing a one-year, $873,770 contract with the Maple Leafs on Oct. 7, 2024, coming off a professional tryout contract during training camp. He played 47 games last season (four goals, 19 assists) for the Washington Capitals.

Pacioretty sustained a torn Achilles tendon in 2022 that limited him to five games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2022-23 before injuring the same achillies and having two more surgeries. He then signed with Capitals as a free agent on July 1, 2023.

"I'm sure he's extremely eager to suit up today after a couple of hard years of rehab and grind," Toronto defenseman Chris Tanev said. "I think it can wear on you physically, mentally. He's done a great job of, I think, being present and enjoying himself and being fun around the boys, just having that presence in the room, being able to throw things off each other, 'Hey, let's do this. Hey, we need to do that.' Just having him around is amazing for our group."

Winnipeg Jets

Gabriel Vilardi is possible to return against the St. Louis Blues for Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round at Enterprise Center on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, ESPN2, SN, TVAS, CBC).

Winnipeg leads the best-of-7 series 2-0.

The forward skated in a noncontact jersey at practice in Winnipeg on Wednesday before the Jets traveled to St. Louis for Games 3 and 4. It was the third time he did so since sustaining an upper-body injury March 23. The injury forced the 25-year-old to miss the final 11 games of the regular season, a 5-3 win in Game 1 on Saturday and a 2-1 victory in Game 2 on Monday.

"Did you see the color of his jersey? We'll talk about [him returning to the lineup] when that changes, but he'll be on the trip," Jets coach Scott Arniel said Wednesday.

Vilardi, who remains day to day, set NHL career bests during the regular season in goals (27), assists (34) and points (61) in 71 games.

Nikolaj Ehlers has yet to resume skating and did not travel to St. Louis. The forward sustained a lower-body injury during a 4-0 win at the Vegas Golden Knights on April 3 after he took pucks off his foot as well as the inside of his leg on two separate plays. He missed two games and then aggravated it April 12, his second game back.

The 29-year-old forward missed the final two games of the regular season and did not play in the first two games of the playoffs. He had 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games during the regular season. -- Darrin Bauming

New Jersey Devils

Jonas Siegenthaler practiced with the Devils on Thursday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury Feb. 4 but remains questionable to play against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Prudential Center on Friday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MAX, MSGSN, TBS, TVAS2, SN360).

The defenseman was injured in the first period of a 3-2 shootout win at the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had been skating on his own the past few weeks.

"We're going to see where he's at and continue to talk to him," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "It's his first practice with the team in a long time so it's just a matter of being aggressive ... time's not exactly our friend right now so we're going to see where he's at and continue to have conversations with him."

The Devils trail the best-of-7 series 2-0.

"I think he's changed his mindset, as have we, in terms of his preparation," Keefe said. "It was more so he was going to be a May-type-of-timeline, and we're getting more aggressive with that now to see how we can push it just given the circumstances."

Siegenthaler had nine points (two goals, seven assists), 92 blocked shots and 75 hits in 55 games this season. -- Mike G. Morreale