NHL Training Camp Buzz: Pesce out week to week for Devils

Welcome to the 2024-25 NHL training camp buzz. Training camp is underway and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.

New Jersey Devils

Brett Pesce was not available on the opening day of training camp for the Devils and is week to week as he continues to recover from surgery to repair a fractured fibula.

The 29-year-old defenseman signed a six-year contract with the Devils on July 1 after nine seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. He sustained a non-contact lower-body injury in the second period of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Islanders last season, won by the Hurricanes in five games.

Pesce was three weeks post-surgery when he signed with the Devils.

"Prior to signing him, we all knew he had season-ending surgery with Carolina, and he's made great progress since he's been in town," Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "Our medical staff has done a good job with him. It's just a comfort level with the skate, getting your agility and working on those muscles ... so I consider him week to week."

Additionally, center Erik Haula was not available due to a virus, but is expected to arrive on Friday, Fitzgerald said.

The Devils open the preseason against the New York Islanders on Sunday and begin the regular season against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal on Oct. 4-5. -- Mike G. Morreale

Utah Hockey Club

Nick Bjugstad and John Marino were not available on the opening day of training camp and each is week to week because of an upper-body injury.

Bjugstad, a forward had 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists) in 76 games with the Arizona Coyotes last season.

Marino, a defenseman, who was acquired from the New Jersey Devils on June 29, had 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 75 games last season.

Utah plays its first preseason game against the St. Louis Blues in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sunday, and begins the regular season against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 8. -- Matt Komma

Philadelphia Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen was a full participant on the first day of training camp after having surgery April 18 to repair a ruptured triceps tendon.

"I feel good," the defenseman said. "I'm fully healthy and ready to go. ... Not sure when I was cleared, but probably the last couple of weeks I've been fully healthy and doing pretty much everything normal on the ice."

The surgery was the second one he had to address the injury. He played his final game last season Feb. 10.

"There was kind of two injuries in the same place," he said. "It was two different things, two different surgeries. So after the first surgery, I tried to rehab and get back, but then I couldn't, so I had to do another one, and then basically been rehabbing the last six months."

The 29-year-old is going into his fourth season with the Flyers but said he's looking forward to playing his first season opener with them after missing the previous three because of injury.

"It's annoying because before that, I've never barely been hurt and played most of the games," he said. "Stuff happens and you can't control and it's sometimes bad luck too. But yeah, I'm extremely excited. Big plan is to stay healthy."

Center Sean Couturier also is healthy after having surgery in April to repair a core muscle injury. He said he was able to get in his full offseason training program.

"I was able to do pretty much everything I wanted to as the summer went on," he said. "I think it's 6-8 weeks recovery, rehab. But honestly, after like two weeks, you feel great. It's just a matter of being patient and not pushing it too hard to let it heal and make sure it's fine. But yeah, I had a good summer of training. Feel good and ready to go." -- Adam Kimelman

Vegas Golden Knights

Robin Lehner will not report to the Golden Knights this season, general manager Kelly McCrimmon said.

The 33-year-old goalie last played an NHL game April 20, 2022, when he allowed one goal on 13 shots before being replaced at the start of the second period by Logan Thompson. The Golden Knights defeated the Washington Capitals 4-3 in overtime at T-Mobile Arena.

He was on long-term injured reserve last season after having hip surgery in August of 2023.

"He continues to be unfit to play,” McCrimmon said Thursday. “There are unique circumstances surrounding this situation that the NHL, the NHLPA and (Vegas) are working through. Collectively, we are assessing our next steps, and when we have more to say, we will."

Lehner is 152-141-49 with a 2.71 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and 17 shutouts in 364 regular-season games (345 starts) for the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks and Golden Knights. He's 14-14 with a 2.19 GAA and .919 save percentage in 29 Stanley Cup Playoff games (27 starts).

Lehner wrote about his mental health issues and alcoholism during his time with the Sabres before the 2018-19 season and the treatment that helped him recover. He went on to have the best season of his NHL career (25-13-5, 2.13 GAA, .930 save percentage), helping the Islanders return to the playoffs and allow the fewest goals in the NHL. He won the Masterton Trophy, given for perseverance and dedication to hockey, and was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the top goalie in the NHL.

Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Dahlin will miss "a couple days of practice" coach Lindy Ruff said on Thursday, one day after the defenseman left early into the first practice of training camp with an injury.

The defenseman participated in a few drills before leaving the ice with what Ruff said was a "mid-range" body ailment. Ruff also said the injury was not serious.

Dahlin led the Sabres with 59 points (20 goals, 39 assists) last season and was fifth in the NHL in ice time per game (25:25).

"That guy is a game-changer each and every night," forward Alex Tuch said. "His consistency on the compete factor has been incredible ever since I got to town, and I've seen it grow and just blossom into the player that he's become."

The Sabres play their first preseason games against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, and begin the regular season against the New Jersey Devils in Prague in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal on Oct. 4-5. -- Heather Engel

Edmonton Oilers

Darnell Nurse is "confident" he will be ready when the Oilers open the season against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 9, but the defenseman is not certain he will be able to play in any preseason games.

Nurse is still recovering from an undisclosed injury sustained in the Stanley Cup Final but took part in the opening day of training camp on Thursday, participating in all the drills.

"It's a fluid thing," Nurse said. "I'll take it day by day, but I'm feeling good out there."

Nurse sustained the injury in the first period of Game 2 against the Panthers on a hit from forward Evan Rodrigues. Nurse was limited to seven shifts over the course of the rest of the game, but did play the remainder of the series, which Edmonton lost in seven games.

He said the injury affected his offseason routine.

"It kind of forced me to kick my feet up and relax for the first time, and it was good," Nurse said. "For me, I just relaxed got away from everything and reset. It was a great summer."

Edmonton opens the preseason against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

"I absolutely do," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said when asked if he thought Nurse would be ready for the regular season. "I haven't been able to talk to him today, but I think he feels pretty good. I'm very confident he'll play at least two exhibition games." -- Derek Van Diest

Winnipeg Jets

Cole Perfetti was not present when the Jets opened their on-ice training camp workouts Thursday.

The 22-year-old forward is a restricted free agent, who had 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) in 71 games.

"I had a conversation with Cole's representative this morning," Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said on Thursday. "We're looking at things and trying to make it work.

"At this stage of things, the focus is on getting done. If it's done, then it's encouraging. If it's not, there is work to be done."

Perfetti, the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft is listed on the Jets' training camp roster and represented the team at the NHL North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas last week.

"You're always looking to hit the ground running in all aspects of things, certainly with [head coach Scott Arniel's] first training camp and important teaching things that happen early in camp," Cheveldayoff said. "We play exhibition games coming up quicker than normal on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Things happen fast, day by day, so you hope it gets done."

In three seasons with Winnipeg, Perfetti has 75 points (29 goals, 46 assists) in 140 regular-season games.

Winnipeg opens the regular season at the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 9. -- Daren Bauming

Ottawa Senators

Josh Norris is healthy and on track to play in the season opener against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 10.

"[We had] honest conversations [in the offseason] about where he's at physically, mentally," coach Travis Green said of Norris. "And obviously, we'll continue to have a dialogue with him to see where he's at.

"There's always bumps and bruises along the way, especially when you're coming off injury and we'll monitor it daily to assess where he's at and what he needs to be ready for the home opener."

Norris, who missed 96 games over the past two seasons due to a recurring shoulder injury, took part in fitness and medical testing Wednesday at Canadian Tire Centre on the first day of training camp. The 25-year-old underwent the third shoulder operation of his career in March.

"I'm in a much better position than I was last year, so I'm happy about that and I'm just excited to get things going," Norris said Thursday. "I've felt good for a long time now. I'm just happy to be 100 percent and ready to go for camp."

Norris, who had 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists) in 50 games last season, is expected to begin the season at center.

"It's his natural position," Green said. "He's had success at this level at this position. So, I think, to start, it's important to put him in that spot. But just in my conversations without knowing him in the past, he seems very confident and excited to get going and mature, as well."

The Senators are hoping Norris can stay healthy and contribute offensively. He had 55 points (35 goals, 20 assists) in 66 games in 2021-22.

"It's good to see Josh out there," forward Shane Pinto said. "Just to see the smile on his face. Obviously, one of my good buddies. We've been through a couple tough years here and there together, so it's just good to see him out here. It's been a tough last year for him and it's just good to see him out here and just enjoying the game again. I'm just excited to see what he does this year. I know he's going to have a good year for us." -- Callum Fraser

Montreal Canadiens

Kaiden Guhle had his appendix removed on Wednesday and will be reevaluated in seven days.

The defenseman had 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 70 games last season, his second in the NHL.

Montreal plays its first preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday and begins the regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 9.

Anaheim Ducks

Pavel Mintyukov will miss the start of training camp for the Ducks on Thursday because of a lower-body injury. He is day to day.

The 20-year-old defenseman had 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 63 games for Anaheim last season, finishing third among NHL rookie defensemen in points and assists.

Selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Mintyukov missed 11 games last season with a separated shoulder and the final eight games with a lower-body bone contusion.

Forward Nathan Gaucher is also day to day with a lower-body injury.

Selected with the No. 22 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the 20-year-old forward had 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 72 games with San Diego of the American Hockey League last season. -- Dan Arritt

Pittsburgh Penguins

Erik Karlsson is day to day with an upper-body injury.

The defenseman did not practice when the Penguins opened their training camp Wednesday, or on Thursday.

"We'll see where it goes," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday. "I haven't even had a conversation yet with our medical team to discuss where he's at. I know some of this stuff is precautionary."

Karlsson did not miss a game last season. He led Pittsburgh's defensemen with 56 points (11 goals, 45 assists) after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks on Aug. 6, 2023, in a three-team trade also involving the Montreal Canadiens.

The 34-year-old routinely played with Marcus Pettersson on the second defense pair but replaced long-time Penguins defenseman Kris Letang at the point on the top power play.

Karlsson has 817 points (189 goals, 628 assists) in 1,002 NHL games for the Ottawa Senators, Sharks and Penguins. -- Wes Crosby