Kayla Douglas

The Florida Panthers are expected to get captain Aleksander Barkov back when they face the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, head coach Paul Maurice announced, according to NHL's Heather Engel. Barkov missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury. He suffered the ailment during the Panthers' 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 10 after crashing feet-first into the boards while trying to prevent an empty-net goal.Florida admirably went 5-2-1 in his absence, picking up victories against the Boston Bruins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vegas Golden Knights, New York Rangers, and New York Islanders. Sam Reinhart led the way with 12 points while Barkov was out of the lineup, and his five goals also tied Anton Lundell and Sam Bennett for the most on the team.Here's how the Panthers lined up during Monday's skate: Here's what I'm seeing this AM ⬇️Rodrigues - Barkov - ReinhartVerhaehge - Bennett - TkachukLuostarinen - Lundell - BoqvistGreer - Giles - SamoskevichForsling - EkbladMikkola - KulikovSchmidt/Balinskis - Boqvist— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) October 28, 2024 Barkov logged one assist in his first two games of the campaign. The 29-year-old center totaled 23 goals and 80 points in 73 games last season while averaging 19:38 minutes of ice time. He added 22 points in 24 playoff games and became the first-ever Finnish captain to lift the Stanley Cup.Selected second overall by the Panthers in the 2013 NHL Draft, Barkov is Florida's all-time leader in goals (266), assists (446), points (712), and games played (739).Puck drops on Florida's clash in Buffalo at 7 p.m. ET. The Panthers will then head to Barkov's hometown of Tampere, Finland, for two games against the Dallas Stars on Friday and Saturday.

The Winnipeg Jets are thriving as the NHL's only remaining undefeated squad this season, but defenseman Dylan DeMelo knows they can't win the campaign in eight games."We understand that we still have a lot of work to do. ... It's great that we've gotten a great start, but we really haven't done crap, to be honest with you," he told reporters Monday. "It's still so early, and that's kind of our message, is not to get complacent, and not to be relaxed. Keep the foot on the gas and see what we can do with this thing."Winnipeg has been effective all over the ice this season, ranking second in both goals for per game (4.50) and goals against per game (2.00) while owning the league's top power-play unit (43.5%) and the sixth-ranked penalty kill (87.5%).Four Jets - Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, and Neal Pionk - have hit the 10-point mark, while reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck leads all goalies with six wins while sporting a dazzling .940 save percentage and 1.66 goals against average. Despite the early success, DeMelo wants to see even more out of his club."For sure, everything," he said when asked what the Jets can improve. "Our power play's doing great. Yeah, let's score some more goals. PK's doing great? Yeah, let's keep denying them. Just keep pushing in all aspects."Any time you settle or get complacent, that's when things start to unravel so, internally, we're trying to push each other to be better."The Jets have found plenty of different ways to win this season. They kicked things off with a 6-0 thrashing of the Edmonton Oilers, but half of their victories have been decided by one goal, including three in overtime. Winnipeg has allowed the first goal on six occasions but the team has only gone down 2-0 once, which happened in a dramatic 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.DeMelo is a fan of how the Jets have been able to maintain their "composure" and stick to their plan."I think that's been a real good testament," DeMelo said. "Those are the top teams - teams that play their style and impose their will throughout the 60 minutes. Even if maybe things aren't going their way, they don't get away from it. I think that's something that we've really improved on in the last couple years."If the Jets beat Toronto on Monday night, they'll move within one victory of the longest season-opening win streak in NHL history, established by the Maple Leafs in 1993-94 and matched by the Buffalo Sabres in 2006-07. Winnipeg enjoyed two other 8-0-0 runs in 2023-24 and hasn't lost a regular-season game since March 30.

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, head coach Mike Sullivan announced Tuesday, per NHL's Michelle Crechiolo. Rust suffered the ailment during Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. He struggled to put any weight on his right leg after being taken to the boards by winger Nils Hoglander in the third period. The 32-year-old also missed the first two games of the season with a lower-body ailment. Rust has totaled three goals and four points in eight games of action while averaging 19:20 minutes of ice time per contest. Without Rust, the Penguins loaded up the top line with both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at Monday's practice: Here are the #LetsGoPens lines and D-pairs at practice with Rust absent. 87 and 71 did rushes together:Malkin-Crosby-RakellBeauvillier-Hayes-PuljujarviO’Connor-Eller-AcciariBunting-Glass-PuustinenPettersson-LetangGrzelcyk-KarlssonGraves-St. Ivany— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) October 28, 2024 In Pittsburgh's first two games without Rust this campaign, Crosby spent time with Anthony Beauvillier, Drew O'Connor, and Rickard Rakell on his wings. A fixture of the Penguins' top six, Rust has hit the 20-goal mark in each of the previous five campaigns and has reached 50 points on three occasions, including last season.His absence is a hit for the struggling club, which has lost five straight games while being outscored 21-10 over that span. The Penguins currently sit in seventh place of the Metropolitan Division with a 3-6-1 record. Selected by the Penguins in the third round of the 2010 NHL Draft, Rust has amassed 175 goals and 376 points in 575 career contests.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is expected to miss two-to-three weeks with an ankle injury, the team announced Wednesday. McDavid was hurt when he took an awkward fall during his first shift of the Oilers' 6-1 trouncing by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night. Video of McDavid injury from tonight. Oilers have said he will not return pic.twitter/QjPUPMZyR6— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 28, 2024 The superstar has logged three goals and 10 points in 10 outings so far this season. McDavid missed six games during the 2023-24 campaign and the Oilers didn't fare too well without him, going 1-4-1. He sat out two outings before Edmonton was sparked by a coaching change in November and four contests during the final month of the season.Here's how Edmonton's offense has been impacted in 19 games without McDavid dating back to 2016-17, according to Sportlogiq:With/Without Games G/GP xG/GP OZ time/GP PP%With 610 3.26 3.26 7:09 25.2Without 19 2.32 2.82 6:37 18.2The Oilers are off to another challenging start this year, going 4-5-1 after dropping their first three games. Big names are going through scoring droughts: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has one goal and four points, while last year's 54-goal-scorer Zach Hyman has just one assist.Edmonton came one win short of hoisting the Stanley Cup this past spring and entered this season with championship aspirations, and McDavid is key to those hopes.Last season, McDavid became the fourth player in league history to log 100 helpers in a single campaign. He then became the sixth player and second skater to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as a member of the losing side. The 27-year-old already ranks 10th among all active players with 992 points and eighth with 654 assists in 655 career NHL games. The Oilers take on the Nashville Predators and Calgary Flames on the road Thursday and Sunday before returning home for a clash with the New Jersey Devils on Monday.

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, head coach Rod Brind'Amour announced Thursday, according to team reporter Walt Ruff.Andersen last played on Saturday, turning aside 18 of 19 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. He was on the ice for the entirety of the contest, but Brind'Amour said the veteran netminder "came up a little gimpy" after the game.He wasn't available for Monday's clash against the Vancouver Canucks. Carolina called up Spencer Martin from the AHL ahead of the matchup to serve as Pyotr Kochetkov's backup.Brind'Amour said Wednesday that he was under the impression that Andersen's injury "shouldn't be too serious." The 35-year-old owns a sterling .941 save percentage, 1.48 goals against average, and a 3-1-0 record in four appearances this campaign.Andersen was limited to just 16 regular-season games in 2023-24 because of a blood-clotting issue, but his latest injury is unrelated to that ailment, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. Carolina currently sits in fourth place of the Metropolitan Division with a 6-2-0 record.The Hurricanes will take on the Boston Bruins Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander has seen less ice time under new head coach Craig Berube, but he's hoping to turn that around."That is a little bit what I've been trying to talk to (Berube) about, to get that ice time back to where it was before," Nylander said Thursday. "I think it helps my game a lot, to do what I want to be able to do out there. Hopefully it's something we can figure out."Nylander has seen 18:01 minutes of action per game through 10 contests this season, down from 19:55 last campaign.One of the main reasons is that Nylander has gotten virtually no work on the penalty kill despite Toronto ranking 13th in both penalty minutes (95) and penalty minutes per game (9:30). He averaged one minute of shorthanded ice time per contest last season in his first bit of work with the unit in his career, scoring a team-leading three goals.In comparison, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews are seeing increased roles on the penalty kill under Berube. Marner has seen his average shorthanded ice time go from 2:04 last year to 2:36 this campaign, while Matthews' has jumped dramatically from 43 seconds to 2:04. The Maple Leafs' penalty kill currently ranks in the middle of the pack with an 80.5% success rate.Nylander admitted that "of course" he misses his time on the PK. "PK is fun, it's good to get in the game that way. ... It keeps you going," the 28-year-old Swede explained. For Berube's part, he said he has "no problem" with Nylander's desire for more ice time. "I don't focus on ice time so much," the bench boss said. "I mean, I get Willy out there quite a bit, a lot. A lot of key situations, obviously. At the same time, I've said this all along, we want to be a good team. Everybody needs to be involved." He added: "What I do is I try to get him out there - if deserved - as much as I can."Berube also noted that he's pleased with Matthews and Marner's work on the penalty kill so far, saying they "understand the system very well." Nylander is currently playing out the first season of the eight-year, $92-million extension he signed in January. He's put up 10 points and leads the Leafs with six goals this campaign.

The Colorado Avalanche's forward group is getting a much-needed reinforcement after the club activated winger Artturi Lehkonen off injured reserve on Sunday.Colorado also reassigned rookie forward Ivan Ivan to the AHL. Lehkonen has yet to play this campaign as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. The Avalanche's next game is scheduled for Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken. The 29-year-old has been a key contributor in the Avalanche's top six when healthy, amassing 43 goals and 94 points in 125 regular-season games. Colorado acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens at the 2022 trade deadline.Lehkonen has similarly been productive in the playoffs. He scored eight goals - including four game-winners - and 14 points in 20 games to help the Avs win the Stanley Cup two years ago.Despite being hampered by a neck injury for almost half of the 2023-24 campaign, Lehkonen still racked up a respectable 34 points in 45 outings before adding 11 points in 11 playoff games during Colorado's run to the second round. The Avalanche currently sit sixth in the Central Division with a 5-7-0 record. Though goaltending has been a glaring problem for Colorado, it has also been dealt more than its fair share of major absences, particularly up front.On top of Lehkonen, Valeri Nichushkin also hasn't played a game this season, and captain Gabriel Landeskog remains on the sidelines. Jonathan Drouin, meanwhile, has been out since the first game of the campaign, and Ross Colton was given a six-to-eight-week recovery timeline for a broken foot on Wednesday.Colorado ranked 12th in the league in goals per game (3.33) and dead last in goals against per contest (4.25) entering Sunday's action. The puck drops on the Avalanche's clash against the Kraken on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky seems to be no worse for wear after exiting Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he isn't happy about the hit that knocked him out of the contest."It's a good thing that my head is fine and that (there were no effects) afterwards," he told reporters Monday. "I was pissed because, like, (there were) three minutes until the end of the game, and I want to be out there."Slafkovsky confirmed that he underwent concussion protocol after colliding with Noel Acciari, who wasn't penalized on the play. Just what we need right now. Slafkovsky takes one right to the chin. pic.twitter/J1EZUc6018— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) November 3, 2024 When asked if he believes the league should have reviewed the hit, Slafkovsky responded affirmatively. "Obviously I put myself in that spot, but you expect to get reverse hit," he said. "They teach me to reverse hit with my back and my ass, not with my arm. So I was maybe expecting a different type of contact from him. ... I got KO'd and had to go take a shower." Slafkovsky brought up a moment involving Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who was penalized and fined $5,000 for a similar hit on Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel in October. Ekman-Larsson is called for interference on Guentzel pic.twitter/Hu5YM4hvRX— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 22, 2024 "I don't know," Slafkovsky said with a shrug. "I have my opinion, but I probably can't say because it's bad."The 20-year-old practiced with the Canadiens on Monday. Slafkovsky missed three games with an upper-body injury earlier this campaign. He's racked up seven assists and eight points in nine outings.The 2022 first overall pick is currently playing out the final season of his entry-level deal, but the Canadiens inked him to an eight-year extension with a $7.6-million cap hit this past summer. Montreal will take on the Calgary Flames on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

Colorado Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen will play in a game for the first time this season Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken, head coach Jared Bednar announced Monday, according to NHL.com's Ryan Boulding

Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck is running out of steam in his fight for clarity on the NHL's goaltender interference rules. "I've tried my best to help over the last four or five years, and I'm getting to a point in my career where I'm a little more family-oriented," he said Monday. "If it's not going to get anywhere, I might have to move onto the next guy, pass it on. I've tried to help, I've tried to make it more black and white."Hellebuyck's comments come one day after a controversial goal from Brandon Hagel was allowed to stand in the first period of the Jets' clash against the Tampa Bay Lightning. First of the night courtesy of Hagel! pic.twitter/pAktJebUos— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) November 3, 2024 Winnipeg challenged for goaltender interference, but the league found that no such infraction occurred in accordance of Rule 69.7, which states:In a rebound situation, or where a goalkeeper and attacking player(s) are simultaneously attempting to play a loose puck, whether inside or outside the crease, incidental contact with the goalkeeper will be permitted, and any goal that is scored as a result thereof will be allowed.From Hellebuyck's perspective, Hagel's tally was clearly interference. "Incidental contact is going for the puck and maybe pushing the pad or hitting the glove or something that's around the puck," he explained. "When you miss the puck and drive the goalie three feet into the back of the net, that's no longer incidental contact. That's, 'Oh, I missed the puck. This is the only thing I can do to affect the play, is goalie interference.'"Hellebuyck added, "Just when I thought we were getting somewhere, they go and make that decision."After Winnipeg's failed challenge, the Lightning scored on the ensuing power play, putting the Jets in a 0-2 hole. However, they were able to rally and win the contest 7-4 to improve to 11-1-0 on the year."We knew we just got screwed and we just went with it," Hellebuyck said. "When a team can battle back from that, that's good things to come."Hellebuyck has been vocal about the inconsistencies surrounding goaltender interference for a long time. He said he appeared before the competition committee two years ago and gave a 45-minute presentation, complete with charts, clips, and notes in an attempt to explain what he thinks should and should not fall under interference."I just tried to hash it out with them," he said. "I don't think it got anywhere." He continued, "I know they definitely listened, but I don't think they were willing to go in the direction I was trying to go. Maybe because we're all biased and I'm a goalie, so they might think I'm very biased." The reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Hellebuyck owns an 8-1-0 record and .917 save percentage on the season.