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Welcome to the NHL Buzz. The 2022-23 regular season is underway, and NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
John Tavares is expected to play when the Toronto Maple Leafs open the regular season at the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET: SN, TVAS, ESPN+).
"Feeling good, tomorrow looks good, so I'm excited about that," Tavares said Tuesday. "The process it has taken to get here, not ideal, but the medical staff, performance staff helping me get to this point has been tremendous. So a lot of credit to them and I'm excited I can be there right from the get-go."
The Maple Leafs center sustained an oblique injury during a 4-1 preseason win against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 24. It was expected to keep their captain out for a minimum of three weeks, but he has recovered quicker than expected.
Tavares practiced in full for the second straight day Tuesday. He was the center a line with left wing Denis Malgin and right wing William Nylander .
"It gives the team a boost and a jolt for sure," coach Sheldon Keefe said. "His talent and what he brings to our team, he makes us that much more dynamic and harder to check and defend. And he's our captain so having the presence of your captain right from the start of the season is always good, certainly better than not. Power play, all those kind of things right from the start of the season, everything is in place just sort of how you envisioned it coming in so to that end, we are thrilled to have him back."
Tavares had 76 points (27 goals, 49 assists) in 79 games last season. -- Dave McCarthy
Elvis Merzlikins is ill and will not play the Blue Jackets season opener at the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m. ET; BSSO, BSOH, ESPN+, SN NOW).
"It's just because it's Game 1 that it's a big story," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "You deal with what's in front of you."
Larsen said there is no timetable for Merzlikins to return.
Daniil Tarasov will start. He was 0-2-0 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in four NHL games as a rookie last season.
"He's excited to go in," Larsen said. "He had a huge smile. He couldn't wait to get in the net here tonight. … If we play well in front of him, give him some help, that's what I would like to see from our group."
Jet Greaves was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Wednesday to be the backup. -- Kurt Dusterberg
Brock Boeser likely will play in the season opener at the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SN, ESPN+, SN NOW), 16 days after the forward had surgery on his left hand.
Boeser practiced Tuesday in a regular jersey and was a full participant for the first time since the Sept. 26 surgery. He was supposed to miss 3-4 weeks but said several times he planned to play in Edmonton.
"I feel ready and I'm excited for tomorrow," Boeser said. "I feel pretty good out there. I feel like I'm stick-handling well and I'm passing the puck well and I'm shooting the puck pretty well and it doesn't hurt when I take one-timers, so it's good enough to go,"
Boeser, who had 46 points (23 goals, 23 assists) in 71 games last season, rejoined the top line on the right wing with center J.T. Miller and left wing Tanner Pearson on Tuesday. The 25-year-old was injured in a training camp practice Sept. 24, but was skating within a week of surgery.
"It was kind of a weird, fluky injury. Someone hit my arm and wrist in a weird direction and I felt it snap or pop, whatever you want to say, so it's pretty frustrating but I'm just glad that I can be back for the first game," Boeser said. "I tried to stay positive and did everything I can to get to this point to be able to play (on Wednesday) so I'm looking forward to getting out there."
Quinn Hughes is also a game-time decision after returning to practice Tuesday. He missed two days with an illness.
"I feel good," Hughes said. "I'll be playing."
Forward Ilya Mikheyev , who was week to week after sustaining a lower-body injury in a 3-2 preseason loss to the Calgary Flames on Sept 25, returned to practice Monday in a no-contact jersey but won't play Wednesday. -- Kevin Woodley
Anton Stralman signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Bruins but will not play their opener against the Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; TNT, SN NOW) because of visa issues.
"We're trying to get things done quicker on his visa" Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Wednesday. "So he's not eligible until we get that. … (I like) the way he thinks the game. The way he quickly makes decisions to get pucks out of our end and the poise he has at the offensive blue line."
The 36-year-old defenseman had 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 74 games for the Arizona Coyotes last season. He signed a professional tryout contract with the Bruins on September 24.
"I'm happy with my camp, and I truly appreciate that they liked what they saw," said Stralman, who is with the Bruins in Washington.
Stralman has 293 points (63 goals, 230 assists) in 930 regular-season games over 15 NHL seasons.
"I know I'm at the tail end of my career, and as year and year go by, you're looking for an opportunity to go deep and have a chance to win," Stralman said. "I think this team has a lot of those ingredients you need. Very happy that it worked out, and I'm excited."
Boston opens the season without defensemen Matt Grzelcyk (shoulder) and Charlie McAvoy (shoulder). Grzelcyk has returned to practice, but McAvoy is expected to be out until at least late November. -- Harvey Valentine
Teddy Blueger is unlikely to play for the Penguins against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW) because of an upper-body injury.
The forward practiced in a no-contact jersey Wednesday after being the only player missing from a night practice Monday. Blueger is day to day after being injured in training camp Sept. 28.
Blueger said it would be difficult to describe what he's experienced as a straightforward setback.
"It's been pretty frustrating," Blueger said. "Sometimes, that's how it goes. Just have to stick with it and take it day by day. Take the small improvements as they come."
Blueger first joined the Penguins in an optional morning skate Friday, when coach Mike Sullivan said they would like him to take full contact in at least one practice before the season opener Thursday. He again took no contact Sunday before missing the most recent practice Monday.
Sullivan said the Penguins would not rule out any player for the game against Arizona.
If Blueger is unable to play, Ryan Poehling would take his spot at fourth-line center with left wing Brock McGinn and right wing Josh Archibald . -- Wes Crosby
Cam Atkinson will not play for the Flyers against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW).
The forward has been day to day since Sept. 25 because of an upper-body injury. He did not play any preseason games.
Atkinson was on the ice for practice Wednesday but did not take part in line rushes. Coach John Tortorella said earlier in the week that he was optimistic Atkinson would practice fully Wednesday and play Thursday.
"He's just not ready so we'll go day to day," Tortorella said.
Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen left practice early but there was no update on his status.
Forward Joel Farabee said he's hopeful to play Thursday. He had artificial disk replacement surgery in his cervical region June 24. It was expected he would need 3-4 months to recover but was cleared for contact Oct. 7. Farabee said the final step is receiving clearance from the medical staff, which he was hoping to receive later Wednesday.
"No green light confirmed yet," he said. "I'll probably find out right after this and we'll go from there. I feel good. I feel ready to play." -- Adam Kimelman
Kyle Okposo has been cleared to play in the season opener against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, TSN5, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The forward wore a regular practice jersey Tuesday after wearing a no-contact one Monday. Okposo, who was named Sabres captain Saturday, sustained an upper-body injury in a preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 4.
"Yeah, he won't be denied. He's good," coach Don Granato said. "He's been cleared. I'm comfortable with it. I have more information than when I spoke to you yesterday. Evident by the way he competes in practice, he's ready to go."
After rotating in on line rushes Monday, Okposo was back on a regular line Tuesday, skating at right wing with Zemgus Girgensons and center Rasmus Asplund , and a fixture on one of the two power-play units.
Speaking after practice Monday, Okposo wasn't certain if he'd be ready for the opening game but was hopeful.
"Definitely working hard to try and get back for that," he said. -- Heather Engel
Vitali Kravtsov will not travel with the Rangers on their two-game road trip because of an upper-body injury.
The forward was injured in the first period of a season-opening 3-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday when he was hit into the boards by Victor Hedman . He left the game and did not return.
Kravtsov did not skate Wednesday and will not play at the Minnesota Wild on Thursday or the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. He will be reevaluated next week.
Forward Sammy Blais (upper body) took part in practice Wednesday in a non-contact jersey.
Nico Hischier returned to practice Tuesday but remains questionable for the start of the regular season because of a hamstring strain.
"I definitely still got to do some stuff in the gym, start skating with the team [regularly]," Hischier said. "I have already felt good, but there's definitely stuff I still need to work on with my hamstring right now, so it's more or less day to day, a game-time decision."
New Jersey opens the season at the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU, SN NOW).
"At the end of the day, I have to feel ready," Hischier said. "I don't want to come back too early in a long season. It's something small. If you start too early, it's going to bother you for a while. You have to be careful with that."
The center was limited to 6:24 of ice time in a 2-1 preseason win at the Montreal Canadiens on Sept. 26 because of cramping and did not play in any of the remaining preseason games.
"He got out there, he practiced and he got to where we wanted to get him to," coach Lindy Ruff said. "In all likelihood he'll practice again tomorrow and we'll see where he's at. He is just day to day, but it was great to get him back up for practice."
Hischier set NHL career highs in goals (21), assists (39) and points (60) in 70 games last season. -- Mike G. Morreale
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