Colorado avalanche
Devon Toews will not play for the Avalanche against the Seattle Kraken on Friday (9 p.m. ET; ALT2, ROOT-NW, ESPN+, SN NOW) due to an undisclosed injury.
The defenseman was injured in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.
“He’s going to miss tonight and maybe tomorrow (against the Vegas Golden Knights), I think,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “He’s a little sore but that’s good news. It should be short term.”
Toews, who had three assists in four games this season, had an NHL career-high 57 points last season (13 goals, 44 assists) in 66 games and led the NHL with a plus-52 differential. .
Forward Dryden Hunt will make his Avalanche debut a day after the forward was taken off waivers by the New York Rangers.
Hunt, who will play on the fourth line, has one goal in three games for the Rangers this season. He was knocked out healthy in New York’s 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 11, but has played in each of the last three games.
“It would be nice to help out wherever you can,” Hunt said. “Obviously this team is quite competent. You’re not going to see a lot of time on the power play, I don’t think. So wherever you can participate, on the PK or in different areas, it’s kind of huge responsibility for guys like me.”
Hunt had 41 points (13 goals, 28 assists) in 168 NHL games with the Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes and Rangers. –Ryan Boulding
Winnipeg Jets
Nikolaj Ehlers was placed on injured reserve by the Jets on Friday, retroactive to Oct. 18 with an undisclosed injury.
The forward hasn’t played the last two games since a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Oct. 17.
He joined the Jets for morning practice at the Ball Arena in Denver before a 4-3 overtime win on Wednesday, starting early. Ehlers also missed a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
Ehlers has three assists this season. He had 55 points (28 goals, 27 assists) in 62 games last season.
Winnipeg recalled to front Dominique Toninato Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Friday.
Coach Rick Bowness is expected to return when the Jets face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, CITY, SNO, SNW, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW). He hasn’t made the squad since testing positive for COVID-19 on October 14.
Pittsburgh penguins
Jake Guentzel will travel with the Penguins for a five-game road trip while being evaluated for an upper-body injury, coach Mike Sullivan said.
The forward, who did not practice Friday, gave up a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday after being hit in the ear by a shot from the Pittsburgh defenseman. Kris Letang at 6:51 of the third period. It came after Guentzel received a high shoulder strike from the Los Angeles striker Brendan Lemieux at 4:20 a.m.
Guentzel, left winger on the first line, had five points (three goals, two assists) in four games. He led the Penguins with 40 goals in 76 games last season.
“[Guentzel] is a great player, does a lot for us”, captain Sidney Crosby said. “He’s not an easy guy to replace. So when you get injured you have to find ways to make up for the guys you lose and what they bring. I think we’ll try to do that collectively.”
The journey begins against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Danton Heinen replaced Guentzel on a line with Crosby at center and right wing Rickard Rakell at practice on Friday. Rakell took Guentzel’s place in the power play’s top unit.
“No matter how our line combinations look, [Heinen] is a guy who I think is always in conversation [to move up in the lineup]”Sullivan said.
Brock McGinn was elevated from the fourth line to the left wing on the third, in place of Heinen. Teddy Bleugerin a contactless jersey, returned to his usual place in the center of the fourth line.
Blueger is day to day with an upper body injury. If Guentzel and Blueger are unable to play Saturday, Pittsburgh could use seven defensemen.–Wes Croby
Toronto Maple Leafs
Auston Matthews didn’t practice Friday, but will likely play for the Maple Leafs at the Jets Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, CITY, SNO, SNW, SNP, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The center conducted a cross-check with Jamie Benn in the first period of a 3-2 overtime win over the Stars on Thursday and blocked a shot from Wyatt Johnston with his foot later in the game. He stayed in the game, playing 26:46, and assisted on Nicholas Robertsongoal in overtime.
“We give them these days [off] throughout the season he played a lot of minutes yesterday and obviously hurt himself a bit too so it was pretty easy to give him,” coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He was in and got it. doing his job, was in the gym doing his thing and getting ready for tomorrow.”
Wayne Simmondswho was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League on Sunday, will make his season debut against the Jets, playing right wing on a line with left wing Pierre Engval and center David Kampf. Nicolas Aube-Kubel will be a healthy scratch.
“I don’t want him sitting down too long,” Keefe said. “We have the flexibility to move guys inside and out. I thought Wayne had a good side with us. … Having Wayne here and having flexibility with our roster, I think it’s important to involve him.”
Simmonds had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and 96 penalty minutes in 72 games with the Maple Leafs last season. –Dave McCarthy
Chicago Blackhawks
Jake McCabe will make its season debut when the Blackhawks take on the Detroit Red Wings on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCH, BSDETX, ESPN+, SN NOW).
The 29-year-old defenseman, who was activated off injured reserve, has been skating with the Blackhawks since the start of training camp after undergoing cervical spine surgery in the offseason.
“You have to give him time for those small areas, to get all the bloat out, especially a defender,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said. “When you come back for a puck and you get run over from behind and your neck twists the wrong way, you have to make sure you’re 100% healthy. I think he got the clearance. full contact last week or even just before leaving on the [season opening] travel. But really, the date was scheduled for today so he was really fully cleared and ready for full game contact.”
McCabe had 22 points (four goals, eight assists) in 75 games with Chicago last season. — Tracey Myers
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