Ice Chips: Vilardi to return to Jets lineup on Saturday vs. Senators
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Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
Winnipeg Jets
Forward Gabriel Vilardi is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday when the Jets take on the Ottawa Senators, according to head coach Rick Bowness.
The 24-year-old has been sidelined since Feb. 29 after suffering an upper-body injury against Dallas Stars.
Vilardi has 16 goals and 30 points in 38 games for the Jets this season, his first with the team. He was acquired as part of Winnipeg's return in the off-season for centre Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Selected 11th overall in the 2017 draft by the Los Angeles Kings, the Kingston, Ont. native has 57 goals and 108 points in 190 career games.
The Jets used these lines during Friday's practice, according to team reporter Mitchell Clinton:
Connor - Scheifele - Vilardi
Ehlers - Monahan - Toffoli
Niederreiter - Lowry - Appleton
Barron - Namestnikov - Iafallo
Extras: Kupari, Perfetti, Gustafsson
Toronto Maple Leafs
Defenceman Morgan Rielly will miss his third straight game when his team takes on the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe.
Rielly has been out with an upper-body injury but Keefe believe he will return to the ice within the next couple of days.
The 6-foot-1 defenceman has seven goals and 51 games this season.
Keefe also told reporters that defencemen Timothy Liljegren and Joel Edmundson are considered week-to-week but should be back before the end of the regular season.
Liljegren missed Thursday's 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals with an upper-body injury.
The 6-foot-1 defenceman has three goals and 23 points in 52 games this season.
Edmundson, 30, missed the team's last two games with an undisclosed injury.
The 6-foot-5 defenceman has appeared in seven games since being acquired by the Maple Leafs at the deadline, averaging 17:43 of ice time.
Ilya Samsonov is expected to be in net on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres, per Keefe.
Samsonov, 27, left the Maple Leafs' 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers with 3:39 remaining in the third period with a calf contusion and missed the team's last three games.
The 6-foot-3 netminder has a 19-6-7 record with an ,889 save percentage and 3.12 goals-against average this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets assigned forward Tyler Angle to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters on Friday.
Angle, 23, appeared in two games with the Blue Jackets this season and did not record a point.
The 5-foot-10 forward has seven goals and 15 points in 34 AHL games this season.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings recalled defenceman Jacob Moverare from the AHL's Ontario Reign on Friday.
Moverare, 25, appeared in 19 games with the Kings this season, recording a goal.
The 6-foot-3 left-shot defenceman also has two goals and 18 points in 34 games in the AHL this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Defenceman Ryan Graves was diagnosed with a concussion, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters on Friday.
Graves, 28, left Thursday's 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets after only 5:27 of ice time with an upper-body injury.
The 6-foot-5 left-shot defenceman has three goals and 14 points in 70 games this season.
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken recalled defenceman Cale Fleury from the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds on Friday on an emergency basis.
Fleury, 25, has six goals and 32 points in 60 games in the AHL this season.
The Kraken also assigned defenceman Gustav Olofsson to the Firebirds in a corresponding move.
Olofsson, 29, appeared in the Kraken's 4-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks, registering 14:57 of ice time.
The 6-foot-2 defenceman has a goal and eight points in 41 games in the AHL this season.
Vegas Golden Knights
Defenceman Alex Pietrangelo joined the Golden Knights on their four-game road trip and skated with the team on Friday.
Pietrangelo, 34, missed the team's last six games with an illness.
The 6-foot-3 right-shot defenceman has four goals and 32 points in 62 games this season.