Ice Chips: Tavares skates, Mete leaves Leafs' practice with injury
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Leafs captain John Tavares took part in his first team skate since sustaining an oblique strain on September 24. At the time of the injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe said Tavares would miss a minimum of three weeks.
The 32-year-old played 79 games last year, scoring 29 goals and adding 49 assists. Tavares has three tears remaining on a seven-year, $77 million contract.
The team opens the season on Oct 12 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Defenceman Victor Mete left practice after taking a Nick Robertson shot off of his foot during special teams work. He will make the trip to Detroit and will be a game-time decision.
Defenceman Timothy Liljegren skated with other injured Leafs at Friday's practice. He has been out since undergoing hernia surgery in late September that was expected to sideline him for six weeks.
Defenceman Justin Holl was absent from practice due to food poisoning, Keefe said.
The Leafs skated with the following lines at practice:
Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Engvall - Kerfoot - Jarnkrok
Aston-Reese - Kampf - Aube-Kubel
Slaggert - Nylander - Gogolev
Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Villeneuve
Giordano - Miller
Hellickson - Hoefenmeyer
Murray
Ferguson
Montreal Canadiens
Defenceman Mike Matheson and forwards Mike Hoffman and Christian Dvorak did not take part in Friday's practice.
Matheson is taking a therapy day while Hoffman and Dvorak both sustained upper-body injuries and are day-to-day.
The following players skated at practice ahead of the Habs final exhibition game on Saturday:
Forwards: Josh Anderson, Sean Monahan, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Rem Pitlick, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Jonathan Drouin, Jake Evans, Kirby Dach, Evgenii Dadonov, Brendan Gallagher
Defencemen: David Savard, Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj, Corey Schueneman, Madison Bowey, Otto Leskinen
Goalies: Cayden Primeau, Sam Montembeault, Jake Allen
Winnipeg Jets
Head coach Rick Bowness said forward Mason Appleton is sidelined for a couple of days with an upper-body injury but should be available for opening night. He also desrcibed tonight's lineup against the Flames as "very close to our lineup with a couple of additions and changes as the week progresses.”
The Jets skated with the following lines ahead of tonight's preseason game againstt he Calgary Flames.
Connor-Scheifele-Ehlers
Perfetti-Dubois-Wheeler
Barron-Lowry-Mäenalanen
Toninato-Gustafsson-Harkins
Gagner
Morrissey-DeMelo
Dillon-Pionk
Heinola-Schmidt
Stanley-Samberg
Hellebuyck
Rittich
Appleton, Lambert, Capobianco, Kovacecic not skating.
Edmonton Oilers
Both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will play in Friday's preseason game against the Seattle Kraken. Goaltender Jack Campbell is expected to play the full 60 minutes.
Dylan Holloway will play alongside Draisaitl and Zach Hyman as he auditions for a top-six spot in the lineup.
Kailer Yamamoto and Warren Foegele will be unavailable on Friday but are expected to be ready for the season opener against the Canucks on Oct. 12.
Ryan Murray played as the sixth defenceman at practice, indicating that Phillip Broberg will not play, according to TSN's Ryan Rishaug.
Ottawa Senators
Forwards Matthieu Joseph ad Tyler Motte were not on the ice this morning for the Senators' morning skate. However, forward Derick Brassard returned from an illness and skated on a line alongside Shane Pinto and Jayce Hawryluk.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks skated with the following lines ahead of Friday's preseason finale against the Arizona Coyotes:
Pearson-Miller-Höglander
Kuzmenko-Pettersson-Karlsson
Podkolzin-Horvat-Garland
Joshua-Åman-Lazar
Wolanin-Schenn
OEL-Poolman
Rathbone-Burroughs
Extras: Dries, Dickinson, Hughes
Demko
Martin
Head coach Bruce Boudreau says he expects forwards Brock Boeser (full prticipant) and Ilya Mikheyev (in a non-contact jersey) to practice on Sunday. Both are expected to be on the opening road trip.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Forward Teddy Blueger too part in optional morning skate wearing a non-contact jersey. He sustained an upper-body injury last week in practice.
Head coach Mike Sullivan on Blueger's status moving forward:
"He skated this morning with Ty [Hennes] and then joined the group. He is making significant progress and we are encouraged... We are hoping he joins us in practice over the next week or so and participates in a full capacity."
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have cut their training camp roster by nine players on Friday after assigning forwards Trenton Bliss, Joel L'Esperance, Cedric Lacroix, Tyler Spezia, Kirill Tyutyayev, defenceman Brian Lashoff, and goaltender John Lethemon to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.
Additionally, the Red Wings have assigned defenceman Tnias Mathurin to the OHL's North Bay Battalion.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings have reduced their training camp roster to 29 players after assigning forwards Lias Andersson, T.J. Tynan, defencemmen Tobias Bjornfot, Jordan SPence, and goaltender David Hrenak to the AHL's Ontario Reign on Friday.
Additionally the Kings have released forward Jacob Doty from his professions try-out contract.
New York Rangers
The Rangers have assigned forward Jonny Brodzinski to the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack after clearing waivers on Friday.
Brodzinski, 29, appeared in 22 games last season and registered a goal and two points.
The 6-foot forward had 18 goals and 39 points in 36 games with the Wolf Pack last season.