Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips. The NHL season opens today with four games on the schedule. 

Toronto Maple Leafs

Even though he's about to enter his 10th season in the league, the season-opener is still something special to forward Nazem Kadri.

"You always get those butterflies and that anxiousness pre-opener, but knowing we have such a special group and we have the opportunity to succeed, we have a lot of pieces to put together but it's certainly excited," he said. 

European off-season signings Par Lindholm and Igor Ozhiganov are both set to make their NHL debuts on Wednesday night. Lindholm will centre the fourth line with Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen, while Ozhiganov is set to work with Travis Dermott in the team's third defence pairing.

Here were their full lines Wednesday at the morning skate courtesy of TSN's Kristen Shilton:

Hyman-Tavares-Marner

Marleau-Matthews-Ennis

Leivo-Kadri-Brown

Johnsson-Lindholm-Kapanen

Gauthier

 

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Ozhiganov

Marincin-Holl

 

Andersen

Sparks

 

Montreal Canadiens

Tomas Plekanec and Karl Alzner skated as extras on Wednesday morning and will not dress for team's opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, head coach Claude Julien announced. 

The 35-year-old Plekanec traded to the Maple Leafs at the trade deadline last season and played in 17 games with the team during the regular season. He had two goals and four points in seven postseason games with Toronto after posting just two assists in the regular season. He returned to Montreeal in July on a one-year, $2.25 million contract.

The decision to leave him of the lineup ends Alzner's consecutive regular season games played streak at 622, which was the fourth longest active streak in the NHL behind Keith Yandle (710), Patrick Marleau (706) and Phil Kessel (692). Alzner was signed to a five-year, $23.125 million deal last summer. 

Andrew Shaw (knee) is expected to be a game-time decision, but the winger did skate on the fourth line during Wednesday's practice, suggesting he'll dress. Shaw declared himself ready to go on Monday, but head coach Claude Julien did not confirm whether he would be in the lineup for the opener.

Here are Montreal's lines from Wednesday's morning skate:

Tatar-Danault-Gallagher
Drouin-Kotkaniemi-Armia
Byron-Domi-Lehkonen
Hudon-Peca-Shaw

Mete-Petry
Reilly-Juulsen
Alzner-Benn
 

Price
Niemi
 

Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi will become the third-youngest player to skate in an NHL game for the club (18 years, 89 days on Oct. 3; tied with Claude Lemieux), behind goaltender Olivier Michaud (18 years, 46 days) and forward Mario Tremblay (18 years, 73 days). Tremblay, who made his debut on Nov. 14, 1974, scored his first NHL goals two nights later against the Rangers (2-0—2 on Nov. 16, 1974).
 

 

Ottawa Senators

Rookie forward Brady Tkachuk was not on the ice for Wednesday's morning skate and won't play Thursday as he recovers from a mild groin strain, general manager Pierre Dorion announced. 

"It's nothing serious, it's a nagging little injury and we want to be cautious with it," Dorion told reporters on Tuesday.

Dorion said he is hopeful Tkachuk will be able to make the trip to Toronto on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Dorion announced that Matt Duchene and Mark Stone will be permanent alternate captains, with Mark Borowiecki and Zack Smith wearing alternate As at home and on the road. 

Here were their lines at the morning skate:

Dzingel-Duchene-Ryan

White-Smith-Stone

Formenton-Tierney-Boedker

McCormick-Pyatt-Paarjarvi

 

Chabot-Wideman

Borowiecki-Ceci

Harpur/Lajoie-DeMelo

 

Vancouver Canucks

Forward Jake Virtanen skated Wednesday and says he's healthy enough to play as the Canucks open their season against the Calgary Flames. Head coach Travis Green said he is a game-time decision, but believes he's good to go. Here were the lines courtesy of TSN's Farhan Lalji:

Baertschi-Horvat-Boeser

Goldobin-Pettersson-Eriksson

Virtanen-Sutter-Motte

Leipsic-Beagle-Granlund

 

Edler-Tanev

Del Zotto-Stecher

Pouliot-Gudbranson

 

Markstrom

Nillson

 

Calgary Flames

Expected lines vs. Canucks:

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm

Tkachuk-Backlund-Frolik

Dube-Ryan-Neal

Bennett-Jankowski-Czarnik

 

Giordano-Brodie

Hanifin-Hamonic

Valimaki-Stone

 

Smith

 

Washington Capitals

Defenceman Michal Kempny is on the ice for the Capitals' morning skate according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post. 

He will not play on Wednesday or Thursday's games as he recovers from a concussion he suffered after taking a hit from Robert Bortuzzo of the St. Louis. Bortuzzo was suspended two preseason games and one regular season game for elbowing.

Tom Wilson was not on the ice because of a trip to New York for an in-person hearing with NHL Player Safety. Wilson is facing a possible suspension for a hit on Oskar Sundqvist on Sunday. Here are their lines at Wednesday's morning skate:

Ovechkin-Kuznetsov-Connolly

Vrana-Backstrom-Oshie

Burakovsky-Eller-Stephenson

Walker-Dowd-Smith-Pelly

 

Djoos-Carlson

Orlov-Niskanen

Orpik-Bowey

 

Holtby

 

St. Louis Blues

The Blues will be without forward Robby Fabbri all week because of a groin injury according to Lou Korac of NHL.com.

Fabri missed all of last season with a knee injury. 

Meanwhile, Oskar Sundqvist was not on the ice Wednesday as he recovers from concussion and shoulder issues sustained from a hit from Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals. 

He was put on injured reserve Tuesday and is considered day-to-day.

 

Philadelphia Flyers

Goaltender Michal Neuvirth is expected to miss at least the Flyers' first two games with a lower-body injury. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia, he could be ready for the home opener on Oct. 9. 

The Flyers claimed goalie Calvin Pickard off waivers from the Leafs Tuesday. 

 

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have assigned right winger Luke Witkowski and defencemen Joe Hicketts and Filip Hronek to Grand Rapids of the AHL.

Their roster now sits at 22 ahead of Thursday night's opener with the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

 

NHL Notes

 

Canadiens at Leafs - 7PM (Oct 3)

TOR was 4-0-0 vs MTL in 17-18, outscoring them 18-5.

TOR: 12 games in Oct. 7H, 5A, one set of back to back, Oct 6/7

29-10-2 at home in 17-18, T5th best home record in NHL

Matthews 5G, 1A in 3GP vs MTL in 17-18. Matthews(7G) has scored in 4 straight games vs MTL

MTL: 11 games in Oct. 6H, 5A, no games on back to back days

worst road team in NHL in 17-18, 11-26-4

Price 0-1-1 vs TOR in 17-18, 4.02GAA, .846sv%

Bruins at Capitals - 730PM (Oct 3)

WSH was 3-0-0 vs BOS in 17-18 reg season, 1-0-0 at home. WSH has won 12 straight vs BOS, 6 of the games at home

WSH: 10 games in Oct. 5H, 5A, 2 sets of playing on back to back days

8-2-0 final 12 reg season home games in 17-18

Ovechkin 3G, 1A vs BOS in 17-18

BOS: 12 games in Oct. 5H, 7A. 2 sets of playing on back to back days

0-2-2 final 4 reg season road games in 17-18

Bergeron & Pastrnak 2G, 1A vs WSH in 17-18

Flames at Canucks - 10PM (Oct 3)

CGY was 3-1-0 vs VAN in 17-18, 2-0-0 in VAN. Teams meet again Saturday

VAN: 14 games in Oct. 6H, 8A. One set of back to back Oct 24/25

4-0-1 final 5 home games in 17-18, 19GF. begin a 6 game road trip after opener

Boeser last game was March 5th. 2G, 1A in 4GP vs CGY in 17-18

CGY: 13 games in Oct. 5H, 8A. 1 set of back to back Oct 29/30

0-5-0 final 5 road games in 17-18, 4GF

Gaudreau (2G, 2A) vs VAN in 17-18

Ducks at Sharks - 1030PM (Oct 3)

SJ 3-0-1 vs ANA in 17-18 reg season, 3 of 4 meetings went to a shootout

SJ swept ANA in opening round of 2018 playoffs

SJ: 12 games in Oct. 4H, 8A. 1 set of back to backs Oct 8/9

made playoffs 13 of past 14 seasons. 19-7-2 final 28 reg season home games in 17-18. begin 5 game road trip after opener

Burns 2A vs ANA in 17-18

ANA: 13 games in Oct. 6H, 7A. 2 sets of back to back

5 straight 100P seasons. 4GF in 2018 playoff series vs SJ. 8 of their road games in 17-18 went to a shootout

Rakell 2G, 3A in 4GP vs SJ in 17-18

 

*Courtesy of TSN's Kevin Gibson