Ice Chips: Leafs’ Laughton progressing, could play Thursday vs. Columbus

Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Head coach Craig Berube told reporters that forward Scott Laughton could be an option for the Maple Leafs Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“He’s progressing, we’ll see,” Berube told reporters Wednesday.

Laughton has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury.

As for star forward Auston Matthews, Berube said he continues to make progress but will not play Thursday despite skating at today’s session.

He’s missed the last three games with a lower-body injury suffered against the Boston Bruins last week. He skated for the first time on Tuesday since incurring the injury.

Defenceman Chris Tanev also skated Thursday but remains “a ways away” according to Berube.

Meanwhile, forward Sammy Blais was back on the ice Wednesday morning at the team’s skate after being forced out of Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues.

Berube told reporters Blais left the game after taking some body contact and was coughing up blood. However, he was seen chatting with some old Blues teammates in the hallway after the game.

“We did some scans and I’m all good. It was a scary situation,” Blais said Wednesday.

The 29-year-old had an assist in 6:31 of ice time Tuesday, also tallying four hits.

He has one goal and three points in seven games so far this season.

Edmonton Oilers

It appears Stuart Skinner will get the start in net Wednesday night against the Capitals in D.C.

Oilers’ play-by-play broadcaster Bob Stauffer reports Skinner was in the starter’s net with Calvin Pickard serving as the backup.

The 27-year-old is 7-5-3 with a .889 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average in 15 games this season, all of them starts.

Meanwhile, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters that forwards Noah Philip and Curtis Lazar will miss the remainder of the road trip with upper-body injuries. Edmonton plays three more games on their current trip before returning home after Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers.

Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers forward Eetu Luostarinen is out week-to-week after being burned in a barbecue accident, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Wednesday.

Luostarinen missed Monday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks with a lower-body injury.

He had three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 18 games this season prior to the incident.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning have re-assigned forward Scott Sabourin to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, it was announced Wednesday.

He has one goal and one assist in three games so far this season at the NHL level.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild activated defenceman Zach Bogosian and forward Nico Sturm from injured reserve and reassigned blueliner David Jiricek to the Iowa Wild.