Ice Chips: Bolduc returns to practice ahead of Habs opener

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

Montreal Canadiens

Forward Zachary Bolduc took part in Canadiens practice on Monday as the team gets set for their season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, according to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette.

Bolduc, 22, missed Friday’s practice and Saturday’s pre-season finale against the Ottawa Senators with a lower-body injury and is considered to be day-to-day.

He skated on the third line with Kirby Dach and Brendan Gallagher on Monday.

Montreal acquired Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues in the off-season in exchange for defenceman Logan Mailloux.

The 6-foot winger recorded 19 goals and 36 points in 72 games with the Blues last season.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators finalized their roster on Monday, assigning forwards Jan Jenik, Hayden Hodgson, and Arthur Kaliyev, defencemen Carter Yakemchuk, and Lassi Thomson, and goaltender Mads Sogaard to the AHL’s Belleville Senators.

Additionally, the placed forwards Drake Batherson and Tyler Kleven on injured reserve.

Batherson has been out since Sept. 24 with an upper-body injury and was given a two-week timeline for his recovery.

The 27-year-old winger had 26 goals and 68 points in 82 games last season.

Kleven hasn’t appeared for the Senators since their pre-season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sept. 21 with an undisclosed injury.

The 6-foot-5 defenceman had four goals and 10 points in 79 games last season while averaging 14:28 of ice time.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs used these lines during Monday’s practice ahead of their season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, according to TSN’s Mark Masters.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers placed forward Mattias Janmark on injured reserve and recalled forward James Hamblin from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors on Monday.

Janmark, 32, last appeared during the Oilers’ pre-season shutout victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Sept. 26 but has been out with an undisclosed injury.

Team reporter Tony Brar reports that he is still one or two weeks away.

The 6-foot-2 centre had two goals and 18 points in 80 games last season.

Additionally, the team assigned forwards Isaac Howard and David Tomasek to the Condors on Monday.

Howard was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning during the off-season in exchange for prospect Sam O’Reilly.

The 5-foot-10 winger won the Hobey Baker Award last season as a member of Michigan State, recording 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games.

New York Islanders

Defenceman Matthew Schaefer has cracked the Islanders opening night roster and is expected to be in the lineup on Thursday when his team takes on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Schaefer, 18, was drafted first overall by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft.

The 6-foot-2 left-shot defenceman appeared in only 17 games with the Erie Otters last season after sustaining a broken collarbone while representing Canada at the World Juniors in December.

He had seven goals and 22 points in 17 OHL games and had a goal and two points at the World Juniors.

Additionally, goaltender Semyon Varlamov and forward Pierre Engvall skated on their own as they recover from injuries.

Varlamov, 37, hasn’t played since last November with a knee injury and had been considered out indefinitely heading into training camp.

The 6-foot-2 netminder went 3-4-3 last season with a 2.89 GAA and .889 save percentage and there is no timetable for his return.

Engvall, 29, had hip surgery in the off-season and isn’t expected to be ready for opening night. The Islanders say that he will have a follow up with his doctor next week.

The 6-foot-6 winger recorded eight goals and 15 points in 62 games last season.

Calum Ritchie will also miss some time due to a minor injury, according to the team.

The 6-foot-2 centre was acquired by the Islanders, along with defenceman Oliver Kylington and two draft picks from the Colorado Avalanche prior to last year’s trade deadline in exchange for forwards Brock Nelson and William Dufour.

He appeared in seven games with the Avalanche, recording a goal.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets assigned goaltender Ivan Fedotov to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters on Monday.

Fedotov, 28, was acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers on Sept. 14 in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The 6-foot-7 netminder went 6-13-4 last season with a 3.14 goals-against average and .880 save percentage.

Philadelphia Flyers

General manager Daniel Briere confirmed that prospect Jett Luchanko will make the team’s opening night roster.

Luchanko was drafted 13th overall by the Flyers in the 2024 draft and appeared in four games with the Flyers last season before being returned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm.

The 19-year-old centre had 21 goals and 56 points in 46 games in Guelph and later recorded three assists in nine AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Additionally, defenceman Cam York will be day-to-day with a lower-body injury, according to Briere.

York, 24, skated 25:28 in the Flyers’ pre-season finale against the New Jersey Devils, recording five shots.

The 6-foot left-shot defenceman’s availability for the team’s season opener against the Florida Panthers on Thursday is in question and could end up on injured reserve.

York recorded four goals and 17 points in 66 games with the Flyers last season.

Carolina Hurricanes

Forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi returned to practice on Monday after he was sidelined with an upper-body injury, according to team reporter Walt Ruff.

Kotkaniemi, 25, took a high-stick to the face during the Hurricanes’ 6-5 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sept. 26 and wasn’t cleared for contact until Monday.

The 6-foot-3 centre registered 12 goals and 33 points in 78 games with the Hurricanes last season.

Minnesota Wild

Defenceman Jonas Brodin continues to skate in a non-contact jersey as he continues to recover from off-season upper-body surgery, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.

He is questionable for the Wild’s season opener on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues.

Brodin, 32, recorded four goals and 20 points in 50 regular season games. He added an assist in six playoff games before his team was eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights.

Minnesota also assigned goaltender Calvin Petersen and forward Tyler Pitlick to the AHL’s Iowa Wild.

Petersen joined the Wild on a one-year, $775,000 deal in the off-season.

The 6-foot-2 netminder had a 13-15-3 record with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms last year.

Pitlick signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Wild in the off-season.

The 6-foot-2 centre had 21 goals and 46 points in 59 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins last season.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals assigned forward Ivan Miroshnichenko to the AHL’s Hershey Bears on Monday.

The 21-year-old forward appeared in 18 games with the Capitals last season, recording a goal and four points. He also put up 23 goals and 42 points in 53 games with the Bears last season.

Washington also placed defenceman Dylan McIlrath on injured reserve and loaned forward Ethen Frank and goaltender Clay Stevenson to the Bears.

McIlrath, 33, left Saturday’s pre-season finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury.

The 6-foot-5 right-shot defenceman had two assists in 17 games with the Capitals last season.

Los Angeles Kings

Alex Laferriere was a full participant in practice on Monday and head coach Jim Hiller is “optimistic” about his availability for opening night on Tuesday, according to team reporter Zach Dooley.

The 23-year-old sustained an undisclosed injury during the team’s pre-season opener on Sept. 21.

Laferriere had 19 goals and 42 points in 77 games last season.