Ice Chips: Matthews (rest) absent from Leafs’ practice, ‘Good chance’ Lorentz returns Saturday

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

Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews did not participate in Friday’s practice due to rest, reports TSN’s Mark Masters.

One night after scoring the overtime winner against the New York Rangers, Matthews skated briefly before practice but did not participate with the main group. Calle Jarnkrok skated in his spot on the top line.

Head coach Craig Berube says there’s a good chance forward Steven Lorentz returns to the lineup on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. He practiced on the fourth line beside Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua.

The Leafs’ game against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday will be their fourth in six days.

Knies - Jarnkrok* - Cowan

Maccelli - Tavares - Nylander

Robertson - Domi - McMann

Lorentz - Roy - Joshua

Blais

Rielly - Carlo

McCabe - Tanev

Benoit - Ekman-Larsson

Myers

Stolarz

Primeau

*Matthews absent (rest)

Buffalo Sabres

Sabres defenceman Mattias Samuelsson returned to practice on Friday as he continues to work his way back from an upper-body injury.

He has missed the past two games due to the injury.

Samuelsson has one assist in two games this season.

Washington Capitals

Declan Chisholm will enter the Capitals lineup tonight against the Minnesota Wild, while Trevor van Riemsdyk will exit as a healthy scratch.

Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois skated in a non-contact jersey on Friday and remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

The team recalled forward Ethen Frank from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. He has a pair of goals in two games with Hershey this season.

Minnesota Wild

Filip Gustavsson will get the start tonight against the Washington Capitals.

In three games this season, the 27-year-old is 1-2-0 with a 3.06 GAA, .888 save percentage and one shutout.

New York Rangers

The Rangers have assigned defenceman Connor Mackey to the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack.

The 29-year-old has not recorded a point in two games this season.

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken placed forward Freddy Gaudreau on injured reserve and called up John Hyaden from the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds.

Minnesota Wild

The Wild have assigned defenceman David Jiricek to the AHL’s Iowa Wild.

Drafted sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2022, Jiricek was acquired by the Wild last season in exchange for Daemon Hunt and four draft picks. Jiricek has suited up for one game this year and six games last year, totalling one goal and one assist.

The Wild also announced the acquisition of forward Oskar Olausson from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Kyle Masters.

Olausson, 22, recorded 11 goals and 26 points in 62 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles last season. The Stockholm, Sweden native made his NHL debut in 2022-23 with the Colorado Avalanche and has suited up for four total games, recording zero points.

He was originally drafted 28th overall by the Avs in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Masters, 22, played 27 games with the ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders last season, tallying five goals and 13 points. He added one goal and three points in 16 games with the Iowa Wild.

Masters was originally drafted 118th overall by the Wild in the 2021 NHL Draft.