Ice Chips: Nylander, Joshua skate ahead of Leafs practice

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

Toronto Maple Leafs

Forward William Nylander skated for the first time since re-aggravating his lower-body injury on Jan. 15.

Nylander, 29, missed six games with a lower-body injury at then end of December and into the new year. He returned for three games and then re-aggrivated the injury during the team’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 15.

Head coach Craig Berube told reporters that the plan is to see how he feels but there’s no timeline for his return.

The 6-foot winger leads the Maple Leafs in scoring with 17 goals and 48 points in 37 games this season.

Additionally, forward Dakota Joshua was on the ice prior to the Leafs’ practice as he continues to recover from a lacerated kidney.

Joshua, 29, last appeared in Toronto’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 28 and has six goals and 10 points in 36 games this season.

Berube also told reporters that Joshua is still a ways away from returning and he’s not close.

Montreal Canadiens

Forward Alexandre Texier and defenceman Arber Xhekaj are set to return to the lineup as the Canadiens take on the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

Texier, 26, missed the team’s last two games with a lower-body injury.

The 6-foot-1 winger has seven goals and 16 points in 27 games since joining the Canadiens in November.

Xhekaj slots back into the lineup after he was a healthy scratch against the Wild and and Sabres on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.

The 6-foot-4, left-shot defenceman has a goal, two points, and 102 penalty minutes in 45 games this season while averaging 11:37 of ice time.

Forward Joe Veleno and defenceman Jayden Struble sit out to make room for the pair.

Additionally, Sam Montembeault will start in net on Saturday.

The 6-foot-3 netminder is coming off a 4-2 loss to the Sabres on Thursday where he allowed three goals on 16 shots. He has a 8-7-2 record this season with an .871 save percentage and 3.42 goals-against average.

Montreal is projected to use these lines against the Bruins on Saturday:

Caufield - Suzuki - Texier

Slafkovsky - Kapanen - Demidov

Bolduc - Evans - Dach

Anderson - Danault - Gallagher

Matheson - Dobson

Hutson - Guhle

Xhekaj - Carrier

Montembeault

Dobes

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets used these lines during their morning skate prior to their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Connor Hellebuyck is slated to start against the Red Wings on Saturday.

The 6-foot-4 netminder is looking to snap a three-game skid and has a 12-13-6 record this season with a .903 save percentage and 2.65 goals-against average.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators used these lines during Saturday’s morning skate prior to their game against the Carolina Hurricanes, according to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.

James Reimer is expected to start against the Hurricanes.

The 37-year-od is 1-1-1 since joining the Senators on Jan. 12 with an .890 save percentage and 3.02 goals-against average.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks assigned goaltender Jiri Patera to the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and recalled goaltender Nikita Tolopilo under emergency conditions on Saturday.

Tolopilo, 25, appeared in six games in Vancouver this season and has a 2-3-0 record with an .881 save percentage and 3.98 goals-against average.

He also has a 5-5-3 record in the AHL with a .901 save percentage and 2.94 GAA.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins used these lines during Saturday’s morning skate as they prepare to take on the Montreal Canadiens, according to team reporter Belle Fraser.

Detroit Red Wings

Defenceman Simon Edvinsson will not be available for the Red Wings against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday, according to head coach Todd McLellan.

Edvinsson, 22, is dealing with a lower-body injury and will be re-evaluated when the team returns to Detroit from their road trip.

The 6-foot-6, left shot defenceman has six goals and 17 points in 48 games this season while averaging 22:35 of ice time.

Florida Panthers

Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start on Saturday when the Panthers take on the Minnesota Wild.

Bobrovsky, 37, is looking to snap a two-game skid after allowing 12 goals total against the Carolina Hurricanes and San Jose Sharks earlier this week.

The 6-foot-2 netminder has a 19-14-1 record this season with an .875 save percentage and 3.09 goals-against average.

Nashville Predators

Defenceman Nicolas Hague will not be available to the Predators for Saturday’s game against the Utah Mammoth and is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury.

Hague, 27, was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in the off-season in exchange for forward Colton Sissons, defenceman Jeremy Lauzon, and a draft pick.

The 6-foot-6, left-shot defenceman has two goals and 11 points in 41 games this season while averaging 19:20 of ice time.

Juuse Saros will get the start against the Mammoth on Saturday.

Saros, 30, has won three of his last four starts and has a 20-16-3 record with an .896 save percentage and 3.01 goals-against average.

New York Islanders

Defenceman Ryan Pulock is considered to be day-to-day with an upper-body injury and won’t play against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

Pulock, 31, skated 16:35 in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken, recording a shot and missed Friday’s practice with the injury.

The 6-foot-1, right-shot defenceman has two goals and 21 points in 50 games with the Islanders this season while averaging 21:09 of ice time.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning recalled forward Jakob Pelletier from the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch on Saturday.

Pelletier, 24, joined the Lightning on a one-year deal in the off-season and appeared in one game for the team this season.

The 5-foot-10 winger has 19 goals and 41 points in 35 games in the AHL this season.

Utah Mammoth

Forward Lawson Crouse will not be available in the Mammoth’s game against the Nashville Predators due to an illness.

Crouse, 28, has 13 goals and 26 points in 50 games with the Mammoth this year.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals extended forward Bogdan Trineyev on a two-year, $1.8 million contract.

Trineyev, 23, was drafted 117th overall by the Capitals and 2020 and appeared in two games with the team this season.

The 6-foot-3 winger has nine goals and 20 points in 30 games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears this season.

The deal is a two-way contract for the 2026-27 campaign and shifts to a one-year deal for the 2027-28 season.