Ice Chips: Kane dealing with sports hernia, hopeful for Game 1
Published
Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
Edmonton Oilers
After missing practice on Saturday, forwards Evander Kane and Mattias Janmark returned to the ice on Sunday.
Kane told the media that he has been dealing with a sports hernia all season and is hopeful to play in Monday's Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings.
Kane did not play in the final three games of the season for the Oilers. The 32-year-old scored 24 goals and totaled 44 points in 77 games this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Head coach Sheldon Keefe did not provide any lineup updates after practice on Sunday ahead of Monday's Game 2 against the Boston Bruins.
Questions remain whether star forward William Nylander will be able to play Monday after missing his first game of the season on Saturday in Game 1 with an undisclosed injury as well as who will start in net between Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll.
Nylander participated in the team's optional skate on Sunday, marking the first time he has been spotted on the ice since Wednesday's season finale against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Colorado Avalanche
Defenceman Samuel Girard, who missed the final two games of the regular season with a concussion, was on the ice for an optional skate on Sunday morning ahead of the Avs' Game 1 opener against the Winnipeg Jets.
The 25-year-old has three goals and 15 assists over 59 games this season, his seventh in Colorado.
Goalie Alexandar Georgiev is expected to get the start in net.
New York Islanders
Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who missed the Islanders' Game 1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday with a lower-body injury, is expected to be in the lineup for Game 2, according to head coach Patrick Roy.
The 31-year-old netted 11 goals and 22 assists over a full 82 game season in 2023-24.
Washington Capitals
Defencemen Rasmus Sandin and forward Nick Jensen are both game-time decisions for Sunday's Game 1 against the New York Rangers.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Head coach Jon Cooper told reporters that defenceman Mikhail Sergachev is progressing, but doesn't expect him to be ready to play during their first round series against the Florida Panthers.
"My gut says this series would be out of reach for him," said Cooper. "If we were fortunate enough to win this series, then we'd start having that discussion."
Sergachev, 25, has been out since Feb. 7 after sustaining a leg injury during a loss to the New York Rangers. He later underwent emergency tibia and fibular surgery.
The 6-foot-3 left-shot defenceman participate in practice in a regular jersey for the first time on Saturday since the injury.
Sergachev has two goals and 19 points in 34 games this season.