Ice Chips: Canucks recall Brannstrom, Forbort (personal) on leave

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

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks recalled defenceman Erik Brannstrom from the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks on Thursday after defenceman Derek Forbort left the team for personal reasons.

Brannstrom, 25, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 6 in exchange for Tucker Poolman and a draft pick.

The 5-foot-10 left shot defenceman joined the Avalanche in the off-season on a one-year, $900,000 deal after the Ottawa Senators failed to give him a qualifying offer.

Brannstrom recorded three goals and 20 points in 76 games with the Senators last season.

Forbort joined the Canucks on a one-year, $1.5 million deal in the off-season and appeared in three games this season, recording an assist.

The 6-foot-4 defenceman appeared in 35 games with the Boston Bruins last season, recording four assists.

Ottawa Senators

Anton Forsberg will get the start in net in place of Linus Ullmark when the Ottawa Senators take on the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, according to TSN's Claire Hanna.

Ullmark was the first on the ice but also the first off Thursday morning. He has missed the team's last two games due to a strain and is considered to be day-to-day.

The 6-foot-4 Ullmark is 1-1-0 this season with a .914 save percentage and 2.58 goals-against average.

The Senators will also be without defenceman Artem Zub for at least a week as he deals with a concussion.

Zub took a hard hit from Tanner Jeannot against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday and was ruled out of the remainder of the contest with an upper-body injury.

Winnipeg Jets

Defenceman Logan Stanley was a full participant at Jets practice on Thursday, according to team reporter Mitchel Clinton.

Stanley, 26, has yet to make an appearance this season after undergoing knee surgery during training camp.

The 6-foot-7 defenceman appeared in 25 games last season recording a goal and two points.

Edmonton Oilers

Calvin Pickard is expected to get the start in net when the Oilers take on the Nashville Predators on Thursday.

Pickard last started during the Oilers' 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, making 20 of 25 saves.

The 32-year-old netminder went 12-7-1 last season with a .909 save percentage and 2.45 GAA.

The Oilers are expected to use these lines against the Predators on Thursday.

Draisaitl - McDavid - Hyman

Podkolzin - Nugent-Hopkins - Arvidsson

Skinner - Henrique - Brown

Janmark - Ryan - Perry

Ekholm - Bouchard

Nurse - Stecher

Kulak - Emberson

Pickard

Skinner

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins activated goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from injured reserve on Thursday and assigned him to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for a conditioning stint.

Nedeljkovic missed the start of the season with a lower-body injury sustained during the preseason and was given a week-to-week time frame on Oct. 2.

The 6-foot netminder went 18-7-7 last season with a .902 save percentage and 2.97 GAA and signed a two-year, $5 million extension to stay in Pittsburgh in the off-season.

Florida Panthers

Aleksander Barkov skated by himself on Thursday while he recovers from a lower-body injury, according to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald.

Barkov was injured in the dying seconds of the Panthers' 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 10 after going feet first into the boards while trying to prevent an empty net goal.

Last year's Selke Trophy winner was given a week-to-week time frame for his return.

Barkov has an assist in two games this season after recording 23 goals and 80 points in 73 games last year.

Head coach Paul Maurice told reporters on Thursday that he expects forward Matthew Tkachuk to start skating on Friday after missing the last three games due to an illness.

Tkachuk has two assists in two games this season after recording 26 goals and 88 points last year.

Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net when the Panthers take on the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

Bobrovsky is 2-1-0 this year with an. 894 save percentage and 3.02 GAA.

New York Rangers

Defenceman Ryan Lindgren was a full participant at Rangers practice on Thursday while wearing a full face shield, according to Mollie Walker of the New York Post.

Lindgren has yet to play this season while he recovers from an upper-body injury he sustained during the preseason. He was given a week-to-week time frame for his return.

The 26-year-old defenceman recorded three goals and 17 points in 76 games last season.

Jonathan Quick is expected to get his first start of the season when the Rangers take on the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

Quick, 38, had an 18-6-2 record last season with a .911 save percentage and 2.62 GAA.

Detroit Red Wings

Forward Christian Fischer will return to the lineup on Thursday when the Red Wings take on the New York Rangers.

Fischer, 27, missed Monday's 4-1 loss to the Rangers with an upper-body injury.

The 6-foot-2 winger recorded five goals and 19 points in 79 games last season and is looking for his first point early in 2024-25.

Dallas Stars

Casey DeSmith is expected to get the start when the Stars take on the Washington Capitals on Thursday.

DeSmith, 33, got a shutout in his only other action this season, making 25 saves in a 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday.

San Jose Sharks

Vitek Vanecek is expected to start in net when the Sharks take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday while forward William Eklund is a game-time decision, according to Sheng Peng of NBC Sports Sharks.

Vanecek allowed a goal on 29 shots in the Sharks' 2-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

Eklund missed Wednesday's practice with an upper-body injury after averaging 22:27 of ice time over the first three games of the season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Defenceman Alec Martinez has a lower-body injury and is will not be available when the Blackhawks take on the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, according to head coach Luke Richardson.

Martinez will be evaluated be the team's trainers on Thursday and they hope to know more about his condition on Friday.

The 37-year-old joined the Blackhawks on a one-year $4 million deal in the off season and has an assist in four games.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets activated forward Justin Danforth off the injured/non-roster list and assigned forward Dylan Gambrell to the AHL's Cleveland Monsters after he cleared waivers on Thursday.

Danforth has not appeared this season while he was recovering from off-season wrist surgery.

The 5-foot-8 winger recorded 10 goals and 26 points in 71 games last season.

Philadelphia Flyers

Ivan Fedotov will be between the pipes on Thursday when the Flyers take on the Seattle Kraken.

Fedotov, 27, made 31 of 36 saves during the Flyers' 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday.

The 6-foot-7 netminder made three appearances last season going 0-1-1 with a 4.95 GAA and .811 save percentage.

Utah Hockey Club

Defenceman Sean Durzi will be out for the forseeable future with an upper-body injury, the team announced on Thursday.

The 6-foot-1 right-shot defenceman only skated 9:09 in the team's 3-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday before leaving with the injury.

Durzi has two assists in four games this season after registering nine goals and 41 points in 76 games as a member of the Arizona Coyotes last season.