Ice Chips: Jets' Vilardi returns to practice in non-contact jersey

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

Winnipeg Jets

Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi returned to practice on Wednesday wearing a non-contract jersey after missing the team's last 12 games with a sprained MCL

Vilardi, 24, has only appeared in three games this season and was originally given a four-to-six week timeline for his recovery.

The 6-foot-3 forward was acquired by the Jets, along with forwards Alex Iafallo, Rasmus Kupari, and a draft pick from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois in June.

Vilardi recorded 23 goals and 41 points in 63 games with the Kings last season and has an assist in three games with the Jets this season.

Kupari is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a shoulder injury, according to TSN's John Lu.

Kupari only had 1:18 of ice time before sustaining the injury during the Jets' 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

The 6-foot-2 forward has one assist in 15 games this season.

Vancouver Canucks

Canucks defenceman Carson Soucy will miss the next six-to-eight weeks with a lower-body injury, according to general manager Patrik Allvin on Wednesday.

Soucy, 29, was injured during the Canucks' 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday after only 8:26 of ice time.

The 6-foot-5 defenceman signed a three-year, $9.75 million deal with the Canucks on July 1 as an unrestricted free agent.

Soucy has two goals and five points in 13 games this season.

Ottawa Senators

Senators defenceman Artem Zub returned to practice on Wednesday as the club gets set to take on the Detroit Red Wings in Sweden on Thursday.

Zub, 28, was listed day-to-day and missed practice on Monday due to soreness.

"We'll talk to the trainers but he looked good out there today so I would expect that he's a go," head coach D.J. Smith told TSN1200 on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-3 defenceman missed seven games earlier this season after taking a puck to the head off a shot from  Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin on Oct. 18 but appeared in the Senators' two most recent games.

Zub has two goals and four points in six games this season.

The Senators used these lines in practice from Sweden on Wednesday:

Tkachuk - Norris - Tarasenko

Joseph - Stutzle - Giroux

Kubalik - Jarventie - Batherson

Highmore - Chartier - Kelly

MacEwen

Sanderson - Zub

Chychrun -  Bernard-Docker

Brannstrom - Hamonic

Kleven - Larsson

Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs defencemen John Klingberg and Conor Timmins are not expected to play Friday against the Detroit Red Wings in Sweden, according to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun.

Klingberg, 31, is dealing with an undisclosed injury that had him miss the Maple Leafs' 5-4 shootout victory over the Calgary Flames on Friday, but returned for the team's 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe also noted that the flight to Sweden didn't help the defenceman's recovery.

Timmins, 25, has yet to play this season after suffering a significant lower-body sustained during the pre-season.

The 6-foot-2 defenceman was labeled week-to-week but could play as soon as Sunday in Sweden against the Minnesota Wild, according to Hornby.

Timmins appeared 25 games with the Maple Leafs last season after being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in November of 2022 and recorded two goals and 14 points.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers placed forwards Mattias Janmark and Dylan Holloway on long-term injured reserve and recalled defenceman Philip Broberg and forwards Adam Erne and Raphael Lavoie from the AHL's Bakersfield Condors in a corresponding move on Wednesday.

Janmark, 30, missed the Oilers' last seven games with a shoulder injury.

The 6-foot-2 forward has yet to record a point in seven games this season and is a minus-2 while averaging 13:05 of ice time.

Holloway, 22, is out with an undisclosed injury after only 7:23 of ice time during the Oilers' 4-1 win over the New York islanders on Monday.

The 6-foot-1 forward has a goal in 14 games this season.

Broberg, 22, appeared in eight games with the Oilers this season but has not recorded a point and has two assists in four games with the Condors this season.

Erne, 28, signed with the Oilers on a two-way contract in October after spending training camp with the club on a professional try-out contract.

The 6-foot-1 forward did not record a point in six games with the Oilers this season and has a goal in four games with the Condors this season.

Lavoie, 23, has yet to record a point in five games with the Oilers this season and has four goals and seven points in five games in the AHL this season.

The Oilers are projected to use these lines for Wednesday's game against the Seattle Kraken.

Nugent-Hopkins - McDavid - Gagner

Kane - Draisaitl - Hyman

Foegele - McLeod - Ryan

Erne - Hamblin - Lavoie

Nurse - Ceci

Ekholm - Bouchard

Kulak - Desharnais

Skinner

Pickard

Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin did not practice with the team on Wednesday, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.

Malkin, 37, was missing from practice due to illness, according to head coach Mike Sullivan.

"Geno wasn't feeling well, so we told him to stay home and get some rest," Sulllivan told reporters after practice. "Hopefully he'll be feeling better tomorrow."

The 6-foot-3 forward has eight goals and 17 points in 14 games this season.

Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic skated for the first time since going on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury on Oct. 24.

Nedeljkovic, 27, last played during the Penguins' 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Oct. 24.

The 6-foot netminder started two games with the Penguins this season and has a 1-1-0 record with a .914 save percentage and 3.01 goals-against average.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche recalled defencemen Caleb Jones and Sam Malinski from the AHL's Colorado Eagles on Wednesday.

Jones has an assist in one game with the Avalanche this season and has six assists in 12 games with the Eagles.

Malinski did not record a point in his one game with the Avalanche this season and has three goals and six points in 13 AHL games this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning assigned defenceman Philippe Myers to the AHL's Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday.

Myers only appeared in one game with the Lightning this season and does not have a point.

The 6-foot-6 defenceman was acquired by the Lightning, along with forward Grant Mismash, from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenceman Ryan McDonagh in June of 2022 and signed a one-year, $1.4 million extension in August of 2022.

Myers has eight goals and 36 points in 154 career games split between the Philadelphia Flyers, Predators, and Lightning.