NHL News and Injuries: Oilers, Sens, Canucks, Blues, Ducks, Habs, Rangers, Pens, Sharks, and Leafs

The Edmonton Oilers release Mike Hoffman

Edmonton Oilers: The Oilers have released forward Mike Hoffman from his PTO.

The Ottawa Senators release Nikolai Kulemin

Chris Johnston: The Ottawa Senators have released forward Nikolai Kulemin from his PTO.

The Vancouver Canucks release Sammy Blais

Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks have released forward Sammy Blais from his PTO.

Should the NHL Look at Reducing the Number of NHL Preseason Games?

The St. Louis Blues sign Nikita Alexandrov

Chris Johnston: The St. Louis Blues have signed forward Nikita Alexandrov to a one-year, $775,000 deal.

He’ll get $775,000 in the NHL and $150,000 in the AHL.

NHL Injury Notes

Derek Lee: Anaheim Ducks forwards Beckett Sennecke and Nathan Gaucher, and defenseman Pavel Mintyukov all had lower-body injuries and had been working out on their own, but were on the ice with the non-game group yesterday.

Derek Van Diest: Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard is expected to be on the ice soon and be ready for their season opener according to coach Kris Knoblauch.

“We expect him to be back on the ice in a few days. His neck is pretty sore and we’re obviously being cautious, but he should be alright.”

Stu Cowan: Have heard that Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine will be out for four to six months. That has not been confirmed by the Canadiens.

Patrik Laine en béquilles, mais souriant malgré tout. pic.twitter.com/Fj064I65gX

— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) September 30, 2024

Amanda Stein: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brett Pesce (recovering from a fractured fibula from last year’s playoffs) didn’t travel with the team to Prague.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano: New York Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said that forward Jimmy Vesey will be out for “a few weeks” with a lower-body injury. He was injured in Sunday’s practice.

Defenseman Ryan Lindgren will be out for a few weeks with an upper-body injury. He suffered the injury during a fight with Scott Mayfield of the Islanders last Tuesday.

If both/either players were put on the IR, they’d still count against the cap, and they may need to move/cut a player as they’d be over the cap. If they LTIR’d one or both, they’d have to miss 10 games and 24 days but they could go over the cap for now.

Josh Getzoff: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson was rehabbing off the ice yesterday and didn’t skate. The process continues for him.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic left in the first period and will have a lower-body injury re-evaluated today according to coach Mike Sullivan.

Pens Inside Scoop: Penguins forward Blake Lizotte met with doctors yesterday to be evaluated after leaving Sunday’s game after taking a puck to the face.

Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now: San Jose Sharks defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin (lower-body), and Marc-Edouard Vlasic (upper-body), and goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (lower-body) have all started skating on their own according to head coach Ryan Warsofsky. That was the first time in training camp for them to do so.

NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Los Angeles Kings

Jonas Siegel: Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares didn’t practice yesterday and hasn’t practiced since he injured his leg last week.

Forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Connor Dewar, and defenseman Jani Hakanpaa have been skating on a different rink and not practicing with the main group yet.