Ice Chips: Canadiens F Slafkovsky leaves practice early with apparent shoulder injury

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens F Juraj Slafkovsky left practice early Friday after sustaining an apparent shoulder injury, according to reports. 

Slafkovsky, 20, appeared to be favouring his left shoulder after attempting a shot on net, and left for the locker room shortly after. He did not return to the on-ice session.

The former first overall selection in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft recorded his first 50 point season last year, and had posted a goal and three assists in five contests to start the new season. 

The Canadiens have also recalled D Logan Mailloux from the AHL's Laval Rocket, the team announced Friday. 

Mailloux has registered two goals and four points in two AHL contests this season, and is coming off of a 2023-24 season that saw him post 14 goals and 33 assists in 72 games with the Rocket.

The Belle River, Ont., native made his NHL debut last season against the Detroit Red Wings on April 16, and recorded an assist in the 5-4 shootout loss. 

The 23-year-old blue liner was selected by Montreal with the 31st overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, after he recorded 53 points in 59 games with the OHL's London Knights in 2022-23.

The move comes in the wake of Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson leaving Thursday's contest against the Los Angeles Kings early with an upper-body injury. He will not participate in practice with the team Friday, with the team citing his absence as a "therapy day". 

Kaiden Guhle will also miss practice while tending to an upper-body injury, and will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis going forward.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs G Joseph Woll returned to practice with the team for the first time since the start of the regular-season, TSN's Mark Masters reports. 

Woll, 26, was placed on injured reserve on October 8 with a lower-body injury prior to the team's season opener against the Montreal Canadiens. 

The Dardenne Prairie, MO., native posted a 12-11-1 record last season, with a 2.94 goals against average and a .907 save-percentage in 25 regular-season contests. 

Woll was selected 62nd overall by Toronto in 2016, and is fresh off of a three-year, $2.3 million contract extension signed this past offseason. 

Masters also notes the Maple Leafs' lines that skated together at practice Friday, with defenceman Timothy Liljegren listed outside the top six in favour of Connor Timmins. 

Liljegren made his season debut in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings, and did not record a point in 13:55 of ice time. Last season, the Swedish blue liner posted three goals and 20 assists in 55 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs

Winnipeg Jets

Connor Hellebuyck will get the start in net for the Winnipeg Jets tonight against the San Jose Sharks, according to the team's colour analyst Mitchell Clinton.

Hellebuyck, 31, has played in all three games for the Jets this season, surrendering just two goals on 83 shots, good for a .976 save-percentage. 

The undefeated Jets will roll out the following lines for Friday's game:

Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi

Perfetti-Namestnikov-Ehlers

Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton

Barron-Kupari-Iafallo

Morrissey-DeMelo

Samberg-Pionk

Fluery-Miller

David Gustaffson, Logan Stanley, and Dylan Coghlan are expected to be scratched from the lineup.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild have recalled D Daemon Hunt from Iowa (AHL).

Hunt, 22, went pointless in his season debut with Minnesota on October 15, but recorded two shots on net in the 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.

The Brandon, MB., native appeared in 12 games at the NHL level with the Wild last season, posting one assist and 17 blocked shots. 

Hunt has skated in 118 contests for Iowa across the last four seasons, scoring six goals and 42 points dating back to the 2020-21 campaign.

The blue liner was a third-round selection by the Wild in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have recalled centre Marco Kasper from the AHL under emergency conditions, the team announced Friday. 

Kasper, 20, spent all of last year with the AHL's Grand Rapid Griffins, scoring 14 goals and 35 points in a team-high 79 games played. 

The Austrian centreman has already registered a goal and an assist in two games on the young season, and could see game action in the NHL for the first time since his debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2, 2023. 

Kasper was drafted by the Red Wings with the eighth overall selection in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft out of Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League.

In three seasons with the team prior to coming over to North America, Kasper posted 15 goals and 20 assists across 108 regular-season contests.