Ice Chips: Leafs' Marner, Stolarz to return vs. Kraken

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, who missed Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames, was on the ice for morning skate and will play in Thursday's matchup against the Seattle Kraken.

Marner did not skate prior to the win over Calgary and also missed practice on Monday.

It's unclear exactly what was plaguing the Leafs winger, who scored the game-winning goal on Saturday in Edmonton and was on the ice for the final shift.

Anthony Stolarz, who has been sidelined since mid-December, will get the start in goal against Seattle.

Toronto enters the tilt on a two-game winning streak and is currently second in the Atlantic Division with 66 points, one point back of the Florida Panthers. 

Lines at morning skate, per Mark Masters:

Knies - Matthews - Domi
Nylander - Tavares - Marner
McMann - Holmberg - Robertson
Pacioretty - Kampf - Lorentz
Reaves

McCabe - Tanev
Rielly - Ekman-Larsson
Benoit - Myers
Timmins, Mermis

Stolarz
Woll

Philadelphia Flyers

Forwards Andrei Kuzmenko and Jakob Pelletier, who were acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on Jan. 30, remain unavailable for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Paperwork is done for Kuzmenko, but his flight from Toronto was cancelled due to weather.

The Flyers, who host the division-leading Capitals on Thursday, are hoping to have both players available on Saturday, Jordan Hall reports.

Philadelphia is currently tied with Pittsburgh at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division with 53 points. 

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto was not on the ice for morning skate and will miss Thursday's rematch with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Head coach Travis Green said Pinto, however, remains an option for Saturday's game against the Florida Panthers.

Pinto, 24, left Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Lightning in the first period due to an upper-body injury.

The Franklin Square, N.Y., native fell to the ice in discomfort before immediately skating off the ice and into the dressing room while holding his arm and elbow. 

Pinto has 11 goals and 11 assists in 46 games for Ottawa this season.

The Senators are currently third in the Atlantic Division with 62 points, two points ahead of fifth-place Tampa.

New Jersey Devils

Centre Nico Hischier has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 25, the New Jersey Devils announced Thursday.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe said he expects Hischier to be available after the 4 Nations break. The 26-year-old has tallied 24 goals and 19 assists in 51 games this season.

The club also said defenceman Simon Nemec, who was selected second overall by the Devils in 2022, has been recalled from Utica of the American Hockey League.

Nemec, 20, has appeared in nine contests for the Devils in 2024-25 with one assist. 

The Devils currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division as they prepare to host the Vegas Golden Nights. 

Columbus Blue Jackets

Blueliner Zach Werenski was on the ice for morning skate for the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing Tuesday's game against the Buffalo Sabres, as per Jeff Svoboda.

Werenski, 27, has 17 goals and 40 assists in 53 games so far this season.

The Blue Jackets are fourth in the Metropolitan Division entering tonight's matchup with the Utah Hockey Club.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forward Conor Sheary has been recalled from the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL and will be in the lineup, the Lightning said Thursday as they prepare to host the Ottawa Senators.

Sheary, 32, has played four games for the Bolts this season and has yet to register a point. 

Head coach Jon Cooper also said centre Anthony Cirelli will not play against Ottawa, while left-winger Nick Paul draws in. 

The Lightning enter Thursday fifth in the Atlantic Division, two points behind the third-place Senators.