Ice Chips: Panthers F Tkachuk to return Tuesday after five game absence
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Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.
Florida Panthers
Matthew Tkachuk will make his return Tuesday after a five-game absence, head coach Paul Maurice announced.
The 26-year-old has missed his team's last five contests with what was initially reported as an illness, but Tkachuk revealed after practice that he was recovering from an unspecified procedure, as reported by the Miami Herald's Jordan McPherson.
Tkachuk has recorded two assists in two games played this season, and will look to build on that total against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
Maurice also confirmed G Sergei Bobrovsky as his starting goalie for Tuesday's game. This season, the Russian netminder has a record of 3-1-1 in five starts, with a 2.95 goals-against average and an .895 save-percentage.
Montreal Canadiens
F Juraj Slafkovsky will be out with an upper-body injury for at least a week, as reported by TSN's Kenzie Lalonde.
Slafkovsky sustained an apparent shoulder injury at practice last week, but recorded two assists in 15:57 of ice time during the Canadiens' 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Saturday.
The former first overall pick from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft was alone seen on the ice before Tuesday's optional skate, but left the ice before the main session.
The 20-year-old has registered one goal and six points this season, and is coming off of a breakout 2023-24 campaign that saw him record his first 50-point season.
Michael Pezetta will occupy Slafkovsky's spot in the lineup Tuesday, Lalonde added.
Pezetta, 26, will make his 2024-25 season debut for Montreal Tuesday against the New York Rangers, while Kirby Dach slides up to the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
In 61 games with the Canadiens last year, Pezetta registered three goals and nine assists.
Ottawa Senators
G Anton Forsberg will get the start for the Ottawa Senators in Salt Lake City, meaning that Linus Ullmark will remain sidelined in his recovery from an unspecified strain.
This marks the the third straight absence for Ullmark since the Swedish netminder went down on Oct. 12 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Forsberg will make his third consecutive start between the pipes, while Leeve Merilainen will serve as the back-up after being recalled from Belleville (AHL).
The 31-year-old netminder is 1-1-0 with a .863 save percentage and a 4.16 goals-against average while filling in for Ullmark this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Alex Nedeljkovic will get the start for the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday against the Calgary Flames, the team announced earlier.
Joel Blomqvist is set to back-up Nedeljkovic, while Tristan Jarry will not dress for the contest.
Nedeljkovic, 28, has made one appearance this season, allowing five goals on 36 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, a game that Jarry had been scratched from.
Jarry, 29, is the team's highest-paid goalie at $5.375 million per year, but will take a seat for a third straight game.
The Surrey, B.C., native has a 1-1-0 record with a 5.47 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage.
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Erik Gudbranson underwent successful shoulder surgery Monday, the team announced. While he is expected to miss significant time as a result of the surgery, the procedure is not expected to end his season.
Gudbranson, 32, suffered the injury on Oct. 15 against the Florida Panthers, and was placed on injured reserve the next day.
"Erik had successful shoulder surgery on Monday and is expected to make a full recovery," said general manager Don Waddell in a press release. "While he will miss a significant amount of time, we know he will work extremely hard during his rehab and will contiue to be an important part of our leadership group."
The Canadian blue liner is in the third season a four-year, $16 million contract signed with Columbus in 2022. He did not record a point in the three games before the injury.
The Blue Jackets have also announced their lines for Tuesday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sillinger - Monahan - Marchenko
Pyyhtia - Fantilli - Chinakhov
van Riemsdyk - Kuraly - Labanc
Aston-Reese - Danforth - Olivier
Werenski - Provorov
Christiansen - Severson
Johnson - Jiricek
Tarasov
Merzlikins
The Blue Jackets have earned just four points with a 2-3-0 record through five games played this year, good for seventh place in the Metropolitan Division.
Columbus will host the Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
New Jersey Devils
Goaltender Jake Allen is expected to get the start for Tuesday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Allen, 34, was the first goalie to come off of the ice after practice, as reported by Devils' play-by-play commentator Bill Spaulding, which would indicate that the veteran netminder will start between the pipes.
The Fredricton, N.B., native has compiled a 2-0-0 record to go along with a stellar 0.50 goals-against average and a .974 save-percentage in two starts.
Jacob Markstrom will take a seat after allowing six goals on 37 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals last time out.
The Devils hold the top spot in the Metropolitan Division at 5-2-1, earning 11 points through eights games played this season.
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues have inked F Jake Neighbours to a two-year, $7.5 million contract extension, the team announced Tuesday. The deal carries an annual average value of $3.75 million per season,
Neighbours, 22, was set for restricted free agency after the 2024-25 campaign
He's scored two goals and three points in six contests this season after posting a career-high 27 goals in 77 games last year.
The Airdrie, Alta., native was selected 26th overall by the Blues in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
St. Louis have also announced their projected lineup for Tuesday's clash against the Winnipeg Jets, with F Alexandre Texier returning to the lineup after missing his last five contests with an upper-body injury.
Saad - Thomas - Kyrou
Bolduc - Buchnevich - Neighbours
Holloway - Schenn - Joseph
Texier - Faska - Kapanen
Suter - Parayko
Broberg - Faulk
Joseph - Kessel
Binnington
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders have recalled forward Liam Foudy from Bridgeport (AHL), the team announced Tuesday.
Julien Gauthier has cleared waivers in the wake of Anthony Duclair's injury, and was sent to Bridgeport in a corresponding move.
Foudy has recorded four assists in five games at the AHL level this season. He joined the Islanders as a free agent, signing a one-year deal with the team this past offseason.
The 24-year-old spent most of last season with the Nashville Predators' AHL affiliate, Milwaukee Admirals, posting 10 goals and six assists in 28 contests.
Formerly a first-round selection of the Blue Jackets in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Foudy spent parts of five seasons in Columbus before being claimed from waivers by the Predators last season.