Ice Chips: Pacioretty to return for Leafs
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports forward Max Pacioretty is expected to be back in the lineup Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild.
The 36-year-old Pacioretty has been out since Jan. 18 with an upper-body injury. He has five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 32 games so far this season, his first as a Maple Leaf.
Dreger added that the Maple Leafs are hopeful winger Matthew Knies is able to return Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers.
Knies, 22, has been out of action for a week after suffering an upper-body injury. He has 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points in 48 games this year.
Knies and centre John Tavares were both on the ice for the team's optional skate on Wednesday wearing regular sweaters.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens recalled defenceman Jayden Struble on Wednesday.
Struble, 23, has two goals and five points in 26 games with the Canadiens this season. He is without a point in two games with the AHL's Laval Rocket.
The move comes in the wake of Kaiden Guhle exiting Tuesday's loss to the Winnipeg Jets with a lower-body injury.
In an additional update, the team said forward Josh Anderson will not participate practice Wednesday due to a therapy day.
In the third period, Guhle fell awkwardly into the corner and immediately grabbed his right knee. He was helped to the dressing room and did not put any weight on his right leg.
“(Crappy) feeling seeing him skate off like that,” captain Nick Suzuki said. “Hopefully he’s all right. I haven’t heard anything, will go check up on him after this."
Guhle, 23, had four goals and 14 points in 44 games entering tonight's contest. In 158 NHL games, the Edmonton native has posted 14 goals and 54 points.
Guhle was originally selected 16th overall by the Canadiens in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Edmonton Oilers
Defenceman John Klingberg is expected to make his Edmonton Oilers debut Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs unless something changes, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger.
The Oilers officially brought Klingberg in on a one-year, $1 million pro-rated contract on Jan. 17. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters after the signing Klingberg would need at least a week before he'd be up to speed enough for game action.
Klingberg, 32, spent last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs but has not played in an NHL game since Nov. 11, 2023. He had five assists and was a minus-7 in 14 games with the team before undergoing season-ending surgery on his hip. Dreger reported before he joined the Oilers Klingerg had interest from five to seven teams, including the Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators.
Drafted 131st overall by the Dallas Stars in the 2010 draft, Klingberg has 81 goals and 412 points in 633 career games split between the Stars, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, and Maple Leafs.
Edmonton enters play Wednesday first in the Pacific Division at 32-15-3 with 67 points.