Montreal’s crease is the sharpest roster watch Thursday after Sam Montembeault was hurt in practice, pushing Jacob Fowler into his first start of the season against the Nashville Predators.
Montembeault suffered an undisclosed injury Wednesday and is scheduled to be examined by a doctor Thursday. The Canadiens have not set a timeline for his return.
“It is tough whenever a teammate gets hurt, particularly someone who fought to get his game back and has looked strong,” Cole Caufield said. “Hopefully it is a short absence and he is back with us soon.”
Quick facts
- Jacob Fowler starts for Montreal against Nashville on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.
- Carolina forward Seth Jarvis returned to a regular practice jersey but remains out versus Vancouver.
- Linus Ullmark gets the net for Ottawa’s home opener against Philadelphia.
- Minnesota captain Nick Foligno will miss games against Tampa Bay and Florida.
- Islanders forward Mathew Barzal has resumed skating on his own.
Fowler, 21, was recalled from Laval on Wednesday after posting a 9-6-2 record, 2.43 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 17 games for Montreal last season. The Predators visit the Canadiens on Thursday, with coverage on RDS, TSN2 and SCRIPPS.
In Carolina, Seth Jarvis wore a standard jersey at Thursday’s practice for the first time since offseason shoulder surgery. He will not dress against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, but his progress has him tracking ahead of the original recovery window, which ran from late October into December.
Jarvis paced the Hurricanes with 32 goals last season. He added four goals and seven assists across 19 playoff games as Carolina captured the Stanley Cup.
Ottawa will have Linus Ullmark back in goal when it hosts the Philadelphia Flyers in its home opener Thursday. Ullmark exited after two periods of Monday’s 4-1 victory in Boston following a collision with Bruins forward JJ Peterka, then sat out Tuesday’s game at Detroit.
Senators coach Travis Green liked what he saw from Ullmark in the morning skate. “He looks great,” Green said. “He looks good.”
Defenseman Jake Sanderson remains sidelined for a third consecutive game. He did not practice Thursday after leaving Saturday’s 3-2 win over Toronto with an undisclosed injury; an earlier undisclosed issue had also cost him part of training camp.
Minnesota will be without Nick Foligno for at least two games because of an upper-body injury. Foligno departed late in the opening period of Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Buffalo and did not return.
The Wild forward will miss Thursday’s visit to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Saturday’s game against the Florida Panthers.
On Long Island, Mathew Barzal took another step by skating alone Thursday, his first on-ice session since before training camp. He aggravated a previous injury before camp opened and has yet to appear in any of the Islanders’ first three games.
Barzal led New York last season with 72 points, scoring 19 times and supplying 53 assists in 81 games.
