Training camps are opening with several NHL clubs already managing their blue lines, top-six forwards and recovery timelines. Colorado is easing Cale Makar into camp, while Toronto, Dallas, Buffalo and Tampa Bay are sorting out significant availability questions before the regular-season schedule begins.
Camp medical board: Makar, Guhle and Barzal among early absences
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Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is unlikely to take part in Thursday’s first on-ice training-camp session because of a lower-body issue. Coach Jared Bednar said Makar has been skating on a reduced workload and stressed that the club is taking a cautious approach.
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Bednar said the current ailment is separate from the upper-body injury that cost Makar two playoff games last season. The coach expects him to be fully available at some stage of camp and said there is no immediate reason for concern.
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Makar posted 20 goals and 59 assists for 79 points in 75 regular-season games last season, averaging 24:51 per game. He was a Norris Trophy finalist and signed an eight-year, $163.2 million extension on Aug. 28 that starts next season.
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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle is projected to miss four to five weeks after minor offseason surgery on his adductor muscle. He recorded two goals and nine assists in 39 regular-season games, averaged 19:28, and added eight assists across 19 playoff games.
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Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said the club will use camp to assess its options on defense. He acknowledged Guhle’s absence but pointed to organizational depth and players pushing for roster spots.
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New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal will miss training camp and is expected to stay off the ice for about two weeks after aggravating a previous injury that produced inflammation.
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Barzal led the Islanders with 72 points, including 19 goals and 53 assists, in 81 games last season. He has finished first or tied for first in team scoring in seven of his nine seasons with New York. The Islanders begin their season Sept. 30 at the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Contract and injury questions on the back end
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin will not skate when camp practices start Thursday because he remains without a contract. The 24-year-old restricted free agent produced 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 81 regular-season games, third among Carolina defensemen and second among NHL rookie defensemen. He averaged 18:11 during the regular season and contributed one assist in 17 playoff games as the Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup.
Ottawa Senators coach Travis Green said defenseman Artem Zub and forward Warren Foegele will not be on the ice when camp opens Thursday and could miss the start of the season. Both are skating, and Green expects each player to rejoin the group within one to two weeks.
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Zub supplied five goals and 25 assists in 81 games last season while averaging 20:48 a night.
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Foegele had six goals and two assists in 21 games after Ottawa acquired him from the Los Angeles Kings on March 5.
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Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi is sidelined indefinitely after failing his physical. General manager John Chayka said Domi underwent offseason surgery for an injury he dealt with during the previous season and will address the situation himself soon.
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Domi finished last season with 12 goals and 24 assists in 80 games.
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Maple Leafs defenseman Chris Tanev has been cleared following offseason core-muscle surgery. Chayka called the procedure substantial but praised Tanev’s recovery and said the defenseman is healthy and remains a major piece of the club.
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Tanev had two assists in 11 games last season and has not played since Dec. 28.
Seguin contact test and key forward timelines
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin will participate fully in training camp, but his playing availability remains unsettled as he works back from ACL surgery. Seguin, 34, underwent the procedure in December after being hurt against the New York Rangers on Dec. 2. His expected recovery was nine months.
Seguin said last week that he did not know whether he would be ready for Dallas’ Oct. 2 season opener against the St. Louis Blues. General manager Jim Nill said the forward has been cleared for contact and that the next step is seeing how he responds once camp becomes more physical. Dallas expects Seguin to recover well, but will let his on-ice response determine the timetable. He had seven goals and 10 assists in 27 games last season.
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Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde is expected to be unavailable until December after offseason hip surgery. He had nine goals and 19 assists in 82 regular-season games, plus one assist in seven playoff appearances.
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Lightning forward Dominic James broke his hand in offseason training and is expected to miss the opening weeks of the season. He registered seven goals and eight assists in 43 regular-season games, then had two goals and an assist in seven playoff contests.
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Buffalo Sabres forward Jason Zucker is likely to miss the start of the regular season while recovering from a sports hernia. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Zucker is close and may be out only a couple of weeks.
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Zucker scored 24 goals and added 21 assists for 45 points in 62 games last season.
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Sabres defenseman Louis Crevier, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in June, had offseason shoulder surgery and could be available for Buffalo’s Oct. 1 opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kekalainen said Crevier appears ready, though final medical clearance remains pending.
SEO Title: NHL Training Camp Injury Report: Makar, Barzal, Seguin and Domi Updates
SEO Description: Colorado is monitoring Cale Makar, Mathew Barzal will miss Islanders camp, Tyler Seguin enters contact work, and Max Domi is out indefinitely as NHL camps open.
