Hockey

Sanderson, Dahlin Return as Jarvis and Nugent-Hopkins Near Season Debuts

By Hugo Brennan

Sanderson, Dahlin Return as Jarvis and Nugent-Hopkins Near Season Debuts

Wednesday’s NHL health sheet brought two big blue-line returns, a pair of season-debut possibilities for Thursday, and fresh questions in several creases. Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson and Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin were back in uniform, while Carolina’s Seth Jarvis and Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins moved to the doorstep of their first games of the season.

Returns on the blue line

  1. Sanderson stepped back into the Ottawa lineup and immediately supplied two assists in a 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers. The defenseman had missed eight games after suffering a lower-body injury in the Senators’ Oct. 3 opener. He skated beside Artem Zub at Wednesday’s morning session.

  2. “I’m really excited,” Sanderson said after the long layoff. “It has been a frustrating few weeks, but watching the group play as well as it has made it a little easier. I’m just thrilled to be back out there.”

  3. Sanderson led Senators defensemen last season with 14 goals, 40 assists, 54 points and an average ice time of 24:50. Ottawa will be without Thomas Chabot for roughly one to two weeks after an upper-body injury forced him out before the third period of Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

  4. Dahlin returned for Buffalo against Philadelphia after sitting three games with an upper-body issue sustained Oct. 12 against Florida. The Sabres captain logged a club-high 26:27 and put four shots on net.

  5. Florida also got Radko Gudas back from a three-game lower-body absence. The defenseman played 17:03 in the Panthers’ loss to Ottawa.

Buffalo gets Zucker back, while Washington monitors its crease

Jason Zucker made his Buffalo debut after activation from injured reserve, scoring a goal against the Flyers. He had been sidelined following sports-hernia trouble. Zucker produced 24 goals and 21 assists in 62 games for the Sabres in 2025-26.

To create the roster opening, Buffalo placed forward Sam Carrick on injured reserve with a middle-body injury.

Washington goaltender Logan Thompson did not take part in Wednesday’s practice and is listed day to day with a lower-body injury. He made 21 saves in Tuesday’s 5-2 defeat against the Los Angeles Kings. Thompson owns a 4-3-0 record, a 2.90 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage through seven appearances.

The Capitals welcome Buffalo on Saturday, and Pierre-Luc Dubois may be in position to return after missing five games because of illness. Washington reassigned Jonny Brodzinski to AHL Hershey after the forward recorded one assist in two games since his Oct. 17 recall.

Thursday could bring two major season debuts

  1. Jarvis took every drill at Carolina’s Wednesday practice as he works toward playing at Edmonton on Thursday. The Hurricanes winger had June surgery to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

  2. He practiced on a line with Jordan Martinook and Jesper Kotkaniemi. “It’s getting closer,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said, noting the club is giving Jarvis power-play repetitions and other work he had not yet handled in full.

  3. Jarvis paced Carolina with 32 goals last season and posted four goals and seven assists in 19 playoff games during the Hurricanes’ first Stanley Cup run since 2006.

  4. Across the ice, Nugent-Hopkins is expected to make his Edmonton debut against Carolina at 9 p.m. ET. He has been out since being hurt in practice Sept. 28.

  5. Nugent-Hopkins collected 20 goals and 36 assists in 72 games last season. His return follows Edmonton’s 4-3 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

Goaltending and lineup notes around the league

Florida will be without Jacob Markstrom for an estimated one to two weeks after the goaltender sustained an upper-body injury in practice. Acquired from the New Jersey Devils on June 30, Markstrom has gone 3-1-1 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in six games.

Cooper Black, recalled from AHL Charlotte on Tuesday, will get game action while Markstrom is out.

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal remains without a date to join team practices. He has not played this season after aggravating his knee injury before training camp. General manager Mathieu Darche said the inflammation has eased, but Barzal must regain strength and comfort before progressing. Barzal is skating on his own, and the club hopes to bring him into a team session soon.

Barzal led the Islanders with 72 points, including 19 goals and 53 assists, in 81 games last season. New York hosts Los Angeles on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Kings may be without Quinton Byfield for that game. Byfield is day to day with an upper-body injury after departing Tuesday’s 5-2 win in Washington during the first period. He has one goal and one assist in seven games. Los Angeles recalled Jared Wright from AHL Ontario as a precaution.

Western injury board

  • Calgary center Mikael Backlund is day to day with an upper-body injury suffered in Sunday’s 3-2 win against Carolina. He has a goal and an assist in eight games. The Flames host Minnesota on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

  • Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell is expected to miss at least a week after blocking a shot in Saturday’s 4-0 victory against Chicago. Lindell averages 20:49 per game and leads the Stars with 18 blocked shots. Dallas hosts Winnipeg on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

  • San Jose forward Alexander Wennberg missed Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime win in Montreal with an upper-body injury and is day to day. He has three assists in nine outings. The Sharks visit Ottawa on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

  • Colorado expects Logan O’Connor to make his season debut Friday against Tampa Bay at 9 p.m. ET. O’Connor was placed on long-term injured reserve Sept. 28 and had to miss at least 10 games. Avalanche forwards Nicolas Roy and Zachary L’Heureux are both week to week with lower-body and upper-body injuries, respectively, though Roy may be nearer to returning.

Montreal sends two young players to Laval

The Canadiens assigned defenseman David Reinbacher and forward Owen Beck to AHL Laval on Wednesday, one day after both were healthy scratches for Montreal’s 4-3 overtime loss to San Jose.

Reinbacher, selected fifth overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, played 9:09 in his season opener Saturday, a 4-3 overtime loss to Buffalo. Beck has not recorded a point in two NHL games this season. Montreal next visits the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.