Tyler Seguin is closing in on his first game action since knee surgery, Alex Ovechkin is being handled carefully in Washington, and Cale Makar appears set to join Colorado’s preseason lineup Friday. Elsewhere, Semyon Varlamov’s return to the Islanders net marked another step in a long rehabilitation.
- Dallas Stars: Seguin could make his preseason debut against the Minnesota Wild on Friday. The forward has not played since tearing the ACL in his right knee Dec. 2 against the New York Rangers and undergoing surgery Dec. 16. He posted seven goals and 10 assists in 27 games before the injury, with a plus-10 rating.
- Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said Seguin appears positioned to play Dallas’ final exhibition game, giving him a tune-up before the regular season.
- Dallas: Matt Duchene and Colin Blackwell both skated Wednesday and remain possible options for Friday. Duchene’s recent absence was precautionary maintenance; injuries limited him to 57 games last season. Blackwell missed Monday’s 2-1 preseason win over the St. Louis Blues after suffering a lower-body injury in practice Saturday.
- Washington Capitals: Ovechkin is day to day with a lower-body issue and may not appear in the preseason. The 41-year-old left wing tried to practice Wednesday but departed after roughly 15 minutes.
- Capitals coach Spencer Carbery called the situation precautionary and said the club does not want to push Ovechkin before the season. Ovechkin had been skating with Dylan Strome and Ryan Leonard in camp as he prepares for his 22nd NHL season.
- Colorado Avalanche: Makar is expected to play Friday against the Winnipeg Jets after missing the opening of camp with a lower-body injury. He took part fully in Tuesday’s practice.
- Makar said he feels as good as he ever has following a difficult summer managing injuries. His eight-year, $163.2 million extension, carrying a $20.4 million annual cap hit, begins next season. He finished last regular season with 20 goals and 59 assists in 75 games, then recorded four goals and one assist in 11 playoff contests.
- Los Angeles Kings: Corey Perry will be away from the club for several days for personal reasons. The 41-year-old signed with Los Angeles on July 1. He had 11 goals and 17 assists in 50 games with the Kings before his March 6 trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
- Los Angeles: Mats Zuccarello remains in a noncontact jersey after hurting his shoulder in a fall before training camp. Coach Peter Laviolette did not offer a timetable for the 39-year-old forward’s preseason debut, with the club taking a cautious approach.
- New York Islanders: Varlamov stopped all 10 shots he faced Tuesday in a 4-3 comeback victory against the New York Rangers, his first NHL appearance since Nov. 29, 2024. He replaced Ilya Sorokin in the second period.
- The 38-year-old goaltender is returning from partial knee replacements. He played two games with Bridgeport late last season and said Tuesday’s outing helped him get comfortable again with NHL pace. Islanders coach Peter DeBoer called it an important milestone after a lengthy recovery.
Next puck drops
Dallas hosts Minnesota on Friday at 8 p.m. ET, with Seguin, Duchene and Blackwell all possibilities for the lineup.
Colorado meets Winnipeg on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET, and Makar is expected to be available.
Washington has two exhibition games left: Boston visits Friday, followed by a Saturday trip to Philadelphia. The Capitals open the regular season Oct. 2 at the Carolina Hurricanes, though Ovechkin’s preseason availability remains uncertain.
