Chicago Blackhawks star rookie Connor Bedard will practise this week in a non-contact jersey with the club targeting a return to the lineup early next week, head coach Luke Richardson said Monday.
Bedard sustained a fractured jaw in a game against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 5 and Monday marked five weeks since his injury.
"He'll need a few practices once he gets released (from the non-contact jersey)," Richardson said, adding that Bedard will wear a face shield when he returns to game action.
During the NHL all-star festivities in Toronto, Bedard said on the Hockey Night in Canada panel, "I feel good and I feel ready."
The timeline puts Bedard back on the ice in time for one of the most anticipated games of the Blackhawks' season on Feb. 25 against the Detroit Red Wings. That game will see a number of notable Blackhawks alumni return as Chris Chelios' No. 7 is retired and will mark the first time Patrick Kane will face the Blackhawks in Chicago.
Bedard continues to lead all rookies in scoring with 33 points in 38 games.
Vladimir Tarasenko says he is open to remaining with the Senators past the trade deadline and is focused on the present, not the future.
"I don't think about it,” Tarasenko said Monday. “I think about the game tomorrow, I think about things today. You know, if you focus on the past and the future too much, you just lose the present time, lose excitement, and being stressed out every time. I may think about it sometimes, yeah, but mostly try to set it away and prepare for the coming games."
Tarasenko signed a one-year deal with the Senators in the off-season, but with Ottawa not in the playoff race, his name has come up as a potential rental for a contender ahead of the March 8 trade deadline.
“Obviously with where we are in the standings, him becoming an unrestricted free agent, it’s certainly something that we’ll continue to take a look at,” general manager Steve Staios said of Tarasenko on Jan 25.
Tarasenko has 14 goals and 34 points in 46 games this season.
In other Senators news, forward Zack MacEwen was placed on waivers.
Top defenceman Owen Power is getting imaging on his hand after suffering an injury in practice Monday.
Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports that Power's left hand was struck by a puck and that the defenceman appeared to be in some discomfort as he left the ice.
Head coach Don Granato told reporters that Power's status for Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Kings would be determined by the result of an MRI.
Power, 21, has 18 points in 51 games this season.
The Vancouver Canucks have moved defenceman Carson Soucy to injured reserve and recalled defenceman Jett Woo.
Soucy has been out of the lineup since Jan. 20 with an undisclosed injury.
The Winnipeg Jets activated forward David Gustafsson from injured reserve and assigned him to AHL Manitoba on Monday.
Gustafsson has been out of the lineup since late December with a lower-body injury.
The Jets also loaned forward Dominic Toninato to AHL Manitoba after he cleared waivers on Monday.
Golden Knights goaltender Logan Thompson will miss Monday's game against the Minnesota Wild with an illness.
Thompson has a .906 save percentage in 31 appearances this season.
Jiri Patera will serve as backup to Adin Hill in the game.
Head coach Mike Sullivan provided multiple injury updates after practice on Monday.
-- Defenceman Kris Letang left practice early for precautionary reasons.
-- Forward Jansen Harkins has been diagnosed with a concussion after being injured during Saturday's loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
-- Forward Nole Acciari, who is also recovering from a concussion, skated Monday morning.
-- Forward Matt Nieto, who is recovering from knee surgery, has not resumed skating yet.
-- Forward Evgeni Malkin missed practice for a maintenance day.
The Penguins return to game action on Wednesday at home against the Florida Panthers.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild moved forward Marcus Foligno to injured reserve on Monday and activated forward Connor Dewar.
Foligno is recovering from a lower-body injury while Dewar missed six games with a lower-body injury.
Filip Gustavsson will start for the Wild against the Golden Knights Monday night.
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere announced that forward Tyson Foerster has a minor lower-body injury and the team is hopeful he will be back by the weekend.
Foerster has 10 goals and 11 assists in 52 games this season.
He was selected 23rd overall by the Flyers in the 2020 NHL Draft.
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