Guentzel progressing
Pittsburgh Penguins: Forward Jake Guentzel: “I’m getting better every day. I’m just sticking to the protocol. If we start playing, hopefully I’ll be ready by then.”
Boychuk to set to return
NHL.com: New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk will take to the ice today for the first time since receiving almost 90 stitches to close a cut near his eye from a March 11 incident.
“My eye seems to be almost like 100 percent,” Boychuk told the newspaper Wednesday. “There’s going to be a little bit of discomfort, but not much. Nothing to have me worried about being on the ice again.”
Pilut heading to KHL
Sportsnet: Defenseman Lawrence Pilut signed a two-year contract with Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL.
Lawrence was a pending restricted free agent for the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres will retain his rights for the next three years if they issue him a qualifying offer.
The 24-year old only got into 13 games for the Sabres this past season and split time in the AHL. Lawrence has a goal and five assists in 46 career NHL games.
Phase 2 notes
Charlie Roumeliotis: On the ice for the Chicago Blackhawks yesterday were Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Alex Nylander and Malcolm Subban.
Jeff Svoboda: Phase 2 groupings for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Group A – Seth Jones, Gus Nyquist, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Matiss Kivlenieks, assistant Brad Larsen
Group B – Riley Nash, Liam Foudy, Scott Harrington, Elvis Merzlikins, assistant Kenny McCudden and goalie coach Manny Legace.
Washington Capitals: The Capitals will open up their facilities for Phase 2 starting today.
CBA talks continue
TSN: Pierre LeBrun says the NHL and NHLPA continue to work on the CBA and it’s possible a framework is in place before they play any more game this season. The players may want to know how the economics are going to work over the next couple of seasons.
“Why are you coming back to play? What does it mean for escrow? What’s the salary cap going to look like? There are a lot of questions and I think if, at the very least, the NHLPA and the NHL can have some clarity in some major CBA issues by them, it would go a long way in I think influencing how some players feel about things moving forward.”