Fleury expected back by the weekend
Danny Webster of NHL.com: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury hasn’t taken part in training camp yet, but should be back with the team by the weekend.
“He’s doing fine. We’ve got a long runway before we start,” Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said Wednesday. “The plan is he will be on the ice before the weekend.”
Jesse Granger: DeBoer on Fleury: “He’s feeling good. We have a long runway. He was really practicing hard. He doesn’t have anything significant. He will be on the ice before the weekend.”
Kase and Pastrnak unfit to play
Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic: Boston Bruins forward Ondrej Kase and David Pastrnak didn’t practice yesterday. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said that both players are “unfit to participate right now.” Teams aren’t allowed to give much details for absences.
“Anytime players miss a session where we expect them to be back up at full speed, until (Pastrnak) is out there, it is a concern for us as a team,” Cassidy said. “But we’re just going to forge ahead.”
Goaltender Tuukka Rask left practice yesterday. On Tuesday he took a shot up high and Cassidy said maybe it was related to that. (He’s back to practice today)
Crawford could return next week
Charlie Roumeliotis of NBC Sports Chicago: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford could be able to join the team for Phase 3 early next week.
It’s not known how much skating Crawford did during Phase 2, so he could have a lot of work to do to get into game shape.
The Blackhawks leave for the hub city of Edmonton in nine days. Their only exhibition game is in 12 days and their play-in round starts in 15 days.
Flames taking precautions with their two groups
Aaron Vickers of NHL.com: Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been skating in a smaller group that includes Milan Lucic, Sam Bennett, Noah Hanifin and Cam Talbot, and away from his linemates and the primary group.
“Johnny Gaudreau has never looked better,” Treliving said. “For us to focus on one guy I think is completely unfair. Listen, he’s a top player in our league and I know when people look at our groups … we’re in a different world here. We have to take precautions. I would just caution everybody. Speculation and speculating in the environment where we are … be cautious of it.
“But I can’t speak high enough to the work level that Johnny has put in. It’s evident when I saw him. He’s never looked better. He’s absolutely flying out there. He’s in a great frame of mind. I’m totally ecstatic to where Johnny Gaudreau is right now.”