NHL Buzz: O'Reilly return this week not ruled out by Maple Leafs

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Toronto Maple Leafs

Ryan O'Reilly's return from a broken finger is getting closer for the Maple Leafs, and coach Sheldon Keefe did not rule out the possibility that he could return this week.
"Just to continue to ramp him up and make sure things respond positively both as he is shooting more, handling pucks more and then also just making sure he's safe in terms of minimizing risk for re-injury," Keefe said Tuesday. "… I would call it unlikely to play this week but that hasn't been ruled out necessarily. I think the plan is more to ramp him up through this week and then look more towards next (week to return to play)."
The center has not played since Mar. 4 when he sustained the injury in a 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. O'Reilly had surgery and the initial time frame for a return was four weeks.
He took part in a skill development session including handling and shooting pucks with teammates on Tuesday but departed before the main session began.
"Today he didn't practice but he did everything but practice and he got a lot of work in individually himself before we even got out there," Keefe said. "The hope is he will continue to progress towards practice here."
O'Reilly has five points (three goals, two assists) in eight games with the Maple Leafs since being acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 17.
Forward Noel Acciari did not practice Tuesday after sustaining an undisclosed injury in a 3-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. He will not play when Toronto hosts the Florida Panthers on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, BSFL, SN NOW, ESPN+).
"He's day to day at this point and not going to be available tomorrow," Keefe said. -- Dave McCarthy

Nashville Predators

Matt Duchene will be out week to week for the Predators because of an upper-body injury.
The forward sustained the injury early in the second period of a 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Sunday when he was hit in the left hand by a shot of teammate Dante Fabbro.
Duchene leads Nashville with 22 goals and is second with 56 points in 72 games.
"Obviously, we lose [Duchene] in the second period, so that hurts a lot," Predators forward Cody Glass said Sunday. "We have a young group, and it was kind of one of those adversity things where guys have got to step up, and that's kind of what this whole thing has been about."
The Predators (37-28-8) are three points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Nashville won 2-1 at the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Chicago Blackhawks

Philipp Kurashev is out the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
The forward left early in the first period of Chicago's 6-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Thursday after being hit by Capitals forward Tom Wilson.
"We kind of hoped that it wasn't that bad, but it hasn't really settled down and it's going to be something that doesn't need any fixing, just time," Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said Tuesday. "So that'll be unfortunately the rest of the year."
Kurashev has 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 70 games this season. He has 62 points (23 goals, 39 assists) in 191 NHL games over three seasons with Chicago.
The Blackhawks have been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention. They lost 4-1 to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday and end their season April 13 against the Philadelphia Flyers. -- Tracey Myers

Ottawa Senators

Cam Talbot could return for the Senators against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
The goalie, who hasn't played since March 4 because of a mid-body injury, practiced Monday ahead of Ottawa's 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers at Canadian Tire Centre.
"We'll see how he feels," Senators coach D.J. Smith said. "We have a scheduled off day tomorrow and then we have a practice day [Wednesday], and then we'll see if he's able to either play or back up against [Philadelphia]."
Smith noted that he hadn't had a chance to talk to Talbot following practice and ahead of addressing the media.
Talbot is 15-14-1 with a 2.85 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and one shutout in 32 games (29 starts) this season.
The Senators have been without their top two goalies for weeks. Anton Forsberg sustained MCL tears in both of his knees Feb. 11 and is out the rest of the season.
Goalie Mads Sogaard started and made 32 saves against the Panthers. -- Callum Fraser

Columbus Blue Jackets

Erik Gudbranson is out for the rest of the season for the Blue Jackets with a separated shoulder.
The projected recovery timeline for the 31-year-old defenseman is six weeks. He left in the third period of a 5-4 overtime win against the Islanders on March 24.
Gudbranson finished with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 70 games this season, his first with Columbus after signing a four-year contract July 13, 2022.
Mathieu Olivier could miss the rest of the season with a lower leg bone bruise sustained against the Islanders that's projected to keep the forward out 2-4 weeks. Defenseman Nick Blankenburg is week to week with an ankle injury, and goalie Elvis Merzlikins is day to day with a lower-body injury.
Merzlikins left an 8-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday after allowing six goals, his first start since leaving the Blue Jackets because of personal reasons. He missed six games from Nov. 15-Dec. 1 with a hip injury.
Jon Gillies was added to the roster on emergency recall Sunday from Cleveland of the American Hockey League. The goalie was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes on March 2 for forward
Jakub Voracek
and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Blue Jackets have been eliminated from playoff contention. They lost 6-2 at the New York Rangers on Tuesday and end their season at home against the Sabres on April 14.