The 10th day of NHL training camp news includes an update on Sidney Crosby, an interesting report regarding Jonathan Toews’ view of the Return to Play, and much more.
Crosby headlines good NHL training camp news for Penguins
Rank the Pittsburgh Penguins among the teams that enjoyed the best news among NHL teams in training camps on Wednesday.
The biggest involves their biggest star. Sidney Crosby missed a few practices since leaving a Saturday scrimmage, but he was back on the ice on Wednesday. If there’s one bit that dampers that news, it’s that Crosby skated before Penguins practice, rather than with teammates. So we’ll see if Crosby suffers any setbacks.
Crosby grabs the headlines, but the Penguins also saw Patric Hornqvist and Juuso Riikola in action.
Good things are happening 👏 https://t.co/9lU1QCJJAW pic.twitter.com/4LeZXrNfuB
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 22, 2020
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan gushed about Hornqvist upon his return to the fold.
“The bounce in our step is different when he’s on the ice with us and he’s on the bench with us or in the locker room,” Sullivan said.
[2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers schedule; How to watch on NBCSN, NBC, and USA Network]
Flyers’ Hart, Avs’ Makar and other NHL training camp news updates
Along with Crosby getting back in action, the biggest NHL training camp news was that David Pastrnak may not practice with the Bruins until the team reaches Toronto. There were plenty of other interesting returns and absences from NHL training camps on Wednesday, though:
- Like Crosby, Steven Stamkos got some skating in, but not with his Lightning teammates. Stamkos is reportedly dealing with a lower-body injury.
- After leaving a Tuesday scrimmage, Carter Hart missed Flyers’ practice on Wednesday as well. The most comforting thought is probably that Hart has some time to heal up, as the Flyers merely battle for seeding in the Round Robin portion of the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
- The bad news is that Max Pacioretty missed a second straight Golden Knights practice. The good news is that Peter DeBoer said it’s just a minor issue.
“I told you guys a couple of days ago [it wasn’t a positive COVID-19 test], and it still isn’t that,” DeBoer said, via NHL.com’s Danny Webster. “He’s dealing with a minor issue. I anticipate he’ll be on the ice with us here before we leave for Edmonton (on Sunday).”
So ... it at least seems like COVID-19 isn’t Pacioretty’s issue. (It feels safest to caveat almost everything right now, though.)
In other Golden Knights news, we have a “best shape of his life” sighting! Kinda feels cozy to enjoy a training camp trope in July.
Alex Tuch, who has been out since February, said he lost 10 pounds during the pause. Says he’s in the best shape of his life. #VegasBorn
— Danny Webster (@DannyWebster21) July 22, 2020
- Cale Makar missed weekend scrimmages, and also Wednesday’s action for the Avalanche. Here’s hoping it’s just a minor issue.
- The NHL overturned recent decisions to let prospects like Alexander Romanov skate with the Canadiens, and Ilya Sorokin to participate with the Islanders.
- Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad is another player filed under “unfit to play.” George Richards reports that Joel Quenneville isn’t too concerned about Ekblad, who may practice on Friday.
- The Oilers are taking defensive prospect Philip Broberg to the playoff bubble. Could he end up making a big difference for the Oilers? He seems to be making an impression, at least.
This list isn’t comprehensive, so hit Rotoworld’s NHL News section for even more.
Report: Blackhawks’ Toews voted against NHL Return to Play
Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews frequently comes as one of the league’s most thoughtful players. You could see that, for example, when Toews shared his thoughts on protests following George Floyd’s death.
So maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that Toews ranked as one of two NHLPA executive board members who voted against the NHL Return to Play, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
“I have been told by many, many, many players that one of the most vocal players during the process of coming back to play was Jonathan Toews, that he asked a lot of questions,” Friedman said during his “31 Thoughts” podcast. “And other players really defended him. They said he was great, he asked relevant questions, he challenged whether or not this was really safe to play.”
(Friedman reports that Jordan Martinook represented the other vote against the NHL Return to Play plan on behalf of the Hurricanes.)
Toews has missed some training camp time for the Blackhawks, for whatever that’s worth.
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.