NHL Buzz: Hertl practices in noncontact jersey for 1st time with Golden Knights

Vegas Golden Knights

Tomas Hertl practiced in a noncontact jersey with the Golden Knights for the first time Monday.

The 30-year-old forward, who has been skating on his own, hasn't played since Jan. 27 and opted to have surgery to clean out loose cartilage in his left knee Feb. 12. He said March 11 he was hoping to be back on the ice with Vegas in two weeks.

The Golden Knights (41-25-8), who are third in the Pacific Division, host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, SNP).

“It’s important for him to get around his teammates and that type of environment," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said after practice Monday. "He’s been skating on his own here a little bit while we were away. I think it’s great for him to start interacting, see what it looks like, how we practice. … This is good for him, and obviously he’s getting closer.

"I don't know when he'll play, [but] he's not playing tomorrow. "He's still in red (noncontact), so we'll see how he progresses."

Hertl, who sustained the injury with the San Jose Sharks, was acquired by Vegas at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline on March 8 for forward David Edstrom and a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The Golden Knights also received a third-round pick in the 2025 and 2027 NHL Draft in the deal.

Hertl, who has 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 48 games this season, has six seasons remaining on an eight-year contract he signed with San Jose on March 16, 2022. He had to waive his no-movement clause in order to be acquired by Vegas. -- Paul Delos Santos

Philadelphia Flyers

Jamie Drysdale had an assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Monday after missing 16 games because of an upper-body injury.

"I just came in, they said today was the day, but you never know, and then I came and just saw the number on the board," the defenseman said prior to the game. "It's nice to be back. ... It [stinks] being out, especially when your team is kind of going into war night in and night out. That's never fun, so it's just real good to be back."

Drysdale was injured when he collided with Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins on Feb. 25. The injury seemed to affect Drysdale's left shoulder, the same one he had surgically repaired in November of 2022, which ended his season after 10 games.

"I think ultimately that was kind of the main thing that was going through my head, was just like, ‘Not again,’" he said. "But that was a 4-6 month recovery, and I think was [back] around four weeks, so it's real good to be back."

Drysdale's return also gave the Flyers a more experienced second pair behind Travis Sanheim and Cam York, who coach John Tortorella has said has been forced to play too much because injuries to Drysdale and Nick Seeler, who returned Saturday after missing 11 games because of a lower-body injury.

"I think [associate coach Brad Shaw] can balance it a little bit more to try to cut down some of these minutes," Tortorella said. -- Adam Kimelman

Toronto Maple Leafs

Morgan Rielly participated in the Maple Leafs’ morning skate but missed his fourth straight game Monday, a 6-4 win against the Florida Panthers, because of an upper-body injury.

The defenseman last played March 24 in a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, when he had two shots in 24:10. Rielly has 51 points (seven goals, 44 assists) in 65 games.

“He’s day to day,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Today I think was his first time on the ice coming through this, so he will be day to day from here. But he’s close to 100 percent here now.”

The Maple Leafs will practice Tuesday before hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. -- Dave McCarthy

Seattle Kraken

Shane Wright, who was recalled from Coachella Valley of the AHL on Sunday, scored his first goal of the season in a 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

Wright, who was held without a point in three games for Seattle earlier this season from Nov. 9-13, finished a return pass from Jordan Eberle to make it 3-1 at 17:06 of the first period.

The 20-year-forward, who was the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, has 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 56 AHL games this season. He had two points (one goal, one assist) in eight NHL games last season.