News and notes from around the NHL this evening:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without rookie defenseman Nikita Zaitsev tonight in Game 1 against the Washington Capitals, reports Rogers Sportsnet. Zaitsev suffered an upper body injury in the Maple Leafs’ final regular season game on Sunday when he was hit into the boards by Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno. The Maple Leafs will miss Zaitsev’s presence on the blue line as Zaitsev was second in team ice time behind Morgan Rielly.
- Staying with the Capitals vs. Maple Leafs series, Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson will return tonight after missing the Capitals’ last four games. Carlson missed those games with a lower body injury, but told reporters yesterday that he “felt good.” The Capitals will breathe a sigh of relief when Carlson returns as he is the team’s leader in average time on ice. Losing a first-pair defenseman ripples throughout the lineup no matter how much depth a team has.
- The Nashville Predators should have center Calle Jarnkrok tonight, reports Adam Vingan of the Tennessean. Jarnkrok missed the Predators’ final game against the Winnipeg Jets with a lower body injury. Nashville takes on the Chicago Blackhawks in their first-round playoff matchup, and they will need all the center depth they can muster against the top team in the Western Conference.