East Notes: Bolduc, Konecny, Merzļikins, Lyubushkin

The Islanders have reinstated defenseman Samuel Bolduc after assigning him to AHL Bridgeport on a conditioning loan late last month, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. Bolduc remained on the active roster and counted against the cap while on his conditioning stint, so no corresponding transaction is necessary.

Bolduc, 23, scored a goal and earned a +2 rating in five games for Bridgeport over the past week and a half. It was his first minor-league action in 11 months after cracking the NHL roster out of training camp for the first time this season. The 2019 second-round pick has not played for the Isles since Jan. 27 and was a healthy scratch in seven straight before his assignment to Bridgeport. He’s averaged just 12:56 per game this season, the lowest among active Islanders defenders, and has three points and a -5 rating in 33 games. He’s struggled to control possession in his limited minutes, too, logging a 43.4 CF% at even strength.

Other updates from the Eastern Conference:

• Flyers winger Travis Konecny remains out Monday against the Blues. However, he returned to practice with the team this morning, albeit in a non-contact jersey, per Charlie O’Connor of PHLY Sports. It’s the first time he’s been on the ice with the team since sustaining an upper-body injury last month that’s cost him five games. Despite the absence, he remains Philadelphia’s leading scorer with 27 goals and 54 points in 57 games, leaving quite a large hole in their lineup as they aim to hold on to a playoff berth and third place in the Metropolitan Division down the stretch.
• Blue Jackets netminder Elvis Merzļikins’ absence is not a guise for a potential trade, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports. His day-to-day designation with an upper-body injury is legitimate, and the 29-year-old will miss tonight’s game against the Golden Knights as such. Rookie Jet Greaves was recalled under emergency conditions from AHL Cleveland yesterday and is expected to back up Daniil Tarasov, who will start for the second time in three games. Trade speculation surrounds Merzļikins amidst a bounce-back season from the Latvian goaltender, who has a robust .904 SV% and 12-13-7 record in 35 games behind a rebuilding Blue Jackets squad.
• The new-but-familiar Ilya Lyubushkin won’t miss any time for the Maple Leafs after sustaining a head injury in Saturday’s shootout win over the Rangers, per David Alter of The Hockey News. Lyubushkin was a full participant in Monday’s morning skate alongside Morgan Rielly and will suit up for his second game since last week’s trade from the Ducks in a likely first-round preview against the Bruins tonight. The Russian blue-liner, who has four assists in 56 games this year, was on the receiving end of a controversial hit from towering New York enforcer Matt Rempe in the second period over the weekend and did not return to the game.