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Player Notes

  • injured Sunday
    Gilbert (undisclosed) is "okay" after leaving Sunday's preseason game against the Canucks, Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun reports.

    Advice: Coach Ryan Huska said that Gilbert won't play Monday against the Kraken and could miss a few days, but the defenseman seemingly avoided any significant damage. Gilbert dressed in just 23 NHL games last year and is competing for a depth role with the Flames heading into the 2023-24 campaign. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 8:38 pm
  • Exits preseason game
    Van Riemsdyk (undisclosed) left Sunday's preseason contest against the Sabres, Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: Van Riemsdyk tallied an assist before leaving the game Sunday. An update on his status should be available in the coming days before Washington's preseason tilt with the Red Wings on Thursday. The veteran blueliner scored a career-high 23 points in 75 games last season. Rotowire.com Yesterday, 1:58 pm
  • Motivated to show he's still got it
    Giordano is using his poor finish to 2022-23 as motivation heading into this season, reports The Athletic. His ice time dropped from 19 minutes per game during the regular season last year to eight-to-nine minutes by the end of the postseason.

    Advice: Skating 19 minutes per night is tough for a lot of players, let alone one who will soon be 40 and the oldest player in the NHL. Giordano has recognized that he needs to better rest and recover between games, and "maybe pay attention a bit more to the science with our guys... I think the game's changing so you have to (too)." He's referring to the Leafs' sport science team and the analytics they produce. Giordano's fantasy value is behind him, but he can help his team make a run in the playoffs. That is, if he can prove that last postseason was an outlier. Rotowire.com Saturday, 6:11 pm
  • Slips to PP2 to start camp
    Rielly is starting training camp on the second power-play unit, reports The Athletic.

    Advice: New assistant coach Guy Boucher has taken over the reins on the power play, and he's decided to experiment with newcomer John Klingberg in Rielly's old spot on PP1 -- at least to start camp -- despite the Leafs having the NHL's second-best power play last season. Klingberg is more of a shooter, and Rielly is a distributor, so the Leafs want to see what a different look does for their top unit. So far, Rielly is skating on PP2 with Tyler Bertuzzi, Calle Jarnkrok, Max Domi and Timothy Liljegren. Rielly may still end on PP1, but right now, Klingberg will be given every opportunity to shine. Rotowire.com Saturday, 5:10 pm
  • Slides onto top PP unit
    Klingberg is practicing on the Leafs' top power-play unit, replacing Morgan Rielly, reports The Athletic.

    Advice: There's no guarantee Klingberg will stick in this role, but he adds a different dimension to PP1 than the incumbent. Klingberg is a right-handed shot who is unafraid to fire the puck, while the left-shooting Rielly can be guilty of over-passing. Klingberg delivered 148 power-play points over his first eight NHL seasons, which were 11th-most at his position over that span. His 65 primary assists ranked 10th in the same period. The Leafs' top unit includes Mitchell Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares. Rotowire.com Saturday, 4:57 pm
  • Due to skate
    Makar (undisclosed) is scheduled to skate either Sunday or Monday, Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now reports.

    Advice: Makar didn't start training camp for undisclosed reasons, but he's expected to begin skating at practice imminently. Given that return window, the earliest Makar could appear in a game would be Thursday's preseason matchup with Minnesota. Rotowire.com Saturday, 3:24 pm
  • Focusing on forward
    MacDermid has played exclusively at forward during the beginning of Colorado's training camp, Evan Rawal of Colorado Hockey Now reports.

    Advice: MacDermid has filled in at both forward and defense over his first two seasons with the Avalanche, but the plan is to use him at forward, where coach Jared Bednar feels the the team is thin. "If we want him in the lineup, I'd like to have him playing in the forward position," the coach said of MacDermid, adding that he'd like to evaluate other players for the blue line. Colorado added several forwards during the offseason, so MacDermid will have to fight for a roster spot. Rotowire.com Saturday, 3:13 pm
  • Inks PTO
    Clendening signed a professional tryout offer with the Rangers on Friday.

    Advice: Clendening hasn't appeared in an NHL contest since 2018-19, but he drew into 68 AHL games last year, picking up 33 points over that span. The veteran defenseman should be considered a long shot to make New York's Opening Night roster. Rotowire.com Friday, 10:59 am
  • Starts training camp healthy
    Hronek (shoulder) skated on a pairing with Ian Cole to begin training camp Thursday, Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports.

    Advice: While it's too soon to say where Hronek will slot in for the season, it's a safe bet he'll be a top-four option. He should also see time on the second power-play unit. Hronek is likely the best right-shot defenseman on the Canucks' roster, and if they opt to balance their defensive pairing by handedness, he could see himself alongside Quinn Hughes on Opening Night. Rotowire.com Thursday, 5:59 pm