Ice Chunks: Toronto Maple Leafs’ Max Pacioretty (lower body) returns to the ice

Stay up to date on all NHL injury news and roster updates with daily Ice Chips.

Toronto Maple Leaves

Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty returned to the ice Friday morning after missing Thursday’s game against the St. Louis Blues with a lower-body injury, TSN’s Mark Masters reports.

Pacioretty left Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets due to the injury and did not return.

The 35-year-old American has two goals in five games with the Maple Leafs in 2024-25, his first season in Toronto.

Pacioretty signed a one-year deal with the Maple Leafs before the season after joining the team on a professional tryout during training camp.

Ottawa Senators

The senators have reassigned the goalkeeper Leevi Merilainen to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, stating Linus Ullmark he could be ready to return on Friday.

Ullmark has been sidelined since Oct. 12, missing four games, and head coach Travis Green revealed last week that he was dealing with “tension.”

The goalkeeper was initially expected to return at the end of last week but remained on the sidelines. According to TSN’s Claire Hanna, Ullmark said Tuesday that he was feeling good.
but I wanted to get in a couple of full speed practices before returning to get up to game speed.

Anton Forsberg He has handled goaltending duties ever since, posting a 2.94 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage.

Merilainen has appeared in three AHL games this season, posting a 3.47 GAA and .852 save percentage.

Ullmark was 1-1-0 with a 2.58 GAA and a .914 save percentage in two games this season before suffering the injury.

The Sens also called up the forward Cole Reinhardt from Belleville on Friday. Forward Shane Pinto did not skate Thursday and will be a game decision Friday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, TSN’s Claire Hanna reports.

Pinto has a goal and two assists in six games so far this season, playing more than 17 minutes in Ottawa’s 4-0 win over Utah on Tuesday.

buffalo sabers

Forward Zach Benson is not practicing with the Sabers on Friday morning as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury, Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News reports.

Benson missed Tuesday’s game against the Dallas Stars and has been battling the injury since the start of the season.

The 19-year-old has no points in the six games he has played this year, averaging 14:10 of ice time per game.

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken sent defenseman Cale Fleury to the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, it was announced Friday.

He has yet to appear in an NHL game this season and has three goals in three AHL games.

florida panthers

The Panthers signed forward Hunter St. Martin to an initial three-year contract, it was announced Friday.

St. Martin, 19, was selected in the sixth round of this summer’s draft (No. 193 overall), recording seven goals and one assist in his first eight games of the season with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets center Dmitri Voronkov practiced with the team on Friday as he continues to recover from an upper-body ailment, Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch reports.

General manager Don Waddell said earlier this month that the team expected Voronkov to return in late November.

The 24-year-old had not yet made his season debut. He scored 18 goals and 16 assists for 34 points in 75 games last season as a rookie.