Don't count on "Crow" being between the pipes for the Chicago Blackhawks in their first game of 2018-19.
When asked whether starting netminder Corey Crawford will be ready in time for the Oct. 4 season opener against the Ottawa Senators, Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said that may be "stretching it," according to team reporter Chris Wescott.
"Good last few days, good progress and he's getting closer to joining his teammates," Quenneville added.
Crawford has been skating at training camp but has yet to take part in team drills. At the beginning of camp, he revealed he suffered a concussion in late December that kept him sidelined for the remainder of last season.
If Crawford is unable to go for the opener, Cam Ward could get the nod. The veteran goaltender inked a one-year, $3-million deal with the Blackhawks this summer.
Training camp got off to a tough start for Upshall. He failed his camp physical, which later revealed a knee injury. Although it was initially believed that the ailment would effectively end his camp tryout, Upshall was later cleared to resume participation.
The 34-year-old spent the past three seasons with the St. Louis Blues. He wrapped up the 2017-18 campaign with 19 points in 63 games.
Although Ryan Kesler has been limited to skating sessions at Anaheim Ducks training camp due to injury concerns, the forward received medical clearance to participate in contact drills Sunday.
"These are tests," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told The Athletic's Eric Stephens. "That's all it is. It's a test. For any injured player coming back, it's an encouraging sign that he joined our group for practice. It's encouraging that he was able to battle in some battle drills and feel good after it.
"But it's still a test. Every day, he's going to be tested along the lines of is he able to compete? Is he being able to play pain-free? Is he able to have his strength and feel strong when he leaves the rink? That he's not jeopardizing himself."
Kesler underwent hip surgery last June and didn't return to the lineup until late December. He appeared in 44 games last season, tallying eight goals and six assists while playing through plenty of discomfort.
While there's no timetable for Kesler's return to the Ducks' lineup, Monday's update is seen as a breakthrough for the veteran forward. The possibility existed he could once again be sidelined long term in 2018-19.
The 34-year-old is under contract for the next four seasons.
Recent NHL seasons have seen plenty of young talents make immediate impacts, but for other budding stars, a feeling-out process is needed before their teams see a return on investment.
Whether it's adjusting to the speed, becoming more familiar with the North American rink, or simply finding comfort in playing the pro game, here are five players who have endured slow starts to their NHL careers but are destined for better times in 2018-19:
Joel Eriksson Ek
Often criticized as an older club lacking offensive creativity, the next wave is on the way for the Minnesota Wild, headlined in part by Joel Eriksson Ek.
The Swedish import and former first-round pick has spent the past two seasons in North America, and after getting his feet wet in 75 games with the Wild last year, Eriksson Ek is ready to make the next step.
The 21-year-old made the Wild out of training camp last season but struggled to find his scoring touch, notching just three points in 20 games. By late November, a refresher in the minors was deemed necessary and later proved worthwhile, as Eriksson Ek posted a point-per-game pace over seven AHL contests.
Later recalled to the big club, Eriksson Ek showed greater poise as he closed out the season with 13 points. For the coming campaign, he will have plenty of opportunities to build on last year's performance as he is expected to play among Minnesota's top nine forwards.
Nolan Patrick
Justin Berl / Getty Images Sport / Getty
New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier took Round 1 in the battle of the top two picks of the 2017 draft, but expect that gap to disappear this season.
After posting just 11 points through his first 41 games, Philadelphia Flyers center Nolan Patrick found his footing in his final 32 contests, picking up nine goals and 10 assists. He then added another two points in the Flyers' first-round playoff exit.
As the new season nears, and with Patrick projected as Philadelphia's second-line center, there will be plenty of support for the Manitoba product to not only avoid a sophomore slump but build on his successful second half.
With the Flyers' first line expected to stay intact, look for Patrick to pivot between free-agent addition James van Riemsdyk, who potted 36 goals last season, and dominant playmaker Jakub Voracek, whose 65 assists were outpaced by only three players in 2017-18.
Jesse Puljujarvi
Codie McLachlan / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Jesse Puljujarvi leads the next wave in the Edmonton Oilers' fountain of riches, and while he hasn't been immediately productive at the NHL level like many in his draft class, expect the Finnish winger to reach those heights this season.
Puljujarvi disappointed when he didn't make the Oilers out of training camp a year ago, but after putting up five points through 10 AHL games, he was recalled to Edmonton just one month into the season. There was no looking back from there, as Puljujarvi finished the 2017-18 campaign with the Oilers, notching 12 goals and eight assists in 65 appearances.
While his overall numbers don't equal the level of production expected from a high pick - Puljujarvi was drafted ahead of star talents like Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller - he'll be provided with an expanded offensive role in 2018-19.
The expectation is Puljujarvi could ride shotgun to center Leon Draisaitl, who has cracked the 70-point plateau in each of the past two seasons. There's also the possibility for some magic alongside Connor McDavid should the captain's chemistry with winger Ty Rattie fizzle out.
Jack Roslovic
Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / Getty
While he won't be the focal point for the opposition, expect Jack Roslovic to fill an offensive role in the Winnipeg Jets' top nine.
The 25th pick in 2015 already has two years of pro experience under his belt. He led the AHL's Manitoba Moose with 48 points in the 2016-17 campaign, proving he's ready for prime time.
Last season, Roslovic split time between the Moose and the Jets, impressing with 35 points in just 32 games in the minors to earn a call-up to Winnipeg. That stretch included 10 appearances in the Jets' run to the Western Conference Final and gave the young forward a leg up in locking down a full-time spot for the coming season.
There will be one change, however, as Roslovic, who played on the wing last season, is expected to compete for a job at center following the departure of deadline addition Paul Stastny.
Daniel Sprong
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
There's no denying what Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby has achieved over his career; the seemingly constant challenge has been finding talented linemates that can mesh alongside the captain.
Over the past two years, the Dutch-born winger has seen plenty of minutes sprinkled across junior, the minors, and Pittsburgh. The erratic winger boasts plenty of offensive skill, as he demonstrated with a point-per-game pace over 65 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. But when called upon by the Penguins, Sprong has yet to deliver consistent production.
Still, given his accomplishments in the minor ranks, Sprong is due for another shot at NHL duty and could have the chance to play alongside some exceptionally talented linemates in the process.
After 16 seasons, the 39-year-old announced his retirement from the NHL on Monday at a press conference hosted by the Buffalo Sabres.
"I'm announcing my retirement today. (I am) looking forward to spending more time with my family and also playing a small part with the organization," Gionta said. "(I am) looking forward to that next step of my career."
Gionta served as captain during his three seasons with the Sabres. He'll now be taking on a player development role with the organization. The native of Rochester, N.Y., called playing in nearby Buffalo a "highlight" of his career.
Gionta began his NHL career in 2001 with the New Jersey Devils, where he won the Stanley Cup in 2003. His 48-goal output with the Devils in 2005-06 still stands as a franchise record.
On Monday, the Philadelphia Flyersunveiled their new mascot, "Gritty", the franchise's first foray into a furry fanatic since the short-lived days of "Slapshot".
While the Flyers are apparently satisfied with the look of their new friend, the response on social media wasn't nearly as positive:
The 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Tippett had been vying for a roster spot at Panthers training camp.
Tippett, 19, began last season with Florida, picking up one point in seven appearances. He was reassigned to Mississauga in November, where he finished the year with 75 points in 51 games.
The Panthers also announced that they've released veteran forward Mark Letestu from his professional tryout offer.
While Ho-Sang's camp performance impressed general manager Lou Lamoriello, his inability to lock down a roster spot may have been due to a jam-packed roster.
"We have a lot of guys under contract. We need to see what we have with them first," Lamoriello told The Athletic's Arthur Staple.
Ho-Sang appeared in 22 games with the Islanders last season, notching two goals and 10 assists. New York selected Ho-Sang with the 28th pick in the 2014 draft.
"(I) thought he worked hard, gave us everything he had," Lamoriello added. "He just needs to go to the minors, he's got ability, go there and get over all these issues that I haven't seen, that transpired in the past. He's been excellent in camp. Just go grow and get better."
The fifth-overall pick in 2014, Dal Colle now enters his third full season with the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 22-year-old recorded 24 points in 60 games last season. He also made four appearances with the Islanders but was held off the scoresheet.
Asked Monday why he rebuffed an opportunity to meet with the Canadiens ahead of free agency, Tavares said, "I can only play for one team. I'm not here to make everyone happy," per Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
The Canadiens are in Toronto for Monday's preseason date with the rival Maple Leafs. It marks the first of two exhibition matches between the two squads before they face off in their Oct. 3 season opener.
Leading up to the start of the 2018-19 season, theScore will be counting down the top 100 players in the game today, as voted on by four of our NHL editors. We'll reveal 10 players every weekday until the top 10 is unveiled on Oct. 3.
The Blackhawks had seven different goalies take the net last season and Crawford was the only one to have a winning record. In missing all but 28 games, he proved his worth to the team. Prior to last season, Crawford had recorded 131 wins since the 2013-14 season, the third-most in the NHL during that span. -- Hagerman
79. Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
92
85
76
69
Aho collected as many points at even-strength (49) last season as he did in all situations in his rookie campaign of 2016-17, improving his overall goal (29) and point (65) totals in the process. He drove possession at 54.83 percent, according to Corsica, and he's one of the most talented and unheralded young players in the NHL. -- Gold-Smith
Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty
78. Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
68
80
81
92
Marner bounced back from a painfully slow start to collect 53 points in his final 53 games and continued that strong play into the postseason, where he was arguably Toronto's best player. He's characterized as an offense-first player, but finished fourth in the league with 85 takeaways. Slated to play alongside John Tavares this season, he could be in for a career year. -- Wegman
77. William Karlsson, Golden Knights
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
81
89
80
61
Only Alex Ovechkin and Patrik Laine scored more goals than Karlsson last season. In his first campaign playing top-six minutes, the former Blue Jacket obliterated his previous career high of nine goals. He followed that up with 15 playoff points in 20 games. Karlsson also features prominently on the club's penalty kill. -- Hagerman
76. Ryan Suter, Wild
Abbie Parr / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
37
NR
79
86
Suter has been one of the league's best scoring-chance suppressors throughout his career, and last season was no different. Offensively, he may not be as flashy as some of today's younger defensemen, but he still quietly registered 51 points. A perennial workhorse, only Drew Doughty averaged more ice time last season. -- Wegman
75. Mark Giordano, Flames
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
78
43
78
NR
Giordano is a rock on the Flames' back end, finishing 12th in the NHL in average ice time at 24:47 a season ago, and he's missed only one game over the last three campaigns combined. While he likely won't return to the offensive numbers he produced in his prime, the soon-to-be 35-year-old is still a steadying force on Calgary's blue line. -- Gold-Smith
74. Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
87
87
68
57
After a respectable rookie campaign, Rantanen took his game to another level last season. He potted 84 points and was instrumental in Nathan MacKinnon's MVP caliber season factoring in on 51 of his 97 points. He has an elite release, vision, and patience, making him a tremendous offensive threat. -- Hagerman
73. Colton Parayko, Blues
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
79
64
74
78
Parayko has it all. Standing in at 6-foot-6, he possesses the tools to dominate physically, but also excels at moving the puck and owns a booming point shot. At only 25, it's scary that he still has room to grow. -- O'Leary
72. Marc-Andre Fleury, Golden Knights
Isaac Brekken / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
73
62
64
96
After 13 years of adoration in Pittsburgh, no one really knew what to expect from Fleury as he donned Vegas colors, but having the best season of his career was a good way to acclimate himself to his new fanbase. The 33-year-old authored a .927 save percentage in both the regular season and playoffs, quickly establishing himself as the heart and soul of the Golden Knights. -- O'Leary
71. Mattias Ekholm, Predators
Wegman
O'Leary
Gold-Smith
Hagerman
70
76
72
74
Ekholm doesn't get as much love as the three other members of the Predators' top-four on defense, but he's a solid all-around blue-liner who's just as - if not more - effective in his own end as he is in the offensive zone. Ekholm will occasionally wow you, but even when he doesn't, he contributes to Nashville's success in myriad ways. -- Gold-Smith
