NHL Notebook: Ceci skates with main group, Boeser out after hand surgery and more
By Zach Laing
1 year agoEdmonton Oilers defenceman Cody Ceci skated with the main group at practice Monday for the first time since training camp opened.
Ceci, 28, came into camp dealing with a hamstring injury that led to the Oilers bringing in Jason Demers on a pro tryout.
Ceci’s slated to play a big role on the Oilers’ backend this season after scoring five goals and 28 points last year. Ceci played 20:54 per game last season, but that’s a number I could see rising this year.
He won’t be in the Oilers’ lineup Monday night as they take on the Seattle Kraken.
On Monday, Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft told Oilersnation’s Jason Gregor that Ceci will be partnered with Darnell Nurse again this year and will face a heavy dose of elite competition.
Boeser out three-to-four weeks
The Vancouver Canucks will be without Brock Boeser for the next three-to-four weeks.
The club announced Boeser had injured his hand Saturday during camp and underwent surgery on it Monday morning. Boeser, who was open last year about his father’s declining health and eventual passing, was looking to bounce back in a big way this year.
Boeser, 25, drew in for 71 games last year scoring 23 goals and as many assists.
“I obviously took some time away and kind of regrouped… then once I got back, I had a fresh mind and worked extremely hard,” Boeser said, adding “this is the year” he wants to break that plateau.
Border changes won’t change much for Edmonton
The Canadian government announced Monday that requirements for travelers arriving north of the 49th parallel will no longer need to be vaccinated.
In the sports world, this impact will largely impact Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays, who have faced many opponents this year with some players unable to travel due to their vaccination status.
In the NHL, two players remain unvaccinated, based on public knowledge: Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Josh Archibald.
The move will free up the Canadian side of the border, but no plans are currently in place for those outside of the United States who are returning home.
Hurricane Ian postpones Lightning games
A pair of preseason home games for the Tampa Bay Lightning have been postponed due to Hurricane Ian.
The Carolina Hurricanes were set to visit Tampa Wednesday and the Nashville Predators Thursday, but will be made up at a later date.
Hurricane Ian is slated to become a Category 4 storm by the time it makes landfall in Florida later this week. The state has declared a state of emergency, with U.S. President mobilizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance and disaster releif.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
#NATIONVACATION TO LAS VEGAS
- When: On Thursday, January 12th, we’re jumping on a flight at the Edmonton International Airport and making our way to Vegas. On Sunday evening, we’ll fly back from Vegas to Edmonton. So the dates that you need to block off for this trip are January 12th to 15th.
- Where we’re staying: After landing in LV, we’ll jump on the free shuttle and make our way to the Park MGM before settling in for a good night’s sleep. 😉
- What you get: Your roundtrip flight, hotel, shuttle, viewing party (Friday night), game entry — we got seats this time (Saturday night), and exclusive entry into our pre-trip ‘get to know everyone’ event.
- How Much: The total cost for the trip, flight, hotel, and entry to the game is $1499 per person (based on double occupancy)
- Tickets: Ready to dive in? Click this link.
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