Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews will not play Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers due to a wrist injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe said, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Matthews' wrist has bothered him "virtually all season," according to Keefe. The NHL's leading goalscorer appeared to aggravate it on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames when he crashed into the boards.

However, the Leafs will get some reinforcements, as goaltender Jack Campbell, defenseman Jake Muzzin, and forward Joe Thornton will all draw back into the lineup.

Campbell hasn't played since Jan. 24 due to a leg injury. His return comes at a key time as starting netminder Frederik Andersen remains out due to a lower-body injury.

Muzzin has missed the last two games with a face injury. He'll be forced to play with a full face shield. The 32-year-old ranks second among Toronto blue-liners in points and third in average ice time.

Thornton has also missed the last two contests with an undisclosed ailment. He was riding a four-game point streak before going down.

Here's Toronto's projected lineup for Saturday night based on Friday's practice lines:

The Leafs won their lone game without Matthews this season - a 4-2 victory over the Oilers on Jan. 22.

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Buffalo Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark will miss at least one month with an undisclosed injury, head coach Ralph Krueger confirmed on Saturday, according to the Times Herald's Bill Hoppe.

Ullmark exited in the first period of Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils and didn't come back. The 27-year-old owns a 2.44 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage over 12 games this season.

Meanwhile, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen will return against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday after his grueling bout with COVID-19 earlier this month.

The Finnish blue-liner recently opened up about his struggles with significant drops in oxygen levels, intense chest pain, and fatigue. The 26-year-old hasn't played since Jan. 31.

Sabres captain Jack Eichel remains day-to-day and will miss his second straight game, but he could return Sunday. Winger Jeff Skinner, who's been a healthy scratch during the team's previous three contests, will also return to the lineup Saturday.

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A month after surprisingly resigning as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Jim Rutherford has his eyes set on a potential return to hockey.

"I still got the bug," Rutherford told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

"I can tell you that I feel good, I have a lot of energy, I love the game. I’ve watched as many games as I can every night to stay in the loop. I have an emotional connection to the Penguins for obvious reasons, but I still have the bug to be with a team and try to contribute and make it better."

The 72-year-old still hasn't elaborated on why he left his position with Pittsburgh, simply citing personal reasons. Shortly after his resignation, the club hired Ron Hextall as general manager and brought in Brian Burke as president of hockey operations.

Rutherford had been general manager of the Penguins since 2014, helping lead the club to back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017.

While a return to Pittsburgh doesn't seem to be in the books, Rutherford added he won't necessarily be actively looking for a front-office position and instead will wait to see if an opportunity comes his way.

"I’ve done this long enough, and I have a lot of friends in the game and a lot of respect for everybody, and I’m not looking to take somebody’s job," Rutherford said. "So I’m not going to be making phone calls and saying that I’m looking for a job that somebody already has.

"It’s a place where most people would like to get to in their life. You can work if you want, but you don’t have to. I don’t have any more things to accomplish in the league, but I do think I have a lot to offer to a team in the right situation."

Rutherford won the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award in 2016 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. He also previously spent 20 years as general manager of the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.

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Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch for the third straight game Thursday night, but the 28-year-old doesn't think watching from the press box will help him break out of his lengthy slump.

"I don't think you learn anything extra by not being out there, but, obviously, this situation is maybe not that straightforward in the fact that 'lessons being learned' is maybe more of a vague concept," Skinner said Friday, according to The Athletic's John Vogl.

Skinner, who's in the second season of an eight-year, $72-million contract, has yet to score and has just one assist through 14 games. He skated with the club's taxi squad during Thursday's practice.

Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger said Thursday that he doesn't have a doghouse and that he'll continue to work with Skinner to find his potential. The 5-foot-11 winger understands Krueger's decision and insists it hasn't impacted how he views his future with the club.

"I try and help the team win as much as I can," Skinner said. "That's my main focus. Obviously, the coach is trying to do that, too. ... He has 23 other guys to worry about. He has a team to coach. I just have to play hockey.

He added, "I love being a Sabre. I love the city of Buffalo. I wouldn't have chosen to stay here if that wasn't (the) case, so that answer is simple."

The Sabres could certainly use Skinner's offensive touch. Buffalo ranks 27th in scoring this season and sits last in the East Division through 17 games.

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St. Louis Blues star Vladimir Tarasenko is nearing his long-awaited return.

Head coach Craig Berube said Friday that there's a "good chance" Tarasenko will make his season debut on the Blues' upcoming road trip, according to NHL.com's Lou Korac.

The 29-year-old sniper hasn't suited up in a game since Aug. 14, as he underwent shoulder surgery shortly after. He played only 10 contests last season due to a separate shoulder procedure in October 2019 but eclipsed the 30-goal mark in each of his five previous campaigns.

Tarasenko skated alongside David Perron and Brayden Schenn during Friday's practice and competed in contact drills.

The Blues begin a six-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. It wraps up back in the Bay Area on March 8.

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