Training Camp Buzz: Patrick says he's ready to play in Flyers opener

Nolan Patrick said he's ready to play for the first time in more than 21 months when the Flyers open the season at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday.Patrick, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, missed all of last season because of a migraine disorder and hasn't played since April 2, 2019. My guess is he's going to want to play sooner than later and my guess is he'll probably want to play Game 1."The Canucks open the season Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place.Hamonic scored 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 50 games for the Calgary Flames last season and opted out of the NHL Return to Play Plan in the summer. The defenseman had been waived by the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday.Juulsen, selected by the Canadiens in the first round (No. 26) of the 2015 NHL Draft, did not play in the NHL last season; he had three assists in 13 games with Laval of the American Hockey League.The 23-year-old last played in the NHL in 2018-19 and has scored eight points (two goals, six assists) in 44 games."He's a young defensemen with some promise," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. The Canucks resumed training camp practices and workouts Monday after a player had a false positive test for COVID-19, which led to the cancelation of practice Sunday."We had a false positive test come in," coach Travis Green said. Their facilities are closed and their first two games of the 2020-21 NHL season, at the Florida Panthers on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15, have been postponed.Also Friday, 19 players did not practice for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who said an unspecified number of players were sidelined "out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with NHL COVID-19 protocols." Eighteen of those players returned Saturday.The Pittsburgh Penguins cancelled practice Saturday out of an abundance of caution due to potential exposure of COVID-19. He impressed the Rangers during training camp prior to the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers but wasn't eligible to play in the postseason because he agreed to his contract after the NHL season was paused March 12. But he was able to practice and said he felt that gave him an advantage going into camp this season."That camp put me in a pretty good position, just getting out there with the guys, seeing how their systems work," Miller said.