Metropolitan Notes: Buchnevich, Nieves, Murray, Rask, Pickard

After sitting in the press box for the last two games of their road trip, New York Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich is expected to be in Sunday’s lineup against the Sabres. This is just another example of the coaching demeanor of David Quinn who isn’t hesitant to make clear what he demands from his players, both physically and mentally. Regardless, Quinn expects Buchnevich to respond in only one way about the scratches.

“I hope he’s pissed, and I think he is,” Quinn said after Saturday’s practice up in Westchester (via the New York Post’s Brett Cyrgalis). “I want everybody to be pissed when they don’t play. Now do something about it.”

Buchnevich so far has kept his feelings about his benching quiet and prefers to keep his conversations with Quinn to himself. However, the general belief is that Quinn needs to see more consistency from Buchnevich, who has scored points in five games, but has also disappeared in the other five games this season. Quinn can only hope that Buchnevich is ready to buy in.

• Staying with the Rangers, Newsday’s Anthony Rieber writes that forward Boo Nieves practiced with the team after suffering a concussion that he sustained in the preseason opener on Sept. 17. Nieves practiced with the Hartford Wolf Pack while the team was on their four-game road trip. While there is no timetable for the 24-year-old to be activated off of injured reserve, the 6-foot-3, 203-pounder is getting closer to providing the team with a big body in their lineup. Nieves played 28 games for the Rangers last year, putting up a goal and eight assists.
• Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray is getting tired of being hit during games. The 24-year-old has been hit incidentally with no penalties being called all season, including it happening three times on Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With three concussions in his young career, this new trend is alarming to the goalie. “I’m out there to stop the puck,” Murray said. “That’s got to be my main focus. If I have to do take a hit to do so, it is what it is. I hope that the refs will do something.”
• In a Q&A with Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell, NHL.com’s Michael Smith learned that the team is expecting to get back winger Victor Rask in the first week of December. Rask injured his hand while slicing food in his kitchen and underwent hand surgery during the preseason and was listed as out indefinitely. Waddell said the team met with team doctors at the last home game who confirmed that week was viable.
• The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (subscription required) writes that Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Calvin Pickard may have lost the game Saturday on two late goals by the San Jose Sharks, but the scribe writes that Pickard actually played a solid game and didn’t deserve to take the loss. The third-string goalie was called into action when injury-prone Michal Neuvirth returned to Philadelphia with an undisclosed injury. Despite struggling playing the puck on numerous occasions, the 26-year-old did play well in the net as two of the goals by Timo Meier and Joe Pavelski were unstoppable.