Though Simon Edvinsson took the rare step of taking part in training camp without a contract, he returned to Sweden when the season started while waiting for a deal to be finalized.  Red Wings interim GM Shawn Horcoff told reporters including Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press that Edvinsson’s decision to return home was something he wasn’t expecting.  While not divulging any specifics, Horcoff indicated that the team is doing everything they can to try to get the 23-year-old under contract.  Despite having plenty of cap space, indications are that the team prefers to sign Edvinsson to a bridge deal while his camp is seeking a longer-term agreement in line with where the market for quality young defenders has moved in recent months.  December 1st is the hard deadline to get a deal done for the season so this negotiation could still have a long way to go.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

• After being a late scratch in their loss to San Jose on Thursday, Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling is expected to play tomorrow in Anaheim, relays NHL.com’s Max Miller. The veteran was sidelined with an upper-body injury and is officially listed as day-to-day.  Forsling scored the game-winning (and only) goal late in Tuesday’s season opener and was on the top pairing in that contest so his return will certainly be a welcome one.
• Lightning centers Dominic James (hand) and Yanni Gourde (hip) were participants in today’s morning skates as they work their way back from their respective injuries, notes team reporter Benjamin Pierce (Twitter link). Notably, Gourde was in a non-contact jersey which isn’t surprising given the nature of the injury and how ahead of schedule he appears to be.  Gourde’s current timeline doesn’t have him returning until early December but if he’s okay to skate now, he may be able to return ahead of that.  James, meanwhile, was expected to miss the first couple of weeks and if he’s returning to the ice now, he appears to be on schedule in his recovery timeline.