NHL Status Report: A Weekly Update on Injuries and Lineups
Welcome to the NHL Status Report, your weekly update on the latest injuries and lineups across the league. Here's a breakdown of the key players and their status, with a focus on the Golden Knights, Senators, Lightning, Oilers, Flyers, Rangers, Red Wings, Capitals, Predators, Sabres, and Devils.
Vegas Golden Knights
Shea Theodore is expected to be out for a week due to an upper-body injury, which has sidelined him since December 13. Jack Eichel, who has been dealing with an illness, did not travel with the team for their upcoming two-game road trip, starting with a match against the Calgary Flames on Saturday. Eichel leads the Golden Knights with 41 points in 31 games, while Theodore has contributed 20 points in the same number of games, averaging a team-high 24:01 of ice time.
Ottawa Senators
Thomas Chabot returned to the ice for the Senators after missing 12 games due to an upper-body injury sustained on November 22. He has 10 points in 18 games this season and is second in Ottawa for time on ice per game (21:55). Chabot expressed his relief and excitement about being back with the team, emphasizing the positive impact on his mental health and morale.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikita Kucherov, who leads Tampa Bay with 42 points in 30 games, will be a game-time decision due to an illness. Brandon Hagel, who has 31 points in 32 games, remains out with an upper-body injury. The team also recalled forwards Jack Finley and Jakob Pelletier from Syracuse of the American Hockey League.
Edmonton Oilers
Tristan Jarry was placed on injured reserve after sustaining an undisclosed injury during a game against the Boston Bruins on Thursday. This was his third game since being acquired by the Oilers. Calvin Pickard started in his place against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Connor Ingram was recalled from Bakersfield of the American Hockey League, and forward Jack Roslovic was placed on long-term injured reserve after missing action since November 25 due to a shot-blocking injury.
Philadelphia Flyers
Dan Vladar and Christian Dvorak are listed as day-to-day with upper and lower-body injuries, respectively. Vladar, a goalie, has a strong record of 12-5-3 with a 2.41 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 20 games this season. The Flyers also recalled goalie Aleksei Kolosov from Lehigh Valley of the AHL before their game on Saturday.
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin returned to the lineup and scored twice in a shootout win against the Flyers on Saturday. He missed a game due to an illness but has been a key contributor with 23 points in 33 games. The Rangers also recalled forwards Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann from Hartford of the AHL, with Perreault scoring his first NHL goal on Thursday.
Detroit Red Wings
Patrick Kane missed his third consecutive game due to an upper-body injury, but the Red Wings secured a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Kane has 23 points in 24 games and is close to reaching the 500-goal milestone in the NHL. Moritz Seider was in the lineup after not practicing on Friday.
Washington Capitals
Ryan Leonard is making progress in his recovery from shoulder and facial injuries sustained in a game against the Anaheim Ducks on December 5. He practiced in a regular jersey on Friday, taking the next step in his return to full contact. Coach Spencer Carbery expressed optimism about Leonard's continued improvement.
Nashville Predators
Jonathan Marchessault is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury and is questionable for the upcoming game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He has 10 points in 28 games this season and sustained the injury during a loss to the Hurricanes on Wednesday.
Buffalo Sabres
Conor Timmins is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks with a broken leg sustained during a game against the Flyers on Thursday. Tyson Kozak is set to skate in the morning and could play against the New York Islanders on Saturday. Kozak sustained an upper-body injury during the same game.
New Jersey Devils
Timo Meier was activated from the non-roster list on Saturday and could return to the lineup against the Sabres on Sunday. He has been out since December 9 due to a personal leave of absence but has 23 points in 30 games this season. The team reassigned forwards Xavier Parent and defenseman Calen Addison to Utica of the AHL.
