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Sean Monahan Suffers Upper-Body Injury Against Lightning
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (upper body) was limited to 9:58 of action in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay. He registered a power-play assist before leaving the game with an upper-body injury. Only recently, Monahan dealt with a lower-body ailment but managed to avoid missing any time. He must recover from his most recent injury by Saturday to remain in the lineup. The veteran forward has dished out four assists in the last seven games, but Monahan's overall performance has been disappointing in 2026-27. He has just seven points (one goal, six assists) in 18 games. Cole Sillinger and Charlie Coyle are the likeliest options to fill in for Monahan in the top six if needed.
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets PR
Source: Columbus Blue Jackets PR
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Joel Eriksson Ek Exits Early Thursday
Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (upper body) left Thursday's 5-2 win over Toronto midway through the second period. He couldn't carry on after receiving a high hit from Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe. Eriksson Ek is part of a hugely successful first line in Minnesota, which hasn't yet allowed a goal during five-on-five action this season. The Swedish forward is known for his strong defense and has upped his offensive game, posting 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 20 games. Danila Yurov and Ryan Hartman are candidates for larger roles if Eriksson Ek has to miss some action. Marco Sturm would likely fill the void in the lineup.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Chris Kreider Sustains Apparent Leg Injury Thursday
Montreal Canadiens left wing Chris Kreider (leg) was injured in unfortunate circumstances against Boston on Thursday. In the third period, he was involved in a collision with Bruins forward Michael Eyssimont. Kreider couldn't put any weight on his left leg as he exited the ice. The veteran forward has notched three goals and nine points in 18 games this season. He's averaging just 13:35 of ice time, making it difficult for Kreider to contribute regularly on offense. If Kreider can't play in Saturday's matchup with Colorado, the Canadiens must change things up on the third line and the second power-play unit.
Source: Sportsnet
Source: Sportsnet
Cale Makar Hurt Versus Senators
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (lower body) didn't finish Thursday's contest against the Ottawa Senators, leaving the action in the second period. Colorado suffered two massive injury blows in this game, as Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) was also ruled out for the rest of the game at the start of the third period. Makar has recently racked up points for fun but couldn't add to his tally against Ottawa. He has 23 points (five goals, 18 assists) in 19 games. If Makar isn't available on Saturday against Montreal, Devon Toews and Sam Malinski are likely to see more usage, including power-play time.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Nathan MacKinnon Exits With Injury Thursday
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) exited Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss to Ottawa in the second period. Cale Makar (lower body) was also hurt in the second period, leaving the Avalanche without two of their top stars. MacKinnon is typically very durable and has rarely missed time in recent campaigns. He's on track for a second consecutive 120-point season, tallying 10 goals and 20 assists in 20 outings. While Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar didn't have an update on MacKinnon or Makar after Thursday's game, we should get more info ahead of Saturday's clash with Montreal. Brock Nelson is poised to rejoin the top six if MacKinnon misses time.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Matias Maccelli Cleared to Return Thursday
New York Islanders winger Matias Maccelli (lower body) will return from a nine-game absence on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings. Jean-Gabriel Pageau (lower body) will be unavailable, but the Islanders have a good replacement in Maccelli, who has recorded six points (two goals, four assists) in eight games. Maccelli will be part of the third line and the first power-play unit. This is a good matchup for the Islanders' forward group, facing a team that allows 3.44 goals per game.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Anthony Cirelli, Yanni Gourde Out Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli (undisclosed) and Yanni Gourde (undisclosed) won't play in Thursday's contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Cirelli was banged up in Wednesday's blowout win over Buffalo and will miss at least one game. Gourde's absence may be related to the fact that he only recently made his season debut, and the team doesn't want to overwork him in a back-to-back situation. With two centers out of the lineup, the Lightning will use Jake Guentzel in the middle on the first line. There's also a chance for Zemgus Girgensons and Conor Geekie to see extra ice time.
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Source: Eduardo A. Encina
Linus Ullmark Returns to Action Thursday
Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (lower body) will return to the crease on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche. The Senators get their No. 1 netminder back for a very difficult matchup after losing Ullmark to a lower-body injury on Oct. 21. Ullmark kicked off the season in phenomenal form, posting a 7-1-0 record, 1.33 goals-against average, and a .945 save percentage. He has allowed two or fewer goals in all of his eight starts. The Avalanche are tied with Carolina for the highest goals-for average, so Ullmark can't show any signs of rust Thursday night.
Source: NHL.com
Source: NHL.com
Alex Lyon Returns From Shoulder Injury Thursday
Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon (shoulder) will start Thursday's clash against the Chicago Blackhawks, Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News reports. The 33-year-old is finally ready for his season debut after missing the first eight weeks with a shoulder injury. Initially, Lyon was expected to make his season debut in mid-October, but he suffered a setback in his recovery. Expectations are high for Lyon, who posted a 20-10-4 record in 2025-26. He has three shutouts, a 2.77 goals-against average, and a .907 save percentage. Thursday's matchup is the perfect spot for Lyon to ease back into action, as the Blackhawks are averaging a league-low 2.17 goals per game.
Source: Mike Harrington
Source: Mike Harrington
Mike Matheson Back in Action Thursday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (lower body) will rejoin the lineup on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. He has been cleared for action after sitting out six games due to a lower-body injury. Matheson has battled health issues all season, making just eight appearances. Matheson has recorded four points (one goal, three assists), 15 SOG, and 13 blocks. These are decent numbers for Matheson, who will soon be 33, but he's been rarely used on the power play this season, limiting his fantasy appeal. Matheson will take Adam Engstrom's spot in the lineup.
Source: TSN
Source: TSN
Patrick Kane Probable for Thursday's Game
Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (upper body) is considered probable for Thursday's matchup with the Buffalo Sabres, Jack Bushman of Chicago Hockey Now reports. The former MVP has missed three games with an upper-body injury. At Wednesday's practice, Kane skated alongside Anton Frondell and Andrew Mangiapane on the second line. After a slow start, Kane has picked up pace with four assists in six games. In total, he has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 15 games.
Source: Jack Bushman
Source: Jack Bushman
Kevin Fiala Makes Season Debut Thursday
Los Angeles Kings left wing Kevin Fiala (lower leg) will make his season debut on Thursday against the New York Islanders, Zach Dooley of the Kings' official site reports. The 30-year-old hasn't taken the ice for an NHL regular-season game since early February. He fractured his lower leg while playing for Switzerland at the 2026 Olympics. He had a follow-up procedure in September. Fiala finished last season with 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games. Although he might be rusty at first, Fiala is a proven scorer in the NHL, and fantasy managers should keep an eye on him.
Source: Zach Dooley
Source: Zach Dooley
Shane Wright Enjoys Three-Point Night Against Ducks
Nashville Predators center Shane Wright had a key role in Wednesday's 4-2 road victory over the Anaheim Ducks, finishing the contest with one goal and two assists. These are Wright's first points for his new club since he was acquired from the Seattle Kraken on Nov. 1. Wright has been an effective player for Nashville, posting a plus-five rating in five games. He's centering the second line, meaning Wright is now in a much better position to make a fantasy impact. The 22-year-old is also on the second power-play unit.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Macklin Celebrini Reaches 200 Career Points
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini recorded a goal and an assist in Wednesday's 3-2 shootout loss to Pittsburgh, becoming the fifth-youngest player in NHL history to reach 200 career points. Celebrini reached the milestone midway through the third period when he sparked San Jose's comeback effort with his eighth goal of the season. The 20-year-old also has 15 assists in 23 games this season. Even with his team struggling, Celebrini has racked up points for fun. Wednesday night marked his seventh multi-point performance of the campaign.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
John Carlson Racks Up Career-High Five Points Against Sabres
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman John Carlson showed age is just a number on Wednesday against Buffalo, posting a career-high five points in an 8-3 road victory. Carlson, who will be 37 in January, became the third-oldest defenseman in NHL history to record as many as five points in a single game. He's only the fourth blue-liner to do it with Tampa Bay. Carlson finished the game with one goal and four assists, reaching his 800th career point with his final helper in the third period. While Carlson hasn't been a consistent offensive force in his first year in Tampa, his overall contribution is impressive. In 18 contests, Carlson has tallied 15 points (six goals, nine assists). He's also chipped in 18 blocks and 13 hits on defense.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Erik Cernak Likely Out Thursday
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (undisclosed) isn't expected to play on Thursday against Columbus, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports. He sustained an undisclosed injury in Wednesday's win over Buffalo, leaving the contest in the middle frame. Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said after the game that Cernak was "probably" out for Thursday's action. Due to his hard-nosed style of play, Cernak often runs into injuries and has never played more than 76 games in an NHL season. In 2026-27, he has recorded seven assists, 20 SOG, 24 blocks, 30 hits, and a plus-11 rating. The Lightning have Max Crozier and Emil Lilleberg as options to fill in for Cernak, but they aren't viable fantasy targets.
Source: Benjamin Pierce
Source: Benjamin Pierce
Nick Schmaltz Suffers Lower-Body Injury Against Vegas
Utah Mammoth forward Nick Schmaltz (lower body) made an early exit against the Vegas Golden Knights, Chase Beardsley of The Hockey News reports. He was hurt when he took a hard hit along the boards. Schmaltz was able to return to the game but lasted only a couple of shifts. The Mammoth initially announced that Schmaltz was questionable to return, so he may have avoided a serious injury. However, it's uncertain whether the prolific forward will be available for Thursday's tilt against St. Louis. Schmaltz has contributed nine goals and 11 assists in 19 games, doing most of his damage on the power play. Utah was already without Logan Cooley (upper body) and Dylan Guenther (upper body) for Wednesday's action, leaving head coach Andre Tourigny facing an injury crisis up front.
Source: Chase Beardsley
Source: Chase Beardsley
Logan Cooley Day-to-Day With Upper-Body Injury
Utah Mammoth center Logan Cooley (upper body) missed his first game of the season on Wednesday against Vegas and is considered day-to-day, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports. While Cooley isn't expected to miss much time, he could still be unavailable for multiple games, as Utah returns to action Thursday night against St. Louis. Cooley leads the Mammoth with 11 goals and has totaled 21 points in 18 games. The team's forward group has taken several injury hits in quick succession, making players like Anders Lee and Jack McBain more appealing in fantasy.
Source: Cole Bagley
Source: Cole Bagley
Dylan Guenther to Miss 2-4 Weeks
Utah Mammoth winger Dylan Guenther (upper body) will be out of action for 2-4 weeks, Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports. He missed his first game of the season Wednesday against Vegas. Guenther had sat out a couple of practices before the game, so his exit from the lineup wasn't really a surprise. The 23-year-old has notched six goals and six assists in 18 games this season. However, he's been off form for a while, managing only three points (two goals, one assist) in his last 10 outings. Logan Cooley (upper body) also didn't play Wednesday, and Nick Schmaltz (lower body) exited early, leaving Utah's frontline riddled with holes.
Source: Cole Bagley
Source: Cole Bagley
Drew Doughty Misses Wednesday's Practice
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (lower body) didn't practice on Wednesday, Alexander Legget of MayorsManor.com reports. The Kings captain sustained a lower-body injury late in Tuesday's loss to Nashville. He was able to finish the game, but Doughty might still miss some action after skipping practice. The Kings return to work on Thursday night against the New York Islanders. Doughty has produced modest numbers this season, with eight points (one goal, seven assists), 14 SOG, 21 blocks, and 20 hits in 15 games. Erik Gustafsson (undisclosed) is also dealing with an injury, potentially leaving the Kings without two key defensive contributors on Thursday.
Source: Alexander Legget
Source: Alexander Legget
Parker Wotherspoon Set to Return Wednesday
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (upper body) was activated from Injured Reserve and is expected to play on Wednesday against Utah, SinBin.vegas reports. He's missed a month of action due to an upper-body injury. Wotherspoon makes a timely return for Vegas, as the team has just lost Noah Hanifin (undisclosed) from defense. Still, fantasy managers shouldn't expect much from Wotherspoon. He's scoreless in six appearances this term, failing to match last season's production, when Wotherspoon earned 30 points (three goals, 27 assists) in 80 games.
Source: SinBin.vegas
Source: SinBin.vegas
