January 6, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (undisclosed) will play in Tuesday's contest against the San Jose Sharks. He has missed four games due to an undisclosed injury. In his last appearance, Monahan produced two assists. However, it hasn't been a great campaign for the 31-year-old, as his impact on the offensive end has been limited to 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 37 games. Monahan is currently on an 11-game goalless streak, but he will have a good opportunity to end that drought on Tuesday when Columbus faces the NHL's second-weakest defense.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 6, 2026
Buffalo Sabres left wing Jason Zucker (lower body) is expected to make his return from an 11-game absence on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. The veteran has been out of commission for nearly a month due to a lower-body injury. At Monday's practice, Zucker joined Josh Norris and Alex Tuch on the second line and worked with the first power-play unit. Zucker has averaged nearly a point per game this season. In 21 outings, he has produced nine goals and nine assists. Half of his 18 points have come with the man advantage. On Tuesday night, Zucker is in a great position to find more success on the power-play, as Vancouver has the third-worst penalty-killing efficiency in the league (73.9 percent).
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 6, 2026
Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov (foot) is a game-time decision for Tuesday's tilt against the Anaheim Ducks. His status is uncertain after he injured his foot in Saturday's win over the Edmonton Oilers. Michkov missed Monday's practice. Still, he appears to be trending toward playing, as Michkov took part in the team's optional morning skate. After a good rookie campaign, Michkov has taken a step back in 2025-26, recording 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 40 games. He has managed just one goal since the start of December.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 6, 2026
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (illness) will suit up on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils. Initially, he was considered a game-time call after Schaefer had to skip Monday's practice due to illness. Schaefer has scored three goals over his last two appearances, reaching 28 points for the season. The 18-year-old sits third among rookies in scoring, posting 12 goals and 16 assists in 42 appearances. On Tuesday, Schaefer will attempt to post his first four-game point streak since beginning the campaign with a six-game run.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 6, 2026
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (lower body) will be placed on long-term Injured Reserve, Stephen Whyno of AP reports. Fox had just returned from an upper-body injury and is now dealing with a lower-body issue. He played all of regulation on Monday against the Utah Mammoth but didn't log a single shift in overtime. His placement on long-term Injured Reserve rules Fox out for at least 10 games. When in the lineup, Fox has been very impactful this season, posting 28 points (four goals, 24 assists) in 30 games with 45 blocks. Vladislav Gavrikov is expected to see increased power-play time while Fox is out.
--Taavi PailkSource: Stephen Whyno
January 6, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis (upper body) will return from an eight-game absence on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars. He will re-enter the lineup on the third line, skating with Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal. Additionally, Jarvis will work on the first power-play unit. Getting Jarvis back is a big boost for the Hurricanes, as he leads the team with 19 goals. Across 34 outings, Jarvis has also contributed 10 assists. He makes his return in a favorable matchup against a team that allowed three-plus goals in seven of its last eight games.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 6, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe (lower body) will be sidelined for one week, head coach Craig Berube announced. The 32-year-old went down with a lower-body injury in Saturday's loss to the New York Islanders. After 41 games, McCabe leads Toronto with 104 blocks and has picked up 16 points (three goals, 13 assists). He has joined fellow blue-liners Brandon Carlo (foot) and Chris Tanev (groin) on the shelf. However, Carlo participated in Monday's practice and could be ready to fill in for McCabe on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
January 6, 2026
Boston Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm (undisclosed) is poised to miss some time, Conor Ryan of Boston.com reports. "It's not going to be a day-to-day thing," Bruins head coach Marco Strum said about Lindholm's injury. "Hopefully it's not too long, but he's definitely going to be out for a little bit. We'll have to do more testing when we're back in Boston so we can go from there." Lindholm has made 34 appearances during the campaign, recording 14 points (three goals, 11 assists), 60 shots, and 59 blocks. After missing five weeks, Henri Jokiharju (undisclosed) practiced fully on Monday and could step into Lindholm's spot in the lineup on Tuesday versus the Seattle Kraken.
--Taavi PailkSource: Conor Ryan
January 6, 2026
Philadelphia Flyers center Christian Dvorak has signed a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension. After picking Dvorak up as a free agent on a one-year deal in the summer, the team has moved quickly to lock him up long-term. Following a four-year stint in Montreal, a change of scenery has suited Dvorak superbly, as he is having a career year. Currently, he is on track for a 50-point campaign, sitting on nine goals and 18 assists after 39 outings. While Dvorak has made the score sheet just twice in his last seven appearances, it should only be a matter of time before he ends the slump, as the 29-year-old skates with Philadelphia's top scorers, Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 6, 2026
New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (lower body) exited Monday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Mammoth in the first period. The former Vezina Trophy winner couldn't carry on after being involved in a collision with Mammoth forward JJ Peterka. Shesterkin, who saved all nine shots he faced, was replaced in the crease by Jonathan Quick. While exiting the ice, he was unable to put weight on his left foot. Despite the Rangers' home struggles in 2025-26, Shesterkin maintains a solid 17-12-4 record. He has posted a 2.45 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage, and one shutout. Quick, who is 3-6-2 for the season, faces an increased workload if Shesterkin misses time.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 6, 2026
Los Angeles Kings right wing Joel Armia (upper body) didn't complete Monday's 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild. The Finnish forward departed the game in the second period due to an upper-body injury. With Trevor Moore (illness) out, Armia has recently been on second-line duty. The Kings also lost Anze Kopitar (lower body) on Monday night, meaning further tweaks in the top six could be coming for Wednesday's matchup against the San Jose Sharks. Armia has totaled 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 41 games during his first season with the Kings.
--Taavi PailkSource: Los Angeles Kings PR
January 6, 2026
Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (lower body) exited Monday's 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild after the first period. He logged 4:54 of action in the first frame and was ruled out for the rest of the game with a lower-body injury. The Kings captain missed time in October with a foot injury and may now have to sit out some action again. Kopitar, who has announced this is his final season in the NHL, is currently on track to match his lowest career scoring total of 42 points. In 37 appearances, he has managed 21 points (six goals, 15 assists). Alex Turcotte, who has recorded assists in back-to-back games, could land a top-six spot on Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks if Kopitar isn't ready to play.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
January 5, 2026
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (illness) will be a game-time call on Tuesday against the New Jersey Devils. The young defensive star missed Monday's practice due to illness. Schaefer has enjoyed a good rookie campaign, recently becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to record two multi-goal games as an 18-year-old. Overall, he has managed 12 goals and 28 points in 42 appearances, adding 58 blocks on the defensive end. Adam Boqvist will likely replace Schaefer in the lineup on Tuesday if he doesn't feel better in 24 hours.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 5, 2026
Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn (face) will be out for at least two games. Benn took a bad fall during Sunday's defeat to the Montreal Canadiens and received stitches for his nose. On Monday, Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan indicated that Benn won't be available for an upcoming back-to-back against the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals. However, the Stars captain may be ready to return later this week for the West Coast portion of the team's six-game road trip. Colin Blackwell is on track to join the lineup on Tuesday against Carolina, while Adam Erne is expected to replace Benn on the third line.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 5, 2026
Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (upper body) is out week-to-week. He missed Sunday's 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche after sustaining an upper-body injury on Friday night in the 2026 Winter Classic matchup against the New York Rangers. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice expects Jones to return to action before the Olympic break. Jones has done fine work for the Panthers in 2025-26, recording 24 points (six goals, 18 assists), 78 shots, 47 blocks, and 38 hits in 40 outings. On Sunday, Donovan Sebrango took Jones' spot in the lineup, with Uvis Balinskis moving to the second defensive pairing. Jones' absence has also led to increased power-play opportunities for Aaron Ekblad and Jeff Petry.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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