January 1, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Miles Wood (lower body) was placed on Injured Reserve on Thursday, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports. Wood was injured during Wednesday's matchup against the New Jersey Devils. According to Portzline, the veteran forward may have suffered an ankle injury. Wood, who has recorded 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 32 games this season, started Wednesday's contest on the second line. Recently acquired Danton Heinen was recalled from the minors to fill Wood's spot on the roster. Heinen is a former 40-point scorer but hasn't provided fantasy value in 2025-26, registering two points (one goal, one assist) in 13 NHL outings.
--Taavi PailkSource: Aaron Portzline
January 1, 2026
Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland (undisclosed) will be out of the lineup for at least one week, head coach Adam Foote said on Thursday. The Canucks boss told reporters the injury to Garland was the result of a slew foot against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Garland has been among Vancouver's most productive players in 2025-26, recording seven goals and 22 points. On Thursday, Foote also announced that Marco Rossi (lower body) will miss at least one week, leaving the Canucks without two-thirds of their second line for the next three games. Aatu Raty and Nils Hoglander are expected to come into the lineup on Friday versus the Seattle Kraken. Meanwhile, Kiefer Sherwood could be Garland's replacement on the second line.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
January 1, 2026
Vancouver Canucks center Marco Rossi (lower body) will be out for at least one week, head coach Adam Foote announced on Thursday. The Canucks return to action on Friday night against the Seattle Kraken. If he misses only a week, Rossi will be out for three games. The Austrian forward has made eight appearances for Vancouver since being acquired from the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12. He has been sluggish offensively, posting one goal and one assist. Aatu Raty will probably take Rossi's spot in the lineup on Friday, while David Kampf might move up to the second line.
--Taavi PailkSource: Sportsnet
January 1, 2026
Pittsburgh Penguins winger Yegor Chinakhov is ready to make his team debut on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. The Penguins acquired Chinakhov on Dec. 29 from the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he skated on the third line during the morning skate. In Columbus, Chinakhov managed only six points (three goals, three assists) in 29 appearances this season. He is expected to have a larger role with the Penguins, who have the league's 11th-best scoring record. Additionally, Chinakhov may benefit from Pittsburgh's impressive 30.1 percent power play. On Thursday, he is projected to work with the second power-play unit.
--Taavi PailkSource: Michelle Crechiolo
January 1, 2026
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (groin) will remain sidelined for Thursday's tilt against the Montreal Canadiens, missing a third consecutive game. The in-form veteran, who has tallied 29 points (four goals, 25 assists) in 28 appearances this season, recently suffered a groin injury. Gostisbehere's injury has opened the door for Joel Nystrom to play regularly. While Nystrom hasn't scored with 36 shots this season, he collected his seventh assist in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The rest of the defensive group is taking on increased responsibilities as well, with Jaccob Slavin (upper body) also sidelined.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 1, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (lower body) will return to the lineup for Thursday's matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. The Maple Leafs captain missed Tuesday's 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils due to a lower-body injury. Matthews has failed to match his high standards in 2025-26, but he finished 2025 on a high. The star forward has managed four points (one goal, three assists) over his last two appearances, reaching 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) for the season. Unfortunately, Matthews has once again been bothered by injuries, appearing in only 33 of 39 games. On Thursday, Matthews will center the first line, working with Max Domi and Matthews Knies. John Tavares will drop to the second line, joining Bobby McMann and Matias Maccelli.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 1, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander (lower body) will sit out a third consecutive game on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. The Swedish superstar is reportedly progressing and skated before Thursday's practice, but he still needs a bit more time to recover from a lower-body injury he sustained last weekend against the Ottawa Senators. Nylander's play has been outstanding this season, as he has totaled 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists) in 33 appearances. Fortunately for the Maple Leafs, they will have Auston Matthews (lower body) back against Winnipeg, giving the offense a boost.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 1, 2026
Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson brought the fireworks on New Year's Eve against the New York Rangers, finishing a 6-3 win with a Gordie Howe hat trick. He scored two goals in the contest, had one assist, and fought Rangers forward Sam Carrick in the second period. It was a busy outing for Wilson shortly after he was named to Canada's roster for the 2026 Olympics. Wilson will be hoping the new year brings him just as much success as 2025 did. He finished the calendar year with 40 regular-season goals, by far the most of his career. In Thursday's matchup against the Ottawa Senators, Wilson has a chance to record a third consecutive three-point game. The 31-year-old has 21 goals, 40 points, and 105 hits through 39 appearances, all team-highs this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 1, 2026
Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin wrapped up 2025 with his second career hat trick in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the St. Louis Blues. Colorado burst out of the gate with four goals inside the opening 4:39 of action as Nichushkin and Nathan MacKinnon became only the second set of teammates in NHL history to each score multiple goals in the first five minutes of a game. MacKinnon ended the contest with four points (two goals, two assists). After missing a large chunk of November with a lower-body injury, Nichushkin came back with a vengeance in December, averaging a point per game across 14 outings. He had been held off the score sheet only once in the past nine games. Nichushkin begins 2026 sitting on 36 points (11 goals, 15 assists) through 31 appearances this season.
--Taavi PailkSource: ESPN
January 1, 2026
Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano (shoulder) will be out for approximately six weeks, the team announced on Wednesday. Vatrano fractured his shoulder on Dec. 27 against the Los Angeles Kings and sat out a second consecutive contest on Wednesday versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. The six-week timeline indicates that Vatrano won't be ready to return until after the Olympics break, so he will be unavailable for 16 more games. After scoring 80 goals over the previous three campaigns, Vatrano has been largely anonymous on the offensive end in 2025-26, contributing three goals and three assists in 38 contests. Nikita Nesterenko has appeared in both games Vatrano has missed and is expected to remain a regular in the lineup until he returns.
--Taavi PailkSource: Anaheim Ducks
January 1, 2026
New York Rangers left wing Conor Sheary (lower body) and center Noah Laba (upper body) were injured during Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals. The two started the contest on the third line with Taylor Raddysh. Sheary has also seen some top-six usage recently, but his offensive impact has been limited to nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 37 games. Laba has totaled 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 42 contests during his rookie campaign. The Rangers currently have one healthy extra forward on the roster in Brennan Othmann, who could slot into the lineup for Friday's Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers.
--Taavi PailkSource: New York Rangers PR
January 1, 2026
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb (upper body) was forced to make an early exit against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. He was knocked out of the lineup by an upper-body injury in the second period. The 34-year-old veteran couldn't carry on after being involved in a collision with Predators forward Michael Bunting. McNabb has been limited to three points (two goals, one assist) in 38 games and lacks fantasy appeal. However, he has been a valuable defensive contributor for the Golden Knights, recording a team-high 98 blocks and 63 hits. Vegas currently doesn't have a healthy extra defenseman on the roster, so the team must do some roster maneuvering if McNabb isn't available on Friday night versus the St. Louis Blues.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 1, 2026
Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Miles Wood (lower body) was injured during the first period of Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He logged only 2:51 of ice time before suffering a lower-body injury. "It doesn't look good," Blue Jackets head coach Dean Evason said about the injury postgame. Wood has recently been part of Columbus' top-six group, though he hasn't done any scoring in 10 straight outings. For the season, the veteran has managed eight goals and 12 points in 32 appearances. On Wednesday, the Blue Jackets were also without Sean Monahan (undisclosed) for a second straight game, so their attacking department has taken several blows in a short span. Cole Sillinger has taken Monahan's spot on the second line, while Kent Johnson might be the replacement for Wood if needed.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
January 1, 2026
Colorado Avalanche forward Gavin Brindley (upper body) "tweaked something" in Wednesday's win over the St. Louis Blues, Bailey Curtis of DNVR Sports reports. Joel Kiviranta (lower body) was a late scratch on Wednesday, and Colorado's frontline suffered another injury in the game. The team will evaluate Brindley further on Thursday to determine the severity of his ailment. The 21-year-old rookie had his eighth consecutive outing without scoring on Wednesday. He did, however, see some success earlier in the campaign, notching nine points (five goals, four assists) in 27 games during the season.
--Taavi PailkSource: Bailey Curtis
December 31, 2025
Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (undisclosed) will miss a second straight game on Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils. He was an unexpected scratch on Monday against the Ottawa Senators and still appears to be dealing with a health issue that prevents him from playing. The veteran has been banged up all season, so it isn't surprising that he is taking some time off. Monahan's ongoing health issues have affected his performance, limiting him to just 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 37 games. On Monday, Cole Sillinger was promoted from the fourth line to the top six and contributed two assists in a 4-1 victory. Sillinger is projected to remain as the second-line center on Wednesday, enhancing his fantasy appeal.
--Taavi PailkSource: NHL.com
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