NHL
Will Brayden Point return in time for the Olympics? Patrick Smith / Getty Images
NHL players are returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, but for some, the timing is unfortunate because they’re dealing with injuries. Time is getting short, with the NHL shutting down after Feb. 5 to prepare for the tournament in Milan-Cortina.
But there’s still time for injured players on the Olympic rosters to return — and time for more issues to pop up ahead of the men’s tournament, which starts on Feb. 11.
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This tracker includes NHL players who were on the initial set of rosters — not those injured before roster announcements, such as Aleksander Barkov — and currently are out of the lineup with a reported injury. It will be updated as further injury/roster news is confirmed.
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild winger: One of the leading American goal-scorers in the league this season — behind Dallas’ Jason Robertson, who was left off the initial roster — Boldy is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is set to miss at least one more game (Thursday vs. Detroit). He last played on Jan. 15 against Winnipeg but should be ready for Milan, a team source told The Athletic’s Michael Russo
Seth Jones, Florida Panthers defenseman: Wednesday brought some tough news for Jones, who was officially removed from the roster and replaced by Jackson LaCombe of the Anaheim Ducks. Jones hasn’t played since taking a puck to the shoulder in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1 and was recently shifted to long-term injured reserve to make room on Florida’s roster for Matthew Tkachuk, who made his season debut on Jan. 19 after surgery on a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning center: On the Canadian roster to eat tough matchup minutes, Cirelli left Tampa Bay’s win over San Jose on Tuesday in the third period, when a shot by teammate (and fellow Olympian) Brandon Hagel struck him in the upper body. He should return to the Lightning lineup on Friday, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported.
Bo Horvat, New York Islanders forward: On Jan. 1, a day after officially pushing his way onto the team — he was not part of Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster — Horvat suffered a lower-body injury. He hasn’t played since but could return on Jan. 24, general manager Mathieu Darche said last week. The Islanders expect him back before the break, regardless.
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Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings goaltender: Likely to be Canada’s third goalie, behind Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson, Kuemper left the Kings’ win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday with an upper-body injury after a collision in the crease. There was no positive postgame update from coach Jim Hiller, leaving Kuemper’s status for the Kings’ upcoming road trip in doubt.
Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers winger: At 37 years old, Marchand was on pace to score nearly 50 goals when he left the Panthers’ lineup on Jan. 6 with an upper-body injury. He’s missed six games and counting but has been skating with the team and, coach Paul Maurice said, should return soon.
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning center: No Canadian player is in greater danger of missing the tournament. Point, 29, needed to be helped off the ice on Jan. 12 after Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York fell onto his right leg. His status for Milan is likely to “come down to the wire,” The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported on Jan. 16, and his absence would mean an open spot on Canada’s top six.
Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche defenseman: Cale Makar’s defensive partner is trending upward after an upper-body injury on Jan. 3, but he’s unlikely to return during the Avs’ two-game homestand, coach Jared Bednar said on Friday.
Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild defenseman: Brodin will miss the tournament due to a nagging lower-body injury, Russo reported. That’s a blow to Sweden’s defensive group, but they do have depth at the position; expect him to be replaced by the Edmonton Oilers’ Mattias Ekholm, who played for the team at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Boston Bruins’ Hampus Lindholm or the Detroit Red Wings’ Simon Edvinsson.
Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks center: Sweden also expects to be without their 21-year-old star, coach Sam Hallam told reporters on Tuesday. He had a procedure to treat a thigh injury on Jan. 16 and was initially given a three-to-five week return timetable. Carlsson’s early-season breakout was a major story for both the Ducks and the Swedish team, but his play had dipped before the procedure.
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Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild center: A do-everything, top-six fulcrum for the Wild, Eriksson is eligible to return from a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Jan. 8. He should be ready for the tournament, Russo reported.
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman: The cornerstone of Sweden’s impressive blue line, Hedman hasn’t played since an elbow injury on Dec. 9 that necessitated surgery, but he’s expected to be ready for Milan.
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman: Karlsson (lower body) hasn’t played since Jan. 11, but he accompanied the Penguins on their trip to Western Canada and will be reassessed over the next few days. He told reporters on Wednesday that the issue was “nothing major,” and Sweden expects him to be available.
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche winger: Avs coach Jared Bednar said on Wednesday that Landeskog is still “a ways out” from returning from an upper-body injury he sustained when he crashed into the goal on Jan. 6, but Hallam told reporters that hopeful that Landeskog will return in time for the tournament.
William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs winger: Sweden’s most gifted offensive player has missed two games and counting with a recurrence of a groin injury that originally took place in late December. Hallam is hopeful about Nylander’s status, as well; his absence would deal another huge blow to Sweden’s gold-medal hopes.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman: In the most recent potential hit to Sweden’s blue-line depth, Ekman-Larsson left Toronto’s Wednesday game against the Red Wings with a lower-body injury. A 2012 Olympian, the 34-year-old had played his way back onto the national team after being left off the 4 Nations Face-Off roster.
Joel Kiviranta, Colorado Avalanche forward: A solid bottom-sixer, Kiviranta (lower body) could return on Friday against the Ducks, Bednar said. He hasn’t played since Dec, 19.
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Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman: Ristolainen (upper body) hasn’t played since Jan. 14 and was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 17. The earliest he can return to the lineup is Jan. 26 against the Islanders.
Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks forward: Teravainen left Chicago’s game against Edmonton on Jan. 12 with an upper-body injury and skated on Wednesday in a non-contact jersey.
Dan Vladar, Philadelphia Flyers goalie: Vladar hasn’t played since Jan. 14 with an undisclosed issue, but he did join the Flyers for part of their Tuesday practice in Utah, The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported.
Sean Gentille is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the NHL. He previously covered Pittsburgh sports with the The Athletic and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the NHL for Sporting News, and he’s a graduate of the University of Maryland. Follow Sean on Twitter @seangentille
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