Sabres forward Dunne sidelined 4-6 weeks; Bedard expected back for Blackhawks Thursday
© Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Welcome to the NHL Status Report. Here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.
Neal Pionk is one of three Jets defensemen who is week to week, coach Scott Arniel said Wednesday. Pionk was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Tuesday, after he reaggravated an injury during a 5-4 win against the New York Islanders that night. “It’s been kind of going on,” Arniel said. “And then last night he fell and kind of reaggravated it a little bit more.” … Colin Miller (lower body) left a 4-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 11 and did not return for the second period. … Haydn Fleury (bruised back) was removed from the ice on a stretcher at 13:16 of the first period and did not return to a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 6. Fleury slid backward and crashed into the end boards behind the Jets’ net following a check from Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar. He was fully alert and moving his extremities upon his departure to the hospital. … Defensemen Elias Salomonsson on Wednesday and Isaak Phillips on Monday were recalled from Manitoba of the American Hockey League. Each could play when the Jets visit the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNWIX, FDSNNO, TSN3). “At the end of the day, even losing other guys, the depth of what we had, with our schedule and how heavy it’s been, and not having ‘Fleur’ and ‘Millsy’ around, it’s a grind,” Arniel said. “When we get these three in fours and four in sixes, it’s nice to put new bodies in, fresh legs in there, and we can’t really do that, so look to the kids coming in, getting an opportunity. Hopefully they can step up and help us.” … Morgan Barron (upper body) practiced in a regular jersey Wednesday, and the forward could be available in St. Paul, Minnesota, after missing three games. “He’s not cleared,” Arniel said. “That was first day without the [noncontact) jersey. I’ve got to see how he makes out after today. Wakes up tomorrow, see if he’s good to go.”
Josh Dunne will be out 4-6 weeks with a middle-body injury, but Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said the forward does not need surgery. Dunne was playing and practicing through the injury and skated 7:13 in a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday. … Michael Kesselring (lower body) is “real close” to returning to the lineup, Ruff said, but the defenseman missed his sixth consecutive game in Wednesday’s 5-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. … Defenseman Zac Jones was sent to Rochester of the AHL.
Go deep with NHL.com’s full coverage of the men’s hockey action at the Olympic Winter Games
Connor Bedard is expected to play the second of a four-game homestand against the Calgary Flames at United Center on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, SNW). The forward practiced Wednesday after he missed a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday with an illness. “It’s what’s been going around a little bit,” Bedard said. “I tried to get myself up and go. I was trying to get to the game, but it didn’t work out, unfortunately. It [stinks] to miss, obviously, but it is what it is.” … Teuvo Teravainen will be out Thursday with an upper-body injury that prevented the forward from playing the final two periods against the Oilers. Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said he wasn’t sure if Teravainen would return to face the Boston Bruins on Saturday.
Corey Perry left the Kings to attend to an ill family member and did not play in a 3-2 overtime loss against the Vegas Golden Knights in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The forward missed two games Jan. 7-9 and was designated non-roster playing status for the same reason. … Injured forwards Joel Armia (lower body), Anze Kopitar (upper body) and Trevor Moore (upper body) took part in the morning skate but remained out. “Nothing imminent, but nice to see people on the ice,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said.
Goalie James Reimer dressed as the backup for the Senators in their 8-4 win at the New York Rangers on Wednesday. The 37-year-old signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Senators on Monday after ending last season with the Buffalo Sabres. Leevi Merilainen made his ninth straight start. … Though Linus Ullmark has been skating, there is still no timetable for the goalie’s return. Ullmark has missed eight games since taking a leave of absence Dec. 28. “He’s been around the rink,” coach Travis Green said Tuesday. “He skated this morning, so all positives as he’s hopefully approaching getting back with the team.” … Goalie Hunter Shepard was sent to Belleville of the American Hockey League.
Alexandre Texier signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Canadiens on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $2.5 million. The 26-year-old forward has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 25 games since signing a one-year, $1 million contract with Montreal on Nov. 23, after he had one assist in eight games for the St. Louis Blues. Texier was named to Team France’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. … The Canadiens visit the Sabres on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, TSN2, RDS).
Simon Nemec returned to the lineup and had three shots on goal in 19:33 in a 3-2 win against the Seattle Kraken at Prudential Center on Wednesday after not playing in a 5-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Nemec, named to Team Slovakia’s Olympic roster, replaced Johnathan Kovacevic, a defenseman who played the previous two games after missing the first 44 of the season following offseason knee surgery. “It’s just managing him,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Three games in four nights. We knew we were probably pushing it a little bit. The good news is there are no issues with the knee. This is typical soreness that guys go through [early in their season].”
Jamie Drysdale was activated off injured reserve and the defenseman returned to the lineup in a 5-2 loss against the Sabres on Wednesday after missing three games with an upper-body injury. Drysdale had one shot on goal and was minus-2 in 25:25. … Bobby Brink (upper body) did not take part in the morning skate and missed his fourth consecutive game. The forward left a 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 6 following a hit by Ducks forward Jansen Harkins at 2:32 of the first period.
Will Smith practiced with contact for the second time Wednesday, but the forward isn’t ready to return from an upper-body injury for when the Sharks visit the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSCA). Coach Ryan Warsofsky called the practice a step in the right direction. “Looks good,” Warsofsky said. “Gave him a few reps here on the power play, so I think he’s getting closer.” Smith hasn’t played since leaving 3:30 into the third period of a 6-5 overtime win at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 13 after taking a hit from Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon. Warsofsky wasn’t ready to say whether he might play at the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. “I would have to wait to see and check in how today went,” he said. … Defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin (undisclosed) and forward Ty Dellandrea (lower body) practiced and Warsofsky said they are questionable to play against the Capitals.
Goalie Adin Hill (lower body) could return for the Golden Knights against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Las Vegas on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, TSN4), with Akira Schmid starting the first game of a back to back in a 3-2 overtime win at the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. Hill has not played since Oct. 20 but was on the ice Tuesday and traveled to Los Angeles to take part in the morning skate. “Possible Thursday,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said following practice Tuesday. “Let’s see how he gets through today, tomorrow. If he wakes up tomorrow and there’s no ill effects, that will be a good sign for us.” Hill is 1-0-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .888 save percentage in five games this season. … Brett Howden (lower body) is day to day and the forward missed his second straight game Wednesday. … Forward William Karlsson (lower body), who has not played since Nov. 8, experienced a setback in his recovery. “We’ll still leave him as week to week, but no progress that we were hoping for,” Cassidy said. “… We’ll see how that plays out.”
Dive in with all-new features: A reimagined Stats experience, incorporating EDGE Advanced Stats; “How To Watch” helps navigate your tune-in choices; Apple Live Activites to set-and-forget for as many teams as you want, plus a whole lot more.
Hockey News