Red Wings Activate Patrick Kane From Injured Reserve
Dec. 5: Just two days later, the Red Wings announced that Kane has been removed from IR. He’ll return to the lineup tonight against the Senators after missing five total contests with the upper-body issue. Lagesson returned to Grand Rapids in a corresponding move.
Dec. 3: The Red Wings announced Tuesday that they’ve placed right-winger Patrick Kane on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 23. He’s already missed four games with an upper-body injury and remains day-to-day, so he’s eligible to come off IR anytime.
Thus, his move to IR is only procedural and will only open up an additional roster spot for Detroit. Shortly before confirming Kane’s IR placement, the team said the open spot was used to recall defenseman William Lagesson from AHL Grand Rapids. The Red Wings’ active roster count remains at a maximum of 23.
The 2024-25 season has been difficult for the 36-year-old Kane, who has only three goals and seven assists for 10 points through 20 contests. The 2016 MVP and four-time All-Star is shooting at a career-low 7.5% clip and averaging a career-low 17:21 per game.
Kane’s struggles highlight a more significant issue with the Wings’ depth scoring, the lack of which is arguably the biggest reason why they remain one game below .500 and four points out of a playoff spot entering a pivotal matchup with the Atlantic Division rival Bruins tonight. He’s also been among Detroit’s worst players at controlling possession at even strength, logging a 41.9 CF% that sits 15th out of the 20 Red Wings skaters to play at least 10 games this season.
The Red Wings signed Kane to a one-year, $4MM extension in late June with up to $2.5MM in potential performance bonuses. He’s already earned $1.5MM in bonuses by hitting the 10-game mark, with an additional $250K possible if he hits 60 games. The remaining $750K can only be unlocked if Detroit makes the playoffs, which The Athletic gives just a three percent chance of happening.
Lagesson, 28, was recalled once earlier this season to serve as injury insurance on Nov. 18 against the Sharks but did not play. He was returned to Grand Rapids the following day.
After clearing waivers during training camp, Lagesson has posted two goals, three assists, five points, 14 PIMs, and a team-high +9 rating in 13 games with Grand Rapids. He has not played since Nov. 24 against Iowa after the AHL’s Player Safety Committee assessed him a three-game suspension for roughing Wild right-wing prospect Adam Raška. Lagesson has served that suspension and will be eligible to suit up for Grand Rapids again whenever the Red Wings reassign him.
As to why the Wings recalled Lagesson, he gives them an extra depth option on the blue line for their two-game divisional road swing this week. The 6’2″, 207-lb righty signed a one-year, one-way league minimum contract with Detroit in free agency over the summer after suiting up in a career-high 40 games with the Maple Leafs and Ducks last season.
Maple Leafs Notes: Hakanpää, McCabe, McMann
Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Thursday that defenseman Jani Hakanpää recently underwent a second minor procedure on his knee that shouldn’t keep him out of action for too much longer, per David Alter of The Hockey News.
Hakanpää, 32, has suited up only twice this season for Toronto after finalizing a one-year, $1.47MM deal late in free agency. He underwent a knee procedure early in the offseason after missing the last 13 regular-season and all 19 playoff games for the Stars, keeping him out of action until he got his season started in early November on an AHL conditioning stint.
The veteran defender, who was named to Finland’s roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off yesterday, suited up in back-to-back contests for the Leafs on Nov. 13 and Nov. 16 before exiting the lineup. Toronto moved him to injured reserve on Monday to open up a roster spot, and he’s eligible to return at any time. With Berube claiming that he should start skating soon, it’s fair to anticipate a return to action before the end of the month.
The 6’6″ Hakanpää posted a -1 rating and averaged only 14:05 per game across his two appearances, adding two shots, four blocks, and one hit. The stay-at-home defender was paired with Morgan Rielly, but the duo struggled defensively, controlling only 38.1% of expected goals and allowing 3.36 expected goals per 60 minutes, per MoneyPuck.
There’s more from Leafland today:
- Defenseman Jake McCabe will remain out of the lineup tomorrow against the Capitals, Berube told reporters, including Mark Masters of TSN. He did skate today, though, according to Masters, and Berube said he’s “feeling better” after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury. The Leafs eagerly await getting their top-four fixture back in the lineup – Philippe Myers has played spot duty alongside Rielly the past couple of games while Oliver Ekman-Larsson shifted to McCabe’s usual spot alongside Chris Tanev.
- Winger Bobby McMann is progressing in his recovery from his lower-body injury but won’t play in Toronto’s remaining two games this week. Berube told reporters that “he could hopefully be an option for next week” if he starts skating the next couple of days (via Masters). The 28-year-old has missed the last three contests after sustaining the injury on Nov. 27 against the Panthers. The late-blooming forward has been productive when in the lineup, scoring six goals in 21 games while averaging a career-high 14:01 per game.
Lightning Notes: Paul, Kucherov, Chaffee
Lightning center Nick Paul will be available for tonight’s home game against the Sharks after missing the last six games with an undisclosed injury, head coach Jon Cooper told Gabby Shirley of FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun.
Paul was listed as week-to-week late last month but never landed on injured reserve. The 29-year-old is expected to shift to the wing on a line with Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli in his return to the lineup while the Bolts dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen, barring any last-minute recalls.
It was a banner start to the season for Paul, now in his third full campaign with Tampa after they acquired him from the Senators before the 2022 trade deadline. He had five goals and eight assists for 13 points through 17 games, so far shattering his previous career-best points per game rate of 0.56 set last season.
Paul has, however, been less involved physically, with 0.29 blocks per game and 1.12 hits per game compared to 0.51 and 1.27 last season. He’s now in the third year of the seven-year, $22.05MM extension he signed in 2022.
More out of Tampa:
- Paul draws into the top six in part due to an undisclosed injury to star winger Nikita Kucherov, who Cooper said won’t play versus San Jose but could return against the Canucks this weekend. It’s the second game in a row that the 31-year-old will miss with the injury, which he sustained last Friday against the Predators. The five-time All-Star has 34 points in 22 contests this season, ranking fourth in the league with 1.55 points per game. The injury marks his first multi-game absence since missing three games with COVID-19 in the 2021-22 campaign.
- Cooper said the Bolts would also be without Mitchell Chaffee‘s services up front. The 26-year-old winger will miss his fourth straight game with an undisclosed injury but remains day-to-day. He’d been a quality depth piece in the early going, already recording career-highs in goals (five) and points (nine) in 20 games while averaging 13:04 per game. The Michigan native is also tied for sixth on the team with 25 hits.
Islanders Notes: Varlamov, Högberg, Pelech
Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov isn’t fully healed from his lower-body injury. The team announced that he’s been downgraded to day-to-day once again and will likely miss Thursday’s tilt against the Kraken.
Varlamov, 36, was given a day-to-day designation earlier in the week but could dress as Ilya Sorokin‘s backup for Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Canadiens. However, the Russian veteran is now set to be unavailable for a game due to injury for the first time since missing nine contests with a lower-body issue in January last season.
It’s been quite a tough go of things this season for the former All-Star. After posting better numbers than Sorokin in limited usage last season, he’s nosedived to post a .889 SV%, 2.89 GAA, and -3.0 GSAA in 10 starts – his worst numbers since an injury-plagued 2016-17 campaign.
Per MoneyPuck, he’s posted -1.1 goals saved above expected compared to Sorokin’s 5.1 this season. It’s unclear if his downturn in play is due to the dreaded aging curve or if his injury has been lingering and affecting his performance.
The Islanders hope it’s the latter. Varlamov has two seasons left after this one on a four-year, $11MM deal he signed to remain as Sorokin’s backup in the summer of 2023.
More from the Isles today:
- With Varlamov out, the Islanders have recalled Marcus Högberg from AHL Bridgeport on an emergency basis for the second time this week. He was sent down Tuesday before the Montreal game, so he’s yet to dress for an NHL contest this season, but that will change tonight as he backs up Sorokin against Seattle. The 30-year-old Swede has a 3.26 GAA, .898 SV%, and a 2-5-5 record in 11 games for Bridgeport this season, his first in North America since the 2020-21 campaign. No corresponding transaction is necessary with an open spot on the active roster.
- Stalwart defenseman Adam Pelech took the ice for the first time today since sustaining a broken jaw at the beginning of November, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. He was wearing a non-contact jersey and a full face shield, but it’s a crucial step for him to return within the next week and a half, as his initial timeline predicated. The 30-year-old has missed 15 games with the injury, during which time the Isles have gone 5-5-5 and now rank last in the Metropolitan Divison.
Sabres Recall Ryan Johnson
The Sabres announced Thursday that they’ve recalled defenseman Ryan Johnson from AHL Rochester. Buffalo has a full active roster, so a corresponding transaction is imminent.
Johnson’s recall gives the Sabres an extra defender for tonight’s game against the Jets after captain Rasmus Dahlin left Tuesday’s collapse against the Avalanche in the third period with back spasms. The star blue liner had been dealing with back issues since training camp, but head coach Lindy Ruff said that a hit from Colorado superstar Cale Makar in the corner aggravated the problem.
Dahlin will likely miss tonight’s game as a result. If the pending corresponding move is an injured reserve placement for Dahlin, he would also miss their following two games – including a key divisional battle against the Red Wings on Dec. 9.
That would be an enormous blow to the Sabres, who are now 4-5-1 in their last 10 games and have slipped back below the .500 mark for the first time since Nov. 16. They’re three points back of the Flyers for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with no games in hand and need to leapfrog five teams to get back into playoff position – a stark reminder of how competitive the East postseason race is shaping up to be in the first half of the campaign.
Johnson is a good choice as far as short-term insurance policies go, though. The Sabres selected the 23-year-old with the final pick of the first round in the 2019 draft. After a full four years at the University of Minnesota, he turned pro in 2023 and split last season between the NHL and AHL.
The son of former NHLer Craig Johnson spent about half the season on the Buffalo roster, recording seven assists and a +3 rating while averaging 13:53 per night over 41 games. The 6’1″, 195-lb lefty didn’t get much special teams usage, but the Sabres controlled play well with him on the ice at even strength (52.7 CF%, 52.9 xGF%).
While he’s been lauded as a two-way defender, Johnson’s point totals haven’t popped yet in the pros. He’s still looking for his first professional goal and has only 14 assists in 48 games for Rochester dating back to his debut last season.
That’s not to say he’s been a liability, though. As Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald profiled last month, Johnson’s taken leaps and bounds defensively in Rochester this season. If his offensive development stagnates, he looks to be a competent stay-at-home piece for the Sabres.
The Sabres could make several transactions to accommodate Johnson’s recall without placing Dahlin on IR. The most foreseeable is reassigning center Tyson Kozak back to Rochester, whom they recalled last week in the wake of a short-term injury to Sam Lafferty. However, Kozak has been a healthy scratch in two straight and is waiver-exempt.
Players On 4 Nations Face-Off Rosters By Team
After Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States named their first six players for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off over the summer, each country revealed its full 23-man roster yesterday. There’s now just over two months until the first true senior-level best-on-best action in over eight years, even if it’s a limited sampling of the world’s hockey powers.
It’s no surprise that the two most recent Stanley Cup champions are the most well-represented clubs at the tournament. The Panthers have eight representatives, while the Golden Knights have seven.
Florida is also one of two teams to have a player on every country’s roster. The Maple Leafs are the other.
Only two teams did not see one of their players selected to a roster yesterday. Kraken Team Canada hopeful on defense Brandon Montour missed the cut, as did Capitals center Dylan Strome and goaltender Logan Thompson. Washington defenseman John Carlson also missed out for Team USA despite a strong MVP candidacy for one of the league’s most surprising teams in the early going.
Here are the players each NHL team is sending to the seven-game tournament:
Anaheim Ducks
F Leo Carlsson (Sweden)
Boston Bruins
F Elias Lindholm (Sweden)
F Brad Marchand (Canada)
D Charlie McAvoy (USA)
G Jeremy Swayman (USA)
Buffalo Sabres
D Rasmus Dahlin (Sweden)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Finland)
Calgary Flames
D Rasmus Andersson (Sweden)
Carolina Hurricanes
F Sebastian Aho (Finland)
F Seth Jarvis (Canada)
D Jaccob Slavin (USA)
Chicago Blackhawks
F Teuvo Teräväinen (Finland)
Colorado Avalanche
F Artturi Lehkonen (Finland)
F Nathan MacKinnon (Canada)
D Cale Makar (Canada)
F Mikko Rantanen (Finland)
D Devon Toews (Canada)
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Zach Werenski (USA)
Dallas Stars
D Miro Heiskanen (Finland)
F Roope Hintz (Finland)
D Esa Lindell (Finland)
G Jake Oettinger (USA)
Detroit Red Wings
F Dylan Larkin (USA)
F Lucas Raymond (Sweden)
Edmonton Oilers
F Viktor Arvidsson (Sweden)
D Mattias Ekholm (Sweden)
F Connor McDavid (Canada)
Florida Panthers
F Aleksander Barkov (Finland)
F Sam Bennett (Canada)
D Gustav Forsling (Sweden)
F Anton Lundell (Finland)
F Eetu Luostarinen (Finland)
D Niko Mikkola (Finland)
F Sam Reinhart (Canada)
F Matthew Tkachuk (USA)
Los Angeles Kings
F Adrian Kempe (Sweden)
Minnesota Wild
F Matt Boldy (USA)
D Jonas Brodin (Sweden)
F Joel Eriksson Ek (Sweden)
D Brock Faber (USA)
G Filip Gustavsson (Sweden)
Montreal Canadiens
F Joel Armia (Finland)
F Patrik Laine (Finland)
G Sam Montembeault (Canada)
Nashville Predators
F Filip Forsberg (Sweden)
F Gustav Nyquist (Sweden)
G Juuse Saros (Finland)
New Jersey Devils
F Jesper Bratt (Sweden)
F Erik Haula (Finland)
F Jack Hughes (USA)
G Jacob Markström (Sweden)
New York Islanders
F Brock Nelson (USA)
New York Rangers
D Adam Fox (USA)
F Kaapo Kakko (Finland)
F Chris Kreider (USA)
F Vincent Trocheck (USA)
F Mika Zibanejad (Sweden)
Ottawa Senators
F Brady Tkachuk (USA)
G Linus Ullmark (Sweden)
Philadelphia Flyers
F Travis Konecny (Canada)
D Rasmus Ristolainen (Finland)
D Travis Sanheim (Canada)
Pittsburgh Penguins
F Sidney Crosby (Canada)
D Erik Karlsson (Sweden)
San Jose Sharks
F Mikael Granlund (Finland)
Seattle Kraken
none
St. Louis Blues
G Jordan Binnington (Canada)
D Colton Parayko (Canada)
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Anthony Cirelli (Canada)
F Jake Guentzel (USA)
F Brandon Hagel (Canada)
D Victor Hedman (Sweden)
F Brayden Point (Canada)
Toronto Maple Leafs
D Jani Hakanpää (Finland)
F Mitch Marner (Canada)
F Auston Matthews (USA)
F William Nylander (Sweden)
Utah Hockey Club
D Olli Määttä (Finland)
D Juuso Välimäki (Finland)
Vancouver Canucks
D Quinn Hughes (USA)
G Kevin Lankinen (Finland)
F J.T. Miller (USA)
F Elias Pettersson (Sweden)
Vegas Golden Knights
F Jack Eichel (USA)
D Noah Hanifin (USA)
G Adin Hill (Canada)
F William Karlsson (Sweden)
D Alex Pietrangelo (Canada)
F Mark Stone (Canada)
D Shea Theodore (Canada)
Washington Capitals
none
Winnipeg Jets
F Kyle Connor (USA)
G Connor Hellebuyck (USA)
D Josh Morrissey (Canada)
Sweden Sets Roster For 4 Nations Face-Off
1:23 p.m.: The NHL has confirmed the roster, as Expressen reported.
12:46 p.m.: Swedish national team head coach Sam Hallam has finalized the country’s roster for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Expressen reports. All four countries participating in the tournament will confirm their rosters later Wednesday. The reported roster, which comprises 13 forwards, seven defensemen, three goaltenders, and two reserves, is as follows:
F Viktor Arvidsson (Oilers)
F Jesper Bratt (Devils)
F Leo Carlsson (Ducks)
F Joel Eriksson Ek (Wild)
F Filip Forsberg (Predators)
F William Karlsson (Golden Knights)
F Adrian Kempe (Kings)
F Elias Lindholm (Bruins)
F William Nylander (Maple Leafs)
F Gustav Nyquist (Predators)
F Elias Pettersson (Canucks)
F Lucas Raymond (Red Wings)
F Mika Zibanejad (Rangers)
D Rasmus Andersson (Flames)
D Jonas Brodin (Wild)
D Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres)
D Mattias Ekholm (Oilers)
D Gustav Forsling (Panthers)
D Victor Hedman (Lightning)
D Erik Karlsson (Penguins)
G Filip Gustavsson (Wild)
G Jacob Markström (Devils)
G Linus Ullmark (Senators)
Reserves: F Mikael Backlund (Flames), D Adam Larsson (Kraken)
As is the case with every other team, the Swedes had 19 spots to fill after naming their first six players – Forsberg, Forsling, Hedman, Nylander, Zibanejad and Erik Karlsson – all the way back in June. That exercise provided a safety net for a player like Zibanejad, who’s struggled heavily for the Rangers this season with five goals and a team-worst -14 rating in 24 games, to remain on the roster.
That meant the goaltending position was technically up for debate heading into the season. Gustavsson and Markström essentially established themselves as locks with their respective hot starts, and they currently sit tied for the league lead in wins among Swedish netminders with 12. Ullmark would have been a popular pick at the beginning of the year after his impressive resume with the Bruins, but after posting a .888 SV% and 5-7-2 record in 15 games with Ottawa, there may have been an opening for someone else, like Flyers up-and-comer Samuel Ersson. However, Sweden will opt to go for the more veteran presence with a longer track record of success, even if this season hasn’t been a smooth one.
Sweden’s skaters, as per usual, are quite a well-rounded group. While their European rival Finland likely has some major question marks on defense, that isn’t the case with Tre Kronor. They boast one of the best stay-at-home defenders in the world in Brodin, top-end offensive threats in Dahlin and Karlsson, and two-way dynamos everywhere else.
The forwards pack some punch as well, although there’s a somewhat notable snub of Sharks winger William Eklund. The 22-year-old Stockholm native, who San Jose selected seventh overall in 2021, is second on the Sharks this season with 23 points in 27 games and is arguably a higher-ceiling option than someone like the more established Arvidsson, a two-time 30-goal scorer who’s battled injury this year and has been limited to five points in 16 games.
NHL Announces Finland’s Roster For 4 Nations Face-Off
The NHL has confirmed Finland’s 23-man roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February:
F Sebastian Aho (Hurricanes)
F Joel Armia (Canadiens)
F Aleksander Barkov (Panthers)
F Mikael Granlund (Sharks)
F Erik Haula (Devils)
F Roope Hintz (Stars)
F Kaapo Kakko (Rangers)
F Patrik Laine (Canadiens)
F Artturi Lehkonen (Avalanche)
F Anton Lundell (Panthers)
F Eetu Luostarinen (Panthers)
F Mikko Rantanen (Avalanche)
F Teuvo Teräväinen (Blackhawks)
D Jani Hakanpää (Maple Leafs)
D Miro Heiskanen (Stars)
D Esa Lindell (Stars)
D Niko Mikkola (Panthers)
D Olli Määttä (Utah)
D Rasmus Ristolainen (Flyers)
D Juuso Välimäki (Utah)
G Kevin Lankinen (Canucks)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Sabres)
G Juuse Saros (Predators)
As expected, Team Finland will boast an adequately deep forward group led by Barkov, Rantanen, and Aho. The trio has combined for 86 points in 69 games for their respective organizations and should help Finland in the goal-scoring department. There will be a few more question marks toward the bottom of their offensive structure as Armia and Haula don’t necessarily jump off the page as international stars.
Goaltending won’t be an issue unless Saros is injured at any point during the event. He’s been objectively elite for the last nine years, collecting 188 wins in 353 starts (.532 W%) with a .917 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average. Toss in four finishes in the top-five of Vezina Trophy voting and Team Finland has one of the most consistently good goaltenders over the last decade. It’ll be interesting to see whom the Finnish coaching staff tabs as their backup netminder given that Lankinen and Luukkonen are enjoying relatively similar seasons.
The real question marks for Finland lie on the blue line. Heiskanen is the only above-average puck-moving defenseman on the roster as he’s scored 24 goals and 140 points in his last 174 games in Dallas. The rest of the defensive group is comprised of ‘shutdown’ defensemen or at the very least defensemen not known for their offensive prowess.
Finland’s objective may have been to build their roster from the crease. Saros has been a top goaltender regardless of the defensemen playing in front of him and his skill may be even more highlighted with an entire group of defensive defensemen in front of him. If they keep the games close, Finland could succeed by relying on the abovementioned forwards to score clutch goals.
Flames’ Justin Kirkland Undergoes ACL Surgery, Out For Season
The Flames announced Wednesday that forward Justin Kirkland underwent successful ACL surgery and will be out for the remainder of the season.
Kirkland, 28, was amid a breakout season as an NHL-level threat after spending nearly all of his professional career to date in the minors. He’d made a career-high 21 appearances for Calgary before the injury, scoring twice and adding six assists for eight points with a +6 rating despite averaging less than 10 minutes per game.
The 6’3″, 183-lb winger has frequently flexed to center at points this season for the Flames, winning 54 of his 126 faceoffs for a 42.9% win rate. His point totals were quite impressive given his high defensive zone usage, but he was likely due for some regression while shooting 22.2% on only nine shots on goal.
However, Kirkland had made a name for himself in shootouts. He scored three times on four attempts, helping Calgary to a 3-0-1 record in games that went past overtime.
Kirkland’s final appearance this season came on Nov. 29 against the Blue Jackets. He skated just 1:05 before sustaining the ACL tear and leaving the game. He’s missed the two games since with what the Flames initially termed a lower-body injury and landed on injured reserve on Monday.
A 2014 third-round pick of the Predators, Kirkland was a Group VI unrestricted free agent last summer and returned to the Flames, with whom he spent the 2019-20 through 2021-22 seasons in the minors, on a one-year, two-way pact. 2024-25 will go down as his only professional season to date without a minor-league assignment that resulted in games played.
Kirkland is the second Flames forward to have their season cut short by an ACL surgery. Offseason pickup Anthony Mantha underwent the same procedure last month after recording four goals and three assists in 13 games.
Kirkland’s interminable absence should create added opportunities for recent call-ups Walker Duehr and Jakob Pelletier, both of whom are expected to make their season debuts tomorrow against the Blues while Andrei Kuzmenko sits in the press box.
East Notes: McCabe, Matinpalo, Deslauriers
Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe will miss Wednesday’s tilt against the Predators with an upper-body injury, head coach Craig Berube told reporters including David Alter of The Hockey News.
It will be the second game in a row McCabe has missed with the injury, which he sustained after taking a puck to the head/neck area against the Lightning last Saturday. McCabe said yesterday that he’d be “good to go” against Nashville, but Berube said today the blue-liner still “isn’t feeling right.” It’s unknown whether he’s in concussion protocol.
Fresh off signing a five-year, $23.5MM extension in October, the 31-year-old McCabe has been one-half of the best shutdown defense pairing in hockey alongside free-agent pickup Chris Tanev. Together, the duo is allowing just 1.3 expected goals against per 60 minutes, the fewest in the league by a country mile among pairings with at least 180 minutes of ice time together this season.
Offensively, McCabe has only five assists in 23 games, but he leads the team with a +11 rating and is second in both blocks (46) and hits (52). The Wisconsin native is also averaging a career-high 21:20 per game. Frequent healthy scratch Philippe Myers is projected to remain in a fringe top-four role alongside Morgan Rielly tonight, per Mark Masters of TSN, while Oliver Ekman-Larsson shifts back to his natural left side to skate alongside Tanev in place of McCabe.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Recent Senators call-up Nikolas Matinpalo is absent from practice today due to an illness, per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. Ottawa elevated the 26-year-old from AHL Belleville yesterday to serve as an additional right-shot option with Artem Zub landing on long-term injured reserve, but it doesn’t appear he’ll be an option on Thursday against the Red Wings. The 6’2″ Finn likely would have sat in the press box anyway with Jacob Bernard-Docker, Travis Hamonic and Nick Jensen still all available on the right side.
- Flyers enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers left today’s practice session early due to an undisclosed injury, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. Head coach John Tortorella told reporters that something “tightened up” and didn’t necessarily call his departure precautionary, so it’s fair to call him questionable for for tomorrow’s home game against the Panthers. It won’t make much of a difference – the 33-year-old has been a healthy scratch for 10 games in a row and hasn’t played since Nov. 9. He has one assist in seven appearances this season with one fight while averaging a career-low 6:05 per game.