West Injury Notes: Avalanche, Klingberg, Mukhamadullin
Much like he did a few days ago ahead of their road trip through the southeast, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar provided a few more injury updates this afternoon. Provided by Corey Misiak of The Denver Post, Bednar said that the team is expecting netminder Mackenzie Blackwood and forward Joel Kiviranta to return after the trip.
Additionally, on the positive side of the update, Bedar indicated that although he won’t play tonight, forward Gavin Brindley may return as early as tomorrow against the Florida Panthers. Both Kiviranta and Brindley are dealing with lower-body injuries, though neither is expected to miss too much time.
The news is also good regarding Blackwood. The Avalanche did not initially provide a timeline for his recovery, so a few days missed should not significantly impact their chances on the three-game road trip. Bednar mentioned to Misiak that Blackwood’s injury was discovered at the team’s practice on Thursday.
Other injury notes from the Western Conference:
- The San Jose Sharks were missing blueliner John Klingberg in their blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning today. Before the game, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now shared that Klingberg is dealing with a lower-body issue. The Sharks could have used Klingberg’s offensive capabilities today, as he’s scored nine goals and 16 points in his first 31 games with the club.
- Outside of Klingberg, the Sharks are dealing with another injured defenseman from today’s game. Shortly before the start of the third period, San Jose shared that Shakir Mukhamadullin has exited the game due to injury, without specifying if it was a lower or upper-body issue. The 23-year-old defenseman skated in 5:33 of today’s contest, earning a -3 rating with one blocked shot.
Egor Zamula Suspended In AHL
It appears that some controversy has already started with one of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ recent acquisitions. According to the AHL transactions log, the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have suspended defenseman Egor Zamula.
There’s minimal reporting on Zamula’s status, and the AHL Penguins have yet to announce the decision. Still, regardless of the reasoning behind the suspension, it certainly throws a wrench in the Penguins’ plans after trading for Zamula only three days ago.
Zamula may be continuing to posture that he should be on an NHL roster and is refusing to report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Shortly before the trade to Pittsburgh, Zamula changed his representation to Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey and was considering mutually terminating his contract to explore other opportunities.
Still, refusing to report to the AHL doesn’t necessarily mean that Zamula is unhappy about his newfound home with the Penguins. There may be a potential handshake agreement between Zamula and Pittsburgh for a future recall, but the team is currently unable to implement it. If that’s the case, the AHL Penguins would have to suspend him for failing to report, regardless of any potential agreement.
Although that situation is plausible, it’s unclear how Zamula fits into the Penguins’ roster as currently constructed. The team has seven defensemen on the active roster, with Caleb Jones on the injured reserve. Given how they’ve been playing lately, it wouldn’t make much sense for Pittsburgh to make a change to their defensive core unless they trade a defenseman off the team.
For the sake of his continued development, Zamula and his representation will have to find a longer-term solution sooner rather than later. Despite being healthy this season, he’s only appeared in 13 games for the Flyers and three games for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Fortunately, even if Zamula is unhappy with a continued stay in the AHL, the Penguins don’t stand to lose much even if he ultimately leaves the organization. Initially, they traded Philip Tomasino for Zamula in the deal with Philadelphia. He has primarily been playing for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, with limited chances to return to NHL games with the Penguins.
Goalie Notes: Ullmark, Senators, Reimer
In today’s press conference, Ottawa Senators General Manager Steve Staios admitted that there’s no timeline for netminder Linus Ullmark to return from his leave of absence. Ullmark took a personal leave on December 28th and has not played for the Senators since December 27th.
Although some have speculated that Ullmark’s indefinite leave from Ottawa impacted his candidacy for Team Sweden’s roster for the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, a report from Hans Abrahamsson and Viktoria Björklöf explained that wasn’t the case.
That update isn’t entirely surprising given Ullmark’s performance this season. After finishing with a .909 SV% last season, he’s only managed a .881 mark this season. Additionally, according to MoneyPuck, of the 49 netminders that have played 15 or more games this season, Ullmark is in 46th place with a -4.9 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Additional goaltending notes:
- Despite being without Ullmark for the foreseeable future, Staios mentioned in the same press conference that he doesn’t expect to bring in any outside help. It’s a nice sentiment that Staios has confidence in Ottawa’s current goaltending depth, but it’s a bit unfounded. The Senators’ current starter, Leevi Merilainen, has only managed an .872 SV% through 12 games this season, while the duo of Hunter Shepard and Mads Søgaard has combined for a .888 mark for the AHL’s Belleville Senators.
- One veteran netminder who is conceivably available to the Senators is James Reimer. In today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman shared that Reimer, who is currently an unrestricted free agent, is still looking for a place to play this year and would like to join a contender if possible. Reimer finished with a .896 SV% last season, split between the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres, and it’s clear that the Senators still plan on contending this season, which could entice Reimer if they’re interested.
Seth Jones Leaves Winter Classic With Injury
According to a team announcement, the Florida Panthers shared that defenseman Seth Jones has exited the Winter Classic early due to an upper-body injury. Jones was skating in the third outdoor contest of his career and was named to Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics this morning.
There were no more specifics provided on Jones’ injury, but there’s plenty of speculation. Early in the first period of tonight’s contest against the New York Rangers, Jones appeared to be struck in the left collarbone by a shot from Alexis Lafreniere, which was deflected. Jones quickly went into the medical tent after being hit by the puck.
Hopefully, for the sake of the Panthers and Team USA, Jones’s exit from the game is merely precautionary. If there’s any concern of a fracture, that could put his availability for the Olympics into question. A broken clavicle can take six to eight weeks to heal. Even on the early end of that recovery timeline, Jones would miss the opening puck drop of the Olympics by more than a week.
Still, as previously mentioned, there’s no confirmation of a break to his collarbone, and anything else would be pure speculation. Regardless, Jones finished the 2026 Winter Classic with three minutes of ice time across three shifts, being entirely left off the score sheet.
Brayden McNabb Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks
One step forward, one step back for the Vegas Golden Knights on the injury front. Despite returning star center Jack Eichel to the lineup today, Jason R. Pothier and Ken Boehlke of SinBin reported that blue liner Brayden McNabb is expected to miss the next few weeks with an upper-body injury.
McNabb was originally injured a few days ago in the Golden Knights’ matchup on Wednesday against the Nashville Predators. The injury necessitated Vegas recalling Jaycob Megna yesterday, and he earned a -2 rating in 10:43 of action against the St. Louis Blues today.
Fortunately, if there’s any silver lining, the Golden Knights likely won’t have to keep Megna in the lineup that much longer, though he’ll likely remain on the active roster. Defenseman Shea Theodore, who hasn’t played since December 13th due to his own upper-body ailment, is expected to be activated from the injured reserve once Vegas returns from its road trip through the Central Division.
Still, despite the upcoming return of Theodore, the Golden Knights will remain without a top-four blueliner for the foreseeable future. McNabb, 34, has scored two goals and three points in 38 games with Vegas this year, averaging over 20 minutes a night for the second consecutive season.
Even before the injury, McNabb was certainly showing signs of decline. He’s still leading the team in blocked shots, but has seen his CorsiFor% and on-ice SV% at even strength decline to career lows. Additionally, even though he isn’t typically relied upon for his offensive production, he was on pace to only score seven points this season before the injury after registering 46 over the last two years.
If Vegas runs into any more injury trouble on the blue line, or they simply want an additional defenseman on the roster, the most likely recall candidate would be Dylan Coghlan. The 27-year-old defenseman has been recalled on two occasions already this year, but didn’t feature in any games. Still, he scored six goals and 19 points in 88 games with the Golden Knights from 2020 to 2022.
Lassi Lehti Generating NHL Interest
According to Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal, netminder for the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Lassi Lehti is generating interest from some NHL clubs. Divver added that the Boston Bruins are currently scouting the 24-year-old goaltender.
Unlike some other upcoming collegiate free agents, NHL teams likely won’t have to wait until April to entice Lehti to sign. Although the Espoo, Finland native is having a quality campaign, the Nanooks are having a brutal campaign and aren’t expected to qualify for the National tournament, barring an unexpected run.
Still, the Nanooks’ 4-10-1 record has little to do with Lehti. The senior has appeared in 11 of those contests, managing a .921 SV% and 2.59 GAA. Last season, as the team’s backup, Lehti finished with a .924 SV% and 2.04 GAA. Although he was only a backup last season, that’s an impressive 24-game run.
Unfortunately, given the length that it typically takes goaltenders to develop, it may be too little too late for Lehti. He was eligible to be selected in the 2019 NHL Draft, and waited until the 2022-23 NCAA season to begin his collegiate career. Although he’s not considered in the same tier, Lehti is older than Jesper Wallstedt and Yaroslav Askarov, both of whom are already fully entrenched in their NHL careers.
Regardless, if he keeps producing at the same level through the end of the campaign with the University of Alaska, there will likely be a team willing to give him a chance. If he’s set on playing professionally, Lehti could immediately step into the starter’s crease for an ECHL team or serve as a backup with a lower-level AHL team.
Canucks Sign Linus Karlsson To Two-Year Extension
The Vancouver Canucks continue to work on figuring out next year’s roster as they enter a transitional period. The Canucks announced that they’ve signed forward Linus Karlsson to a two-year, $4.5MM extension ($2.25MM AAV).
Vancouver has obviously liked what they have seen from Karlsson’s first full year with the team. Despite being selected with the 87th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, it took Karlsson multiple years to find a consistent spot on the Canucks’ roster.
Much of that time post-draft was with Karlskrona HK and BIK Karlskoga of the HockeyAllsvenskan. His status as an upper-level prospect with the Canucks began in the 2020-21 season, scoring 20 goals and 51 points in 52 games with Karlskoga. He followed that up with a sensational introductory performance with the SHL’s Skellefteå AIK, registering 26 goals and 46 points in 52 games, taking home SHL Rookie of the Year honors.
Understandably, the Canucks quickly brought him to North America following that performance. He spent the entire 2022-23 season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, recording 24 goals and 49 points in 72 games. Much like he did in Sweden, he followed that up with an even better showing, scoring 23 goals and 60 points in 60 games the next year while also making his NHL debut.
Last season was the most Karlsson had seen in the NHL until this year, though it wasn’t the showing that he or the team likely wanted. There was virtually no offense to his game in the sport’s highest league, finishing with three goals and six points in 23 contests. Still, his defensive metrics were impressive and proved valuable at some moments, given that he spent much of his time relegated to a bottom-six role.
Regardless, his subpar play in the NHL couldn’t take away from his impressive run in the AHL. Karlsson concluded the 2024-25 campaign with 23 goals and 39 points in 32 games for the AHL Canucks. Additionally, he helped the team win the Calder Cup, recording 14 goals and 26 points in 24 postseason appearances with a +4 rating.
Although his offense has been much better this season, nine goals and 16 points in 36 games, his defensive metrics have declined dramatically. Karlsson finished with a 94.3% on-ice SV% at even strength last season, and has only mustered an 85.8% mark this year.
Still, Karlsson is on pace for 20 goals this year, which is ultimately a win for the Canucks. At the beginning of the year, there was some concern that Karlsson would become a Group VI unrestricted free agent next summer, though he’s certainly on pace for 80 career games now. Regardless, Vancouver has committed to him through the 2027-28 season, and he’s currently projected to become the team’s eighth-highest-paid forward.
Photo courtesy of William Liang-Imagn Images.
Evening Notes: Horvat, Miller, Avalanche, Anderson
The New York Islanders are dealing with some additional concerns from their difficult loss to the Utah Mammoth earlier today. According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, center Bo Horvat was apparently doubled over in pain on the bench and left the game in the third period.
The Islanders didn’t offer any updates to Horvat’s status after the game. Still, Andrew Gross of Newsday relayed a note from head coach Patrick Roy that Horvat is expected to meet with the team’s medical staff tomorrow.
Any more missed time by Horvat would obviously hurt New York’s competitive chances leading up to the Olympic Break in February. Tonight was Horvat’s third game back since returning from a separate injury, when he missed five games in mid-December. The team went 2-2-1 in his absence.
Other evening updates:
- After sharing that Matthew Tkachuk wouldn’t be available for the Winter Classic tomorrow, the visiting team will also be without one of their better forwards. According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, the New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller won’t be able to return from his upper-body injury for tomorrow’s game. Miller, who hasn’t played since December 20th, was given a week-to-week recovery timeline, which would have made a potential return tomorrow relatively early.
- The Colorado Avalanche may be without a few depth forwards for their upcoming road trip through the Southeastern United States. Earlier today, Corey Misiak of the Denver Post passed along an update from head coach Jared Bednar, who shared that Gavin Brindley and Joel Kiviranta are each dealing with lower-body injuries. Neither injury is considered long-term, though Bednar admitted that the team may need to recall an extra forward for the three-game trip.
- In tonight’s chaotic matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens, the latter is dealing with some injury concerns up front. The Canadiens announced that Josh Anderson had exited the game due to injury. The veteran winger scored one goal on his only shot of the game, skating in 9:36 of the action.
International Notes: Schaefer, Jarvis, Vaakanainen, Hutson
Although he was ultimately left off Team Canada’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics, rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer will have an opportunity to play if needed. Earlier today, Andrew Gross of Newsday reported that Schaefer is on Team Canada’s standby list and will play if the team runs into injury trouble.
Even being on the standby list is a testament to how the recent first overall pick has played for the New York Islanders this season. He’s leading the team in defensive scoring by a significant margin, recording nine goals and 25 points in 40 games while averaging nearly 24 minutes of action per game. Furthermore, his defensive metrics are notably mature for his age, with a 50.7% CorsiFor at even strength and 90.1% on-ice save percentage at even strength.
Still, it’s curious that Hockey Canada has opted for Schaefer being the next man up rather than Washington Capitals blueliner Jakob Chychrun. The former 16th overall pick has been one of the most underrated defensemen in the league this season, scoring 15 goals and 30 points in 40 games while managing a 23:16 ATOI. Additionally, Chychrun’s underlying metrics are better than Schaefer’s, with a 56.0% CF% and 91.8% oiSV% at even strength.
Other international notes:
- Schaefer isn’t the only skater from the Metropolitan Division to find himself on Team Canada’s standby list. Seth Jarvis, who skated for Team Canada in last year’s Four Nations Face-Off, is also on Team Canada’s standby list, according to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. Although arguments could be made for other forwards, it’s difficult to say Jarvis hasn’t earned it with 19 goals and 29 points in 34 games this season for the Carolina Hurricanes.
- Moving to Group B of the upcoming international tournament, the New York Rangers will have a defenseman on the standby list — this time for Team Finland. According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, Urho Vaakanainen will be available for Team Finland if they run into injury trouble. Vaakanainen played in three games for Finland last season at the Four Nations Face-Off, going scoreless with a -5 rating.
- In the World Juniors Championship, the United States is expected to return an important defenseman for their upcoming quarterfinal matchup against Finland. This afternoon, Mike G. Morreale of the NHL wrote that Cole Hutson, who hasn’t played since being hit in the head with a puck in the round robin matchup against Team Switzerland, is expected to return to the lineup tomorrow. The Capitals prospect has already registered two assists in two games with a +5 rating.
Atlantic Notes: Tkachuk, Matheson, Carlo, Canadiens
As much as he would have liked to, forward Matthew Tkachuk won’t play in the Winter Classic tomorrow for the Florida Panthers. The Panthers announced the news earlier today from team reporter Jameson Olive.
Still, it shouldn’t be too much longer for the two-time Stanley Cup champion. Tkachuk has been working his way back from a groin injury for the first half of the 2025-26 campaign, and has been skating in a non-contact jersey for the last handful of practices.
Although it won’t come in the Winter Classic, the return of Tkachuk will be a major boost to the defending Stanley Cup champions. Despite being outpaced by the red-hot Buffalo Sabres in the last few days, the Panthers are only one point back of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Returning a player of Tkachuk’s caliber, who’s scored 88 goals and 254 points in 211 regular-season contests, should help them recoup some lost ground in the standings.
Other updates from the Atlantic Division:
- The Montreal Canadiens have a little bit of a different look to their defensive core tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. Before the game, the Canadiens announced that defenseman Mike Matheson would miss the game due to an upper-body injury, and rookie Adam Engstrom would take his spot in the lineup. Matheson’s injury has caused some controversy, as it’s likely linked to being elbowed by Panthers forward Brad Marchand in yesterday’s overtime win. Marchand was penalized on the play, but didn’t receive any supplemental discipline.
- Although they’ve lost veteran defenseman Chris Tanev for the foreseeable future, the Toronto Maple Leafs may have a different right-handed defenseman return this weekend. Earlier today, Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun highlighted in his article that Brandon Carlo could be activated from the injured reserve for Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. Carlo, in his first full season with the Maple Leafs, has been largely disappointing this year, registering two assists in 18 games while being injured for much of the year due to lower-body concerns.
- Back in Montreal, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels provided a few injury updates on Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle. Engels suggested that the Canadiens are remaining cautious with Dach, who has missed the last six weeks with a fractured foot. He’s expected to return soon, but could need additional time before he’s fully ready to return. Meanwhile, Engels stated that the team is far more optimistic about Guhle, who could return when Montreal returns from their current road trip, which would be on January 7th against the Calgary Flames.