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Maple Leafs’ Brandon Carlo Out Another Month

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Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo underwent foot surgery last week and will be out of the lineup for at least another month, head coach Craig Berube told reporters following last night’s loss to the Sharks (via Luke Fox of Sportsnet). He’s already been out nearly a month after sustaining the injury against the Kings on Nov. 13, so it’ll be around an eight-week absence for the righty when all is said and done.

Toronto’s defense will remain in structural disarray for a while yet. They’ve been without their top two right-shot options, Carlo and Chris Tanev, for the past month. Tanev saw a specialist earlier this week regarding his upper-body injury but is now seeking a second opinion after that meeting, per Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. He continues to skate with the team in a no-contact jersey, but it doesn’t appear his return is on the horizon, either.

Potentially adding to the pile of injuries is Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who left last night’s overtime defeat in the third period after falling awkwardly on his left leg (video via Sportsnet). It’s not as bad as it looked, though, and he’ll be back at practice tomorrow before making a determination on his availability for that night’s game against the Oilers, per Hornby.

Carlo, acquired from the Bruins at last year’s trade deadline to serve as a shutdown anchor for Morgan Rielly at even strength and play a penalty-killing role, had averaged 20:04 of ice time through the first 18 games of the season before exiting the lineup. He managed two assists with a +2 rating but didn’t have the two-way impact they hoped for, controlling just 42.8% of shot attempts and 45.5% of expected goals at 5-on-5.

The Leafs claimed veteran righty Troy Stecher off waivers from the Oilers last month after Carlo got hurt. With four points and a +8 rating in 11 appearances, the 31-year-old has been as good a stopgap option as they could’ve hoped for.

Stars’ Roope Hintz Leaves Due To Injury

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Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz left late in tonight’s game after taking a hard shot off his leg, and head coach Glen Gulutzan told Lia Assimakopoulos of Dallas News that there is no update at this time.

With just 1:31 remaining in regulation, in a two-goal deficit, teammate Miro Heiskanen unloaded on a one-timer. Hintz, in front of the crease, attempted to jump out of the way, but it caught him in the ankle area. The 29-year-old went down immediately and had to be helped off the ice, not putting weight on the leg. Minnesota capitalized on the play, cashing in on the empty net and putting the game out of reach. 

With Tyler Seguin and Lian Bichsel both on long-term injured reserve – Seguin with a torn ACL, no less – Hintz’s injury is a significant concern. Thankfully, the team has gotten back Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene from their own injuries, but it has been a brutal stretch for Dallas health-wise. They nonetheless rank second in the league, with serious Stanley Cup aspirations. 

Hintz has 26 points in 27 games this season as a bona fide top-line center. Although the Stars boast a tremendously deep roster, his status will be watched urgently with the hope that another long-term injury has been avoided. Dallas will not be in action again until Saturday, when they host the Panthers, so an update on the skilled center may not come until the weekend. 

Injury Notes: Ekman-Larsson, Bruins, Eller

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A potentially large blow has hit the Maple Leafs, as defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson exited tonight’s game versus San Jose due to a lower-body injury, as shared by TSN Sports. The veteran had to be helped off the ice and did not return, as the Leafs fell in overtime to San Jose. Postgame, Head Coach Craig Berube told David Alter of the Hockey News that he will need further evaluation.

Ekman-Larsson was tangled up with Sharks forward Adam Gaudette, who appeared to land on the Leafs blueliner’s leg awkwardly. Now 34, the Swede has turned back the clock this season, serving as a vital top pairing defender for Toronto. He has especially stepped up with Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo absent, putting up 20 points in 29 games, and quietly dependable in every situation. 

In fear of the worst, updates on Ekman-Larsson will be watched urgently. The Leafs are back in action on Saturday as they host the Oilers, in need of points if they will claw their way back up a deep Eastern Conference. 

Elsewhere across the league:

  • The Boston Bruins welcomed back Charlie McAvoy tonight, but lost a pair of skaters mid-game to lower-body injuries, as Jonathan Aspirot left (Twitter link), along with Victor Arvidsson. (Twitter link). Aspirot has been a steady defender, breaking through with Boston this season for his first NHL action at age 26. Originally undrafted, he has one goal in 18 games. Arvidsson also exited quietly, not coming out for the third period, but appeared shaken up in his last shift. Having just been activated from a lower-body injury on December 2, the feisty undersized winger has unfortunately dealt with many injuries since his 34-goal breakout in 2018-19.  
  • Senators forward Lars Eller did not return tonight in Columbus after an apparent lower-body injury, per the team, with no further updates. The 36-year-old appeared to be bothered after blocking a shot. Despite his age, Eller has mostly been durable for Ottawa, skating in 28 games, and notching six points as a steady fourth-line center.   

Oilers Recall Max Jones, Place Clattenburg, Roslovic On IR, Walman To LTIR

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Earlier today the Edmonton Oilers announced that Max Jones has been recalled from AHL Bakersfield, while fellow forwards Connor Clattenburg and Jack Roslovic have been placed on injured reserve. Finally, as was speculated yesterday, defenseman Jake Walman has landed on long-term injured reserve. The moves come in advance of tonight’s game versus Detroit. 

Jones, a familiar face to Anaheim fans, was a first round pick by the Ducks in 2016. Now 27, he was once a potential top-six power forward, but was never able to pan out. Now an AHLer, Jones has a career high of 19 points at the NHL level, in 284 games so far. Injuries were a huge factor in his stunted development, especially as the Michigan native suffered a torn pectoral in 2021, which was a crucial year to prove himself in Anaheim. 

After a stop in Boston, Jones made his way to Edmonton as an add-in from the Trent Frederic trade. He skated in 19 games as an Oiler last season, but has spent all of 2025-26 in the AHL so far. Jones has just seven points in 17 games with the Condors, but with 49 penalty minutes, he is trying to lean more into a grinder role at this point. 

Edmonton has brought in other former first rounders who have been solid role players, such as Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin, and Jones may have an opportunity with the team’s numerous injuries, although he is not expected to play tonight. 

Roslovic got off to a dynamite start to his Oilers tenure with 18 points in 23 games, prior to going down in late November. He is listed as week-to-week with an undisclosed injury, and may have his sights on a return by the New Year. 

Clattenburg, just 20, brought needed energy in his first five NHL games. He has missed the team’s last two contests after an apparent eye injury. With just two points in the AHL this season, the winger brings limited skill, but at 6’2” he could be an eventual fixture on the Oilers’ fourth line, proving to be a nice find in the fifth round of the 2024 draft. 

The headline of long-term injured reserve for Walman may cause concern, but the main motivation for such a designation is likely salary cap motivated. With his $3.4MM off the books for now, Edmonton can finally carry a full roster as they soon head off for a five-game road trip. The defenseman has dealt with multiple injuries after inking a seven-year extension at the start of the season. As he has already missed the last seven, Walman only has to miss three more games to meet the LTIR requirements. Similar to Roslovic, his ailment is also unknown, but a return before January would be a surprise. 

Currently holding the second Wild Card spot, Edmonton is thankful to have most of their marquee talent healthy, however, their depth will be put to the test, a common theme throughout much of the McDavid/Draisaitl era in which the team has had a top-heavy construction. Their road trip ahead could be a turning point if the team can return to their true potential, and push for another deep run in the spring. 

Wild Place Mats Zuccarello, Jake Middleton On IR; Recall Two

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The Wild announced today they’ve recalled winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and defenseman Matt Kiersted from AHL Iowa. Those recalls come after defenseman Jacob Middleton and winger Mats Zuccarello left Monday’s 4-1 win over the Kraken with injuries. Both of them have now landed on injured reserve in the corresponding moves.

Minnesota kicks off a string of three games in four nights tonight against the Stars. Middleton and Zuccarello will be eligible for reinstatement after that stretch, with their earliest possible return date coming Dec. 16 against the Capitals. There isn’t much known about when Middleton will be available again. He left the game in the third period with what the team termed an upper-body injury, but it wasn’t clear when he was injured, and they haven’t issued a timeline for his return.

The Wild have cleaned things up defensively after a tough start, but the loss of a second-pairing fixture won’t help the Minnesota blue line. Middleton has six assists in 28 games this season, averaging 18:08 of ice time per game as the left-shot partner to captain Jared Spurgeon at even strength. Those two also make up the defensive nucleus of the Wild’s second penalty kill unit. At 5-on-5, he leads Minnesota defensemen with a 51.4% share of high-danger chances.

As usual, the Wild’s recalls aren’t expected to step directly into the lineup and will instead serve as press-box fodder while Minnesota’s usual healthy scratches fill in the gaps in the lineup. That means Daemon Hunt, who’s spent most of the season as the Wild’s extra rearguard, will be stepping directly into Middleton’s shoes alongside Spurgeon, per Joe Smith of The Athletic. He’s fresh, having played against Seattle because the Wild dressed 11 forwards and seven defenders, but was a healthy scratch in eight straight before that.

Zuccarello is also dealing with an upper-body issue, likely a facial injury. He took a hard tumble in the first period after being laid out by Seattle defender Vince Dunn in the first period and didn’t return, leaving the Wild with only 10 forwards for much of the game. Head coach John Hynes wasn’t particularly concerned about his status, per Sarah McLellan of The Minnesota Star Tribune, but they haven’t confirmed whether Zuccarello is day-to-day – or worse.

The 38-year-old Norwegian has already missed significant time once this season. He started experiencing a lower-body issue late in the offseason that caused him to miss the first 15 games. Since returning, he’s been stapled to his usual role opposite Kirill Kaprizov on Minnesota’s top line. His ever-consistent production since arriving in the Twin Cities didn’t miss a beat, rattling off a 2-10–12 scoring line. His 0.80 points per game put him third on the team behind Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.

An extended absence past the three-game mark would be significant, especially since the Wild are also without their usual top-line center, Marco Rossi, due to a foot/ankle fracture. He’s still week-to-week with no imminent return. Rookie Danila Yurov has stepped into the role over the last nine games and has one goal and four assists in that span.

Ben Jones and Tyler Pitlick will re-enter the lineup with Zuccarello out after serving as healthy scratches against Seattle, per Smith, returning the Wild to a traditional 12-forward alignment. They’ll flank Nico Sturm on the fourth line. Vladimir Tarasenko will be shifted up to replace Zuccarello alongside Kaprizov and Yurov, forming an all-Russian top unit. The four-time All-Star has three goals and 11 points in 23 games this season after Minnesota picked him up from the Red Wings for future considerations over the offseason.

Both Aubé-Kubel and Kiersted are ticketed for scratches tonight. Aubé-Kubel has already been recalled once this season, but wasn’t even rostered for a game. Minnesota summoned him from Iowa on Thanksgiving but returned him before their game against the Avalanche on Black Friday after they received confirmation that Ryan Hartman would return to the lineup following a four-game absence. The veteran of 304 NHL games signed a two-way deal with the Wild in the offseason and has contributed a 5-8–13 scoring line in 23 showings in the AHL, almost incomprehensibly tied for the team lead in scoring. Minnesota’s farm club has scored just 1.92 goals per game this season.

Kiersted, 27, was also a two-way pickup over the summer and is in his first year with the organization. The left-shot Minnesota native has 39 NHL games to his name, all with the Panthers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of North Dakota back in 2021. He was a dominant two-way threat in the minors last season, posting a league-best +34 rating with Charlotte, but has a -12 mark with just three assists in 23 games for Iowa.

East Injury Notes: Jenner, Drouin, Maple Leafs

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Columbus Blue Jackets captain Boone Jenner will return to the ice tonight against the Ottawa Senators after an injury cost him a month of hockey. Team reporter Jeff Svoboda relayed word from Columbus Head Coach Dean Evason, who confirmed to the media today that Jenner would be returning. Jenner hasn’t played since Nov. 11 due to an upper-body injury.

Jenner’s return to the Blue Jackets’ lineup comes at an important time. Columbus has lost three straight games and needs to get back into the win column quickly if they’re going to keep pace in the Eastern Conference’s tight playoff race. Getting Jenner back while the team is set to play a key Eastern Conference opponent, who they could feasibly be in the running against for a Wild Card spot later in the season, makes today’s news all the more positive for the Blue Jackets. Jenner scored 10 points in 16 games before his injury and was averaging 16:06 time on ice per game, including usage on both sides of special teams.

Other injury notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner reported today that New York Islanders forward Jonathan Drouin was on the ice for the team’s morning skate. Per Rosner, this is Drouin’s first time skating back with the team since he took warmups before the team’s game against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 4. Drouin has been out with a back injury since that point, and has so far missed four games. The veteran forward has three goals and 15 points in 26 games so far this season and is playing out the first year of the two-year, $4MM AAV free agent pact that brought him to Long Island.
  • Two notable injury updates emerged from Toronto Maple Leafs morning skate today. First, TSN and The Athletic’s Chris Johnston reported that Joseph Woll hit the ice today for the first time since his injury last week. While it’s unclear how close he is to a return to the lineup, today’s news represents a positive development in his recovery from the lower-body injury that landed him on IR. In addition to Woll, defenseman Morgan Rielly was spotted at morning skate, per The Hockey News’ David Alter. Rielly missed Toronto’s last practice with an illness, but appears to be back to game readiness. Rielly is Toronto’s No. 1 defenseman, averaging 22 minutes per night with 22 points in 28 games this season.

Oilers Likely To Move Jake Walman To LTIR

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The Oilers have been dealing with a tight salary cap situation all season long, primarily using LTIR in order to keep cap-compliant.  At the moment, they have two forwards on there in Kasperi Kapanen and Noah Philp but even with that, they are only able to afford to carry a minimum-sized roster of 12 forwards, six defensemen, and two goalies.

That could soon be changing, however.  Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 indicates (Twitter link) that the Oilers will likely move defenseman Jake Walman to LTIR over the next couple of days.  In doing so, they’ll add his $3.4MM AAV to their LTIR pool which will be enough to call up an extra forward and defenseman as they get set to embark on a five-game road trip that begins on Saturday in Toronto.

Walman is in his first full season with Edmonton after being acquired from San Jose at the trade deadline back in March.  He made a big impact after joining the team and that has carried over to this season, at least when he’s healthy enough to be in the lineup.  Through 17 games, Walman has three goals and seven assists along with 31 blocked shots while averaging a little over 20 minutes a night of playing time.  His early performance with the Oilers earned him a seven-year, $49MM extension back in October.

Walman missed five games with an undisclosed injury earlier in the season and has been out with another undisclosed injury since leaving Edmonton’s game on November 20th.  If the Oilers do indeed move Walman to LTIR, they will be able to backdate the placement to that time with the 10-game, 24-day requirements being calculated from there.  Considering he’s already missed seven games, this is a safe procedural move that would make a lot of sense for the Oilers to make.

West Notes: Bjugstad, Parekh, Askarov

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Blues center Nick Bjugstad will miss at least the next five days due to an upper-body injury, the team announced.  The injury occurred in the second period of their game against Boston on Tuesday.  The 33-year-old has had a quiet start to his career in St. Louis, putting up just four goals and one assist through 25 games while splitting time between down the middle and on the wing.  The oddly specific timeframe isn’t quite enough to make Bjugstad eligible for injured reserve at this time as that requires a minimum of a seven-day absence.  However, should the team determine that he’ll be out for a little bit longer, they’ll be able to backdate the placement if they need to put him on there to open up a roster spot.

More from out West:

  • Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh has been cleared for contact, notes Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun (Twitter link). The rookie has missed more than a month due to an upper-body injury.  However, it’s unlikely to be Calgary who immediately benefits from his return to health since Parekh will soon be joining Canada’s entry for the upcoming World Juniors.  If he doesn’t go to their camp right away, he’d be eligible for a conditioning assignment with AHL Calgary, somewhere he’s ineligible to play for this season on a full-time basis.
  • Sharks goaltender Yaroslav Askarov didn’t play last night due to illness but he has rejoined the team at the next stop of their road trip in Toronto, relays Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. As expected, it has been an up-and-down year for San Jose’s top goalie prospect but he has posted a respectable 3.14 GAA with a .901 SV% in 19 starts so far.  The Sharks used an EBUG as the backup on Tuesday in Philadelphia and the fact no netminder has been recalled since suggests they expect Askarov will at least be able to serve as the backup on Thursday.

Atlantic Notes: Evans, Chabot, Mermis

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The Montreal Canadiens will be without center Jake Evans for their contest tomorrow night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Canadiens shared that Evans is away from the team for personal reasons and that he would rejoin the team this weekend in New York.

There were no additional announcements from the team or subsequent reports indicating why Evans is missing, so it would be unfair to speculate. Still, given that he’s rejoining the team in New York, Evans is expected to re-enter the lineup when the Canadiens take on the Rangers on Saturday.

It also explains, in part, the trio of recalls made earlier today by Montreal. The Canadiens already have several players on the team’s injured reserve, so there was no need for a corresponding roster move. Owen Beck, who was included in today’s recall, will likely slot into Montreal’s third line in place of Evans and appear in his third NHL contest of the season.

Other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Ottawa Senators will have to wait a little bit longer for the return of defenseman Thomas Chabot. According to TSN’s Bruce Garrioch, Chabot won’t travel with the team for their upcoming road trip, indicating that he’s still a week out at best. Chabot, who has two goals and 10 points over 18 games this season, has been nursing an upper-body injury since November 22nd.
  • Staying in Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t expecting depth defenseman Dakota Mermis to return anytime soon. Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun reported that Mermis, who was placed on injured reserve earlier today, is expected to miss a month with a lower-body injury. The nine-year veteran left Toronto’s game in the third period on Wednesday due to the injury.

Injury Notes: Hellebuyck, Ellis, Perbix

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On today’s episode of Insider Trading, Darren Dreger of TSN discussed Connor Hellebuyck, saying that the Jets goaltender is nearing a return, as soon as next week. Dreger says the star wanted to return even sooner, but Winnipeg is making sure he is eased back in properly. Next Monday’s home game vs. Ottawa could be the focus. 

Hellebuyck underwent a minor arthroscophic knee procedure in November, which came with an estimated 4-6 week timetable, but thankfully the back-to-back Vezina winning netminder has recovered quickly and is set to come back by year’s end. He was 8-6-0 with a .913 save percentage and 2.51 GAA prior to going down. 

The defending President’s Trophy winners have faltered a bit so far this season, losing six out of their last 10 and currently three spots out of a wild card spot, but the team has had to lean heavily on Eric Comrie, a respectable backup who has never played in more than 20 games a season. Hellebuyck’s return will be instrumental for the group going into 2026 as they look to get back on track.

Elsewhere across the league:

  • Midway through tonight’s game the Buffalo Sabres announced that goaltender Colten Ellis will not return due to an upper-body injury, leaving Alex Lyon to take duty. He was shaken up after Oilers forward David Tomasek drove to the net, catching the goalie’s head with his shoulder, which earned a penalty, and ending Ellis’ night with a minute remaining in the first period. The 25-year-old has flashed potential as a backup this season, after being claimed off waivers from St. Louis in October. 
  • Nashville beat reporter Brooks Bratten shared that defenseman Nick Perbix would return to the lineup tonight against Colorado. The Minnesota native had missed the last three games with an upper-body ailment, and has been a dependable blueliner since signing from Tampa Bay last summer. Nashville opted for seven defensemen tonight, as forward Tyson Jost was healthy scratched against his former team. 

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