Florida Panthers Injury Updates
Injuries have significantly impacted the Florida Panthers’ pursuit of a third consecutive Stanley Cup. However, assuming there are no further setbacks, they could return a trio of players shortly after the Olympic break.
In an update from the team, the Panthers could return Tomas Nosek, Dmitry Kulikov, and Jonah Gadjovich in their road trip at the beginning of March. That would indicate that each player should only miss a game or two before being activated from the long-term injured reserve.
Head coach Paul Maurice provided a quote explaining the situation, saying, “They’ll go probably non-contact this week and then maybe get released for contact in and around the Toronto game (at home on Feb. 26), which would keep them out of those games. But if they can get through the week, then somewhere on the road trip there will be a chance they’ll come back. I just don’t know the answer to a lot of them. They’ve been off for an awfully long time. We do need to get them into to a certain level of confidence before [they return].”
None of the three would provide Florida with a game-changing addition by any stretch, though a return of all three would drastically improve the team’s depth. Absent netminders, the Panthers have used 28 different players this season and have eight players currently dealing with some injury or another.
Nosek has missed the most time. After suffering a significant knee injury during offseason training that required surgery, Nosek has remained sidelined for the entire 2025-26 season up to this point. His first season with the Panthers came last season, scoring one goal and nine points in 59 games, averaging 9:49 of ice time.
Meanwhile, Kulikov has also been out for much of the 2025-26 campaign. Suffering a torn labrum in early October, the 35-year-old has been limited to two games this season. Throughout his last two years in Florida, he’s credited with five goals and 33 points in 146 games with 259 hits.
Like Kulikov, Gadjovich has also been out of the lineup since October. Also undergoing surgery, Gadjovich has only appeared in 10 games this year. As the Panthers continue their push toward the postseason, returning several of their injured players and adding a piece or two at the deadline should help in that endeavor.
Metro Notes: Quick, Marchenko, Romanov, Robinson
Already missing Igor Shesterkin, the New York Rangers don’t have much wiggle room to lose another goaltender to injury. Earlier today, according to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, de facto starter Jonathan Quick left practice early due to a lower-body injury.
Fortunately for Quick and the Rangers, his exit from practice was described as a precaution. Even if it’s something mild, the Rangers have five more days until their return to action, giving Quick ample time to recover. Since taking over the net in early January, Quick has managed a 1-8-1 record in 10 games with a .852 SV%.
If the Rangers reciprocate, it likely won’t be Quick’s last year with the team. In an interview with Peter Botte of the New York Post, Quick said, “I’m happy here. I want to be here. It means a lot to me to wear this jersey.” It’s a similar sentiment to what Quick has had in the past, and he’s not expected to be one of the several pieces the team sells off leading up to the trade deadline.
Other updates from the Metropolitan Division:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets got some good news on the injury front today. According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, winger Kirill Marchenko returned to practice today. He has been dealing with a lower-body injury since before the Olympic break, but was expected to return after. He’s played an integral role in the Blue Jackets’ return to the postseason conversation, scoring 19 goals and 46 points in 50 games this season.
- According to Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News, defenseman Alexander Romanov resumed skating for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery in mid-November. Unfortunately, despite the encouraging update, there is no change to his recovery timeline. Romanov, who’s tallied one assist in 15 games this season, isn’t expected to return this season unless the New York Islanders reach the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
- Ryan Henkel of The Hockey News reported that the Carolina Hurricanes are expected to have forward Eric Robinson back after the Olympics. He shared a quote from head coach Rod Brind’Amour, saying, “We’re not rushing it but we’re pretty sure… well, it’s trending like he’ll be ready to go.” He’s been recovering from an upper-body injury since January 21st.
Olympic Notes: Crosby, Morrissey, Thompson, Pospisil
With the chance to win his third Gold Medal, all eyes are on whether captain Sidney Crosby will play for Team Canada tomorrow. Crosby left Canada’s quarterfinal matchup against Czechia due to a lower-body injury and didn’t appear in the semifinal contest against Finland.
Earlier today, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported that there’s a “70% chance” that Crosby will play tomorrow. Head coach Jon Cooper and the rest of Team Canada’s staff wanted to see how Crosby handled practice this morning and what his limitations will be tomorrow morning (local time).
Regardless, it would be unimaginable for Crosby not to play in what is likely the last Olympic tournament of his career. Even if he has to take a page out of Victor Hedman‘s book, who remained on Team Sweden’s bench for the quarterfinal game after suffering an injury in warmups, Crosby will likely suit up in some capacity tomorrow.
Other notes from the Olympics:
- One player who will not play for Team Canada tomorrow is defenseman Josh Morrissey. Earlier this week, it seemed that Morrissey might return from his upper-body injury by the semifinals. However, Mike McIntyre of The Winnipeg Free Press reported that he has already been ruled out of the Gold Medal game. Media personnel asked Cooper if he could clarify Morrissey’s injury and if he suffered any setbacks, to which Cooper replied, “No. With all due respect to Winnipeg.“
- After leaving yesterday’s game in the third period for precautionary reasons, Tage Thompson was back on the ice with Team USA this morning. Given that he was back on the ice, there’s every indication he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow morning. He has had a strong performance so far, scoring three goals and four points in five games with a +3 rating.
- In today’s Bronze Medal game between Finland and Slovakia, the latter club was without Martin Pospisil, who has been dealing with a nagging injury for most of the Olympic tournament, according to Arpon Basu of The Athletic. There could be some cause for concern, given that Pospisil missed a decent chunk of the 2025-26 season due to an undisclosed injury in training camp. He finished the Olympics with one assist in six games.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
It has been a bit of a tough season for Canucks winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki. He dealt with an early-season injury and has bounced around between Vancouver and AHL Abbotsford. Now, his campaign is coming to a premature end as CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reports (Twitter link) that Lekkerimaki is set to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery.
The 21-year-old was the 15th overall selection by Vancouver back in 2022 but hasn’t been able to establish himself as a regular with them yet. He missed a little more than a month to start the season with that injury and has had three stints with AHL Abbotsford and two others with Vancouver since mid-November.
One of those NHL opportunities came in the weeks leading up to the Olympics as Lekkerimaki got into Vancouver’s last five games before the break. On the season, he has a pair of goals along with an assist in 13 outings while averaging 11:41 per night. That production was in line with how he fared last season when he notched three goals and three helpers in his first 24 career NHL contests.
Lekkerimaki had fared much better in the minors. He’s tied for fourth in team scoring despite only playing in 21 of 52 games with 13 goals and seven assists. Four of those points came in five games after being sent down to get some more game action in during the Olympic break.
While it was expected that Lekkerimaki would return to Vancouver following the break or soon after depending on trade deadline activity, that’s clearly no longer an option with this news. Now, his sophomore year has come to a premature end and he’ll head into training camp in the fall looking to grab a hold of a full-time NHL spot for the first time.
Mikko Rantanen To Miss Bronze Medal Game Due To Injury
A handful of key NHL players have been sidelined with an injury at the 2026 Olympics. Another player has been added to that list as Lejionat’s Jaakko Pertilla reported that Finnish winger Mikko Rantanen was scratched for the Bronze Medal Game against Slovakia due to a lower-body injury.
Rantanen was a full participant in Saturday’s semi-final matchup against Canada. He scored the opening goal of the game and logged 16:09 of ice time in 25 shifts. The 29-year-old came into today’s game as Finland’s leading scorer with two goals and four assists in five games with an ATOI of 18:14.
Of course, this is significant news for Rantanen’s NHL team as well as the veteran is the leading scorer for the Stars this season. In 54 games, he has 20 goals and 49 assists while averaging more than 20 minutes a night of playing time. Any absence from NHL games would be significant.
To that end, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the injury occurred in the third period on Saturday and is not considered to be season-ending. He’s expected to be evaluated when he returns to Dallas to determine the exact severity and how much time he could miss.
Taking Rantanen’s spot on Finland’s top line is Oliver Kapanen, who has been scratched for three games and dressed as the 13th forward without seeing the ice in the other two. Meanwhile, Eeli Tolvanen will return to the lineup after being healthy-scratched versus Canada.
Rangers’ Matt Rempe Will Undergo Thumb Procedure, Placed On IR
New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan will have to make some lineup changes when he returns from Team USA’s run at the Winter Olympics. The Rangers announced that enforcer Matt Rempe will undergo another procedure to fix the thumb injury that held him out of 24 games earlier in the season, per the New York Post’s Mollie Walker. Rempe has been placed on injured reserve while he recovers from the procedure. He will be eligible to return on February 27th, the day after New York’s first game back from the Olympic break.
Rempe sustained his injury in a fight with San Jose Sharks winger Ryan Reaves in late October. He stayed out of the lineup until mid-December, then rotated into games through the start of the Olympic break. Rempe has totaled one goal, a minus-four, and 11 penalty minutes in 26 games this season. He has also thrown 86 hits, giving him the highest per-game average on the team.
The NHL’s tallest player has stuck to his fourth-line role in the Rangers lineup this season – though with a bit more poise than normal. Rempe went 12 games without a penalty after returning from his injury in December. He followed that with back-to-back games with a penalty but avoided the penalty box in his last three games. A part of that discipline is surely Rempe’s inability to fight while he nurses an injured thumb. He has only two fights this season, after recording six last season. His health will continue to be assessed as New York kicks back into gear for the season’s final sprint.
Sidney Crosby Ruled Out Of Semifinals, Possible For Medal Game
Feb. 20: Crosby will not play in today’s semifinal matchup against Finland, Hockey Canada announced. As IIHF rules stipulate a captain must be named for each game, Connor McDavid will wear the ‘C’ in his absence. Crosby, who by all accounts avoided a worst-case injury, is still questionable for either the bronze or gold medal game pending today’s result.
Feb. 18: During Canada’s dramatic overtime victory over Czechia in the quarterfinals of the ongoing Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby was forced out of the game with an injury.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan relayed word from Canadian head coach Jon Cooper post-game, who said that he didn’t know the extent of Crosby’s injury. According to Kaplan, Crosby will undergo medical imaging to determine the extent of the lower-body injury he suffered. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Hockey Canada is expected to issue an update on Crosby’s status on Thursday.
As one of the most iconic players in the history of Canadian international hockey competition, Crosby’s status is one of the key storylines to watch as the tournament progresses into the semifinal stage. At this point in time, one can only speculate on whether Crosby will be available for the rest of the tournament.
If Crosby is unavailable, it goes without saying that would be a massive loss for Canada. Crosby has six points in the tournament and his line with Mitch Marner and Mark Stone has been one of Canada’s best.
Any extended absence would also impact the Penguins. Pittsburgh is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, in large part powered by Crosby’s 59 points in 56 games. Losing Crosby, even for a brief period of time, would make winning on a nightly basis far more challenging for the Penguins.
As of right now, all Canada and Penguins fans can do is wait for Hockey Canada to issue an update regarding Crosby and hope it’s positive.
Kings Recall Pheonix Copley, Place Kevin Fiala On IR
Earlier today, the Los Angeles Kings announced that they’ve recalled netminder Pheonix Copley from the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Additionally, the Kings have placed forward Kevin Fiala on the injured reserve, as expected.
Copley has likely been brought on as a practice player before Los Angeles returns to action next week. Darcy Kuemper, the Kings’ typical starter, is rostered on Team Canada for the Olympics, and they’ve already clinched a spot in the Bronze Medal game at the very least.
Despite a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Copley has been with Los Angeles for the past four years. Still, he’s spent much of the past two years with AHL Ontario. In 24 games for the Reign this season, Copley has managed a 13-11-0 record with a .890 SV% and 2.95 GAA.
Meanwhile, Fiala’s placement on the injured reserve was a formality. Playing on Team Switzerland in the Olympics, Fiala infamously suffered multiple leg fractures in a game against Canada.
The fractures required nearly immediate surgery, which has prematurely ended Fiala’s 2025-26 campaign. Los Angeles could have placed Fiala on long-term injured reserve, but their sufficient cap space made that unnecessary.
Fiala’s absence from the Kings’ lineup the rest of the way should undoubtedly alter Los Angeles’ approach leading up to the trade deadline. Yes, the team already acquired high-scoring winger Artemi Panarin before the Olympics, though that was with Fiala healthy. Given the drastic need for goal-scoring help in Los Angeles, it’s likely they’ll seek to acquire some additional reinforcements.
Kings’ Kevin Fiala Sustains Multiple Left Leg Fractures, Out For The Season
Sunday: The Los Angeles Kings updated today that Fiala underwent successful surgery due to fractures in his lower left leg. As expected, he will miss the remainder of the season, and will be reevaluated in the spring.
Saturday: Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that Fiala is having surgery today. There still is no word on the precise nature of the injury but Friedman adds that it is indeed season-ending, a significant blow for both Switzerland and the Kings. Fiala will now be eligible to be placed on LTIR but with Los Angeles having ample cap space, it’s unlikely they’ll need to put him there.
Friday: One of the main reasons NHL teams opposed player participation in the Olympics was the concern over injuries that could be avoided. That fear has come to fruition for the Los Angeles Kings. Toward the end of today’s game between Canada and Switzerland, Kevin Fiala had to be stretchered off the ice due to an apparent leg or knee injury.
As mentioned, the injury happened with approximately three minutes left in the game. Fiala absorbed a hit from Tom Wilson and was in immediate pain on the ice. Although the hit was leveled, the incident causing the injury seemed accidental, and more like a freak play. According to Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, after the game, Wilson said, “It’s the Olympic Games and I feel terrible that he may not be able to keep playing. Just sending his family and him my best. You never want to see a guy go down, in a tournament like this, especially.”
Still, accident or not, it doesn’t make the situation any easier for the Kings. Fiala is the team’s second-highest scorer with 18 goals and 40 points in 56 games while averaging over 19 minutes of ice time per game.
Considering how starved Los Angeles is for offense, it’s a worst-case scenario. The team recently acquired high-scoring Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but that didn’t relieve all of the team’s goal-scoring woes. No, the Kings haven’t yet played with Panarin on the ice, but losing a player with Fiala’s goal-scoring capabilities will objectively make it more difficult for them to put the puck in the net.
There haven’t been many updates regarding Fiala’s immediate status. Arpon Basu of The Athletic reported that Fiala has been taken to a local hospital, and there are concerns that the injury could be season-ending. If that’s the case, the Kings’ uphill climb toward playoff contention just became remarkably more difficult.
Golden Knights’ Jonas Rondbjerg Ruled Out Of Olympics
2/8: Denmark has announced their replacement following Rondbjerg’s injury. They’ve added left-defenseman Malte Setkov, bringing the roster to a conventional 14 forwards and seven defenders after Denmark originally rostered 15 forwards. Setkov has spent the last four seasons in Denmark’s top league. He has 13 goals and 30 points in 39 games this season, a career-high scoring pace.
2/6: Team Denmark will enter the 2026 Winter Olympics without one of their five NHL forwards. Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonas Rondbjerg has been ruled out due to a lower-body injury sustained during Vegas’ Sunday loss to the Anaheim Ducks, Denmark general manager Morten Green told local news channel TV 2 Sport.
Rondbjerg was placed on Vegas’ injured reserve on Monday. He missed the Golden Knights’ last two games before the Winter Olympics break, replaced by rookie forward Kai Uchacz.
Now, Rondbjerg will lose his first chance to represent Denmark at the Olympic Games. He joined the country at the Olympic Game Qualifiers in 2025 and scored one goal in three games. That chip, and his physical presence, helped lift Denmark to the top of Group F.
Rondbjerg was one of only seven NHL players on Denmarks 2026 Olympics roster. His peers include the Hurricanes’ Nikolaj Ehlers, Lightning’s Oliver Bjorkstrand, Senators’ Lars Eller, and Kraken’s Oscar Fisker Molgaard on offense.
That bunch will make up the bulk of Denmark’s top lines, while Rondbjerg was set for a pillaring role in the team’s bottom-six. The 6-foot-2 forward has split the season between the NHL and AHL, netting one point in four games with Vegas and 23 points in 36 games with the Henderson Silver Knights. He offers a reserved, physical presence that could have boosted Denmark’s odds against physical teams like Finland and USA.
Who Denmark will choose to replace Rondbjerg will be an interesting question to answer. Winger Felix Maegaard Scheel, 33, joined Denmark’s national team for three games earlier this season. He has served an extra forward role at the last four World Championships and currently has 11 points in 29 games in Germany’s DEL. Denmark could also opt for Viktors Čubars, who leads the country’s top league in scoring with 57 points in 40 games. Other local options could include Patrick Bjorkstrand or Oliver True, Ehlers’ cousin.
Or, if Denmark wants to maintain their NHL connection, they could opt for former Chicago Blackhawks draft pick (2016 fifth-round) Mathias From, who has 53 points in 42 games in Austria’s IceHL.