Bruins’ Elias Lindholm, Pavel Zacha Expected To Miss Stadium Series
The Boston Bruins could be without two centers when they take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2026 NHL Stadium Series on Sunday. Both Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha will not be joining the Bruins on their trip to Florida due to injury per Conor Ryan of the Boston Globe.
Lindholm was designated as out day-to-day with an upper-body injury after leaving Boston’s Tuesday win over the Nashville Predators early. Zacha left Thursday’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers with an upper-body injury of his own, sustained on a hit from Philadelphia’s Nicolas Deslauriers. No timeline has been provided for Zacha’s injury.
Boston recalled Matthew Poitras to fill in for Lindholm’s absence on Thursday. Poitras, playing in his first NHL game of the season, recorded one penalty and five shots in 11 minutes of ice time. He filled a fourth-line, winger role while Tanner Jeannot and Marat Khusnutdinov moved into elevated roles.
The Bruins beat Philadelphia handedly – by a score of 6-3 – largely thanks to the performance of their sole healthy line. The trio of Viktor Arvidsson, Casey Mittelstadt, and Fraser Minten combined for three goals and seven shots on net in Thursday’s game. That brings Minten up to 14 poitns in 14 games in January, third-most on the team behind David Pastrnak (25 points) and Charlie McAvoy (16).
Now down yet another center, the Bruins are sure to lean on their high-performing second-line in a tough matchup on Sunday. That focus will leave Pastrnak and wing partner Morgan Geekie free to support a fill-in center to round out the team’s top-six. Through the mess of injuries, this could present a rare chance for Khusnutdinov to step between strong wingers. The 23-year-old, Russian centerman has an impressive 11 points in 14 games this month – fifth-most on the Bruins – to go with a plus-nine and 15 shots on net. He has looked capable of handling the tempo of his top teammates – but has struggled at the faceoff dot, with a bleak 45.1 faceoff percentage on the season.
That could push the Bruins to give Mark Kastelic – and his team-leading 60.0 faceoff percentage – a bit more responsibility. Kastelic platooned with Jeannot on Boston’s third-line following Zacha’s absence. His season has favored the other side of the scoresheet, marked by 15 points and 106 penalty minutes in 55 games. That will limit Kastelic’s ability to fit into the top of the lineup. It could also push Boston to move Minten or Poitras from the wing to center, while leaving Khusnutdinov and Kastelic as alternatives on the wing.
The Bruins are not currently carrying an extra forward. They will need to make a recall before Sunday if they want to ice 12 forwards. Top candidates for a call-up include Fabian Lysell and high-speed winger Matej Blumel. Blumel managed no scoring and a minus-three in four NHL games earlier this season, while Lysell hasn’t appeared in the NHL since last year, when he scored three points in the first 12 games of his NHL career. The former first-round pick ranks second on the AHL’s Providence Bruins in scoring with 34 points in 35 games.
Injury Notes: Malkin, Letang, Halliday, Glass
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced today that veteran center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang both will not practice today. The club did not divulge any additional details as to why the pair will not practice, only adding that “their statuses will be updated tomorrow.” According to Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Malkin “has been laboring with an apparent shoulder injury since December,” something that could be the source of his absence today. As for Letang, there is no indication as to if he is injured, but Rorabaugh noted he “had some struggles” during the team’s win Thursday over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Both Malkin and Letang have been pillars of the Penguins franchise for the last two decades, though their contributions have, to varying degrees, declined as they’ve gotten deeper into their thirties. Malkin, 39, is having a vintage season with 41 points in 39 games, but Letang, 38, has struggled and is no longer widely considered Pittsburgh’s best blueliner. Any extended absence faced by the two of them would deal a blow to the Penguins’ ability to hold onto their current position in the standings, which is second in the Metropolitan Division.
Other injury notes from around the NHL:
- Ottawa Senators center Stephen Halliday missed the team’s game against the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 28 due to an upper-body injury, and was classified as day-to-day. Today, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reported that Halliday was at Senators practice, albeit in a non-contact jersey. That would appear to indicate that Halliday is working his way back, but still has some way to go before he’s fully ready to return to head coach Travis Green’s lineup. Halliday, 23, has 10 points in 21 NHL games for the Senators this season, and 26 points in 22 AHL games.
- New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip to Ottawa, per team reporter Amanda Stein. Glass missed the Devils’ game Thursday against the Nashville Predators with an undisclosed injury. The 26-year-old has carved out a steady role in the middle of the Devils lineup and has scored 13 goals and 18 points in 42 games so far this year.
Blues Place Dylan Holloway On Injured Reserve
3:00 p.m.: According to regional reporter Lou Korac, the Blues have already returned Luff and McGing to AHL Springfield from their emergency call-ups. Korac hinted that this likely means either Jordan Kyrou or Jake Neighbours would return to the lineup tonight.
10:30 a.m.: Dylan Holloway‘s return from a high ankle sprain will be short-lived. According to a team announcement, the St. Louis Blues have placed Holloway back on the injured reserve and recalled Matt Luff and Hugh McGing under emergency conditions.
After suffering a high ankle sprain in his right foot against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 12th, Holloway missed a month of action. He returned against the Edmonton Oilers on January 18th, but has missed the Blues’ last four games. Combined, since mid-December, Holloway has missed 19 games, and that absence is expected to grow.
Technically speaking, Holloway is eligible to return this upcoming Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, given his injury struggles of late, it’s far likelier that St. Louis will hold him out through the Olympic break, giving him ample time to recover fully.
Regardless, it’s been a difficult follow-up campaign for Holloway’s breakout last season. In his first year with the Blues during the 2024-25 season, Holloway scored 26 goals and 63 points in 77 games, helping the team qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Due to the multiple injuries, Holloway has been limited to 34 appearances this year, registering eight goals and 17 points.
Meanwhile, St. Louis has recalled a pair of relatively older options from the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds to fill out the rest of their forward core as they conclude their four-game homestand. The pair have combined for eight games with the Blues this season, scoring two goals and three points.
In Springfield, however, the difference between the two is clear. Luff is leading the team in scoring by a healthy margin, putting up 13 goals and 33 points in 33 games. McGing, on the other hand, has provided more tertiary scoring, providing four goals and 12 points in 35 games.
Atlantic Notes: Luukkonen, Panarin, Lindholm
The red-hot Buffalo Sabres are going to be down a netminder for the next little while. According to Paul Hamilton of WGR Sports Radio, the Sabres expect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to miss the next week with a lower-body injury.
Since the calendar turned to December, Buffalo has a 20-6-1 record in their last 27 games, carrying a team SV% of .906. Luukkonen has played an integral role in stabilizing the crease, earning a 9-4-1 record in 14 games with a .908 SV%. The team will now have to rely on the combination of Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis, likely up until the upcoming Olympic break.
Fortunately, the Sabres are likely comfortable with that. Since the hot streak began in December, not only has Lyon been a boon to the team, but he’s been one of the league’s best over that stretch. The 33-year-old netminder has won nine out of 10 games with a .928 SV% since December 1st.
Other notes from the Atlantic Division:
- The jury is still out on which team will ultimately acquire Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers. On today’s episode of Insider Trading, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated that Panarin’s camp has contacted the Florida Panthers (among others) about potentially facilitating a trade. Still, LeBrun poured some cold water on that idea, indicating that it would be nearly impossible for the Panthers to afford an extension, and Panarin has reportedly made that a requirement.
- The Boston Bruins will be without their first-line center tonight. According to Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald, forward Elias Lindholm is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. However, Conroy hinted that Lindholm’s recovery timeline could extend beyond that, given that he’s meeting with team doctors today.
Capitals Recall Clay Stevenson
According to a team announcement, the Washington Capitals have recalled netminder Clay Stevenson from the AHL’s Hershey Bears. The Capitals already have a full 23-man roster, so they’ll need to make a corresponding roster move before tonight’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Stevenson’s recall immediately indicated that Washington would be down a typical netminder for tonight’s contest. According to Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post, Logan Thompson was not with the team for this morning’s practice, so he won’t be available in Detroit.
After practice, Johnson confirmed that Thompson is dealing with an upper-body injury that’s expected to keep him out for the next few days. During the Capitals’ six-game road trip, Thompson started in three games, achieving a record of 1-2-0 with a .880 SV%.
Meanwhile, Stevenson, 26, returns to Washington for the second time this season. His first recall came back in early December, though he failed to participate in any games. His last, and only, NHL contest came back in mid-April of last season, where he stopped 33 of 38 shots in a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Taking over as the de facto starter with Hershey after Hunter Shepard departed in free agency, Stevenson has performed well. Through 24 games this season, he’s managed an 11-8-4 record with a .912 SV% and 2.57 GAA.
Injury Updates: Maple Leafs, Greenway, Blues, Hedman, Ristolainen
The Maple Leafs have placed defenseman Dakota Joshua and defenseman Chris Tanev on LTIR, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). Joshua is dealing with a lacerated kidney that has kept him out for the last month and while he has started light skating, he’s not expected to return until after the Olympic break. Tanev, meanwhile, has missed the last month with a groin issue. There’s no timeline for his return but he has already missed the required 10 games and 24 days so if he returns – something that is in the air with him reportedly uncertain about surgery – so he’s eligible to be activated at any time.
Other injury news from around the NHL:
- Sabres winger Jordan Greenway has been limited this season after undergoing two sports hernia surgeries over the last 13 months. He doesn’t play in back-to-backs and practice time has been limited. Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald mentions that the veteran is expected to meet with doctors on Thursday to determine if what he’s dealing with in terms of discomfort is something that can be fixed or if it’s something he just has to keep playing through. If any sort of procedure is needed, now would be a good time with the three-week break coming up which would limit the amount of time Greenway would miss.
- The Blues announced (Twitter link) that wingers Jordan Kyrou (upper body) and Jake Neighbours (lower body) are listed as day-to-day after undergoing further evaluations on their respective injuries. Head coach Jim Montgomery was unsure if either player would be available for Thursday’s game against Florida. Both Kyrou and Neighbours left Tuesday’s loss to Dallas but it appears it’s the best-case scenario for both of them.
- Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman took part in practice today for the first time since being sidelined with an elbow injury nearly seven weeks ago, relays Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. The 35-year-old has missed 33 of the last 36 games and has a dozen assists in 18 games this season while averaging just over 21 minutes per game. Hedman has long been targeting a return that would allow him to play in the Olympics and it appears he’s on track to do so. Notably, head coach Jon Cooper didn’t rule out the possibility of the captain returning for Sunday’s Stadium Series game.
- The Flyers announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen left tonight’s game against Columbus due to a lower-body injury. He played 1:01 over two shifts before exiting. The 31-year-old missed more than two months to start the season due to a triceps injury, then missed six more this month to an upper-body issue, one that he just returned from on Monday. Ristolainen has been limited to just three assists and 25 blocks in 15 games when he has been in the lineup. Notably, he’s set to play for Finland in the Olympics so if this injury is set to keep him out for more than a couple of weeks, that could cause him to miss the event.
Canucks Notes: Kane, Buium, Hoglander
It’s already known that winger Evander Kane won’t finish the year with the Vancouver Canucks since the team allowed his agent to negotiate a trade to another organization. Still, Kane has yet to be moved.
Most of the interest in Kane is coming from the Western Conference, where he may prefer to remain. The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars have already been linked, with beat writer Robert Tiffin confirming the latter team’s interest earlier today. Additionally, Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period reported today that the Los Angeles Kings have entered the mix for Kane’s services.
Multiple outlets have claimed that the Canucks were willing to retain some salary on the remainder of Kane’s contract and are only looking for a prospect or draft capital in return. Throughout his career, Kane has achieved at least a 20-goal campaign more often than not, though he has struggled to put the puck in the net this year, with nine goals in 52 games. Still, interested teams have likely placed more value on his playoff performance the past two years, scoring 10 goals and 20 points in 41 games, with 159 hits, helping the Edmonton Oilers reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals.
Additional notes from the Vancouver Canucks:
- After losing netminder Thatcher Demko for the remainder of the season, Vancouver may also be without one of their top young blue-liners for the foreseeable future. Passing along a note from head coach Adam Foote, Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre reported that defenseman Zeev Buium has a broken cheekbone and that surgery has not been ruled out. The Canucks are wholly expecting him to remain out through the upcoming Olympic break. Buium has scored two goals and six points in 20 games, while averaging 20:25 of ice time per night, since being acquired from the Minnesota Wild in mid-December.
- The injury concern doesn’t end there for the Canucks. According to Sportsnet’s Randip Janda, forward Nils Höglander is being evaluated for a lower-body injury from yesterday’s game against the San Jose Sharks. It’s not the first time Höglander has dealt with injury concerns this year, missing the first two months of the season due to a separate lower-body ailment. He has registered only two assists in 18 games since returning.
Thatcher Demko Out For Season
12:01 p.m.: The Canucks are shutting Demko down for the season to undergo hip surgery, the team announced. He ends his year with an 8-10-1 record in 20 appearances with a .895 SV% and 2.90 GAA – both strong numbers behind a lax Vancouver defense.
8:35 a.m.: The Vancouver Canucks have been without starting netminder Thatcher Demko since January 10th, and his absence could extend even further. According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, the Canucks are expected to provide clarity on Demko’s injury later today, and he may be done for the 2025-26 campaign.
Speculation regarding his availability for the remainder of the season came from Vancouver’s head coach, Adam Foote, who admitted that Demko’s season may be over. The nine-year veteran has been dealing with chronic knee issues for the last few years and was out with a groin ailment earlier this season.
At the time, Foote only acknowledged that Demko is dealing with a lower-body injury, and there’s no word on whether it’s related to his previous afflictions. If it is, Demko may need relatively invasive surgery, which could sideline him for months. Dreger confirmed that Demko has been meeting with medical specialists, which would explain the lack of clarity from the Canucks.
Additionally, it wouldn’t be a bad year for Demko to take off to regain his health. Vancouver is currently in the league’s basement with a 17-30-5 record and has no realistic pathway back to contention, even with Demko between the pipes.
Still, even if he does have surgery, there should be significant concern from the Canucks. If he misses the rest of the season, he will have made only 43 starts in the last two seasons. For comparison, Demko made 51 starts during the 2023-24 season alone.
Despite the injuries, Vancouver signed Demko to a three-year, $25.5MM ($8.5MM AAV) extension that begins next season. Considering that they’re already paying Kevin Lankinen $4.5MM through the 2029-30 campaign, that’s a relatively high price to pay for a goalie tandem on a non-competitive team.
Senators Recall Xavier Bourgault; Reassign Mads Sogaard
According to a team announcement, the Ottawa Senators have recalled forward Xavier Bourgault from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Additionally, the team has reassigned netminder Mads Søgaard in a corresponding roster move.
Toward the end of Ottawa’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, depth forward Stephen Halliday left with an undisclosed injury. The Senators haven’t elaborated on Halliday’s injury, but the belief is that it isn’t too severe.
Furthermore, since the team activated Linus Ullmark from the non-roster list on the same day, there was little need for three netminders on the roster. For the Senators’ sake, they’ll hope to get better results from the tandem of Ullmark and veteran James Reimer.
Bourgault, 23, has spent much of the season with AHL Belleville. He’s had an inspired season, placing second on the team in scoring with 14 goals and 37 points in 43 games. He made his NHL debut this past December, going scoreless in 6:43 of action against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Meanwhile, Søgaard will look to get his performance back on track in the AHL. He’s only two years removed from providing a .916 SV% in 32 games with AHL Belleville, but has been wholly disappointing since. He’s managed a 4-8-4 record in 18 games this season with a .889 SV%. If he wants a realistic chance to make Ottawa’s opening night roster next season, he must rediscover his game by the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Flyers Activate Rasmus Ristolainen, Reassign Hunter McDonald
1/26/2026: The Flyers reversed these moves in advance of their game tonight against the New York Islanders, sending McDonald down to AHL Lehigh Valley and activating Ristolainen.
Ristolainen ended up missing six games as a result of his upper-body injury. The Flyers went 2-3-1 in Ristolainen’s absence.
Returning to the AHL after a little over a week at the NHL level is McDonald. McDonald didn’t dress for any games during his most recent recall, instead serving as a healthy scratch for four contests.
Although he didn’t play, this recall wasn’t without benefit for McDonald. Not only did he get to practice with the team and get some face time with the Flyers’ NHL coaching staff, he also got a significant pay raise for the duration of his recall. McDonald, who is still waiting on the chance to make his NHL debut, is playing out the final year of the two-year entry-level contract he signed in April 2024. The deal carries a $950K NHL salary, which dwarfs its AHL salary of $82.5K by a considerable margin.
The sizable pay bump McDonald enjoyed likely softens the blow of being reassigned before he could get the chance to make his NHL debut.
1/17/2026: The Philadelphia Flyers will embark on a three-game road trip without one veteran defender. Rasmus Ristolainen won’t be healthy for the road trip after missing the last two games with an upper-body injury. He has been placed on injured reserve to open a spot for Philadelphia to recall Hunter McDonald from the AHL.
Ristolainen’s IR designation can be made retroactive to his last game on January 12th. That means he has already missed five of the seven days required and could join Philadelphia on their road-trip after the first game. Ristolainen has carried a day-to-day designation through the last week. His absence isn’t expected to be long term, head coach Rick Tocchet told NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer.
The 31-year-old defenseman is again having a tough time staying healthy. He missed the first 31 games of the season while recovering from a ruptured tricep tendon suffered in March. Ristolainen played in 13 games after making his season debut in mid-December and before sustaining this upper-body injury. He recorded three assists, a minus-three, and four penalty minutes in those appearances.
Injuries have become routine for Ristolainen. He has missed 127 games across five seasons with the Flyers and only averages 49 appearances each year. In total, Ristolainen has posted 10 goals, 62 points, and a minus-19 in 247 games with the Flyers. His best season in Philadelphia came in 2022-23 when he scored 20 points in 74 games played.
The Flyers will brace for a road trip without Ristolainen by rewarding McDonald with the first in-season call-up of his career. The 2022 sixth-round pick is in his second full season in the AHL, after playing an 11-game sample at the end of the 2023-24 season. He has recorded 26 points and 172 penalty minutes in 115 AHL games – carrying forward the hard-hitting and antagonistic style he carved out through three seasons in the USHL and two seasons at Northeastern University.
McDonald will serve as Philadelphia’s extra defenseman for at least one game, while Noah Juulsen hangs onto his role in the lineup. Juulsen has two points in his last five games and seven points in 33 games on the season.