Elias Pettersson Out, Marco Rossi Could Make Canucks Debut
The whirlwind around the Vancouver Canucks will continue into Sunday’s game against the New Jersey Devils. Vancouver will be without their star forward Elias Pettersson, but could return Marco Rossi back from injury, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic. Rossi has missed over a month of action with a lower-body injury. He has been considered as day-to-day over the last week and could now get the chance to make his Canucks debut in the first possible opportunity.
Rossi should be a major addition to a Vancouver side that’s struggled to fill their top-center role all season long. He scored 13 points in 17 games with the Wild to start the season, and is coming off a career year with 24 goals and 60 points last season. He was a fringe top-line center to start the year, rotating with Joel Eriksson Ek for minutes. That’s a standing he earned in the latter half of last season, when injuries to Eriksson Ek and Ryan Hartman pushed Rossi into a premier role. He hung onto it, despite a playoff series with minimal usage, and now has a chance to grow into a much larger role for Vancouver. The 24 year old scored 49 goals and 114 points in 202 games, and five seasons, in Minnesota.
Even with that production, Rossi could face an immediate challenge stepping in for Pettersson, who hasn’t played in over a week due to an upper-body injury. Pettersson has continued to serve as Vancouver’s top forward. He led the offense in average ice time (20:37) prior to injury and continues to lead the forwards in points (22). Vancouver has struggled in his absence, with only six goals in their last three games – tied for third-worst in the league over the last week.
With a return from injury and recent move weighing him down, Rossi likely won’t be the one to relight Vancouver’s offense out of the gates. His return will be a great indication of what Vancouver will have to offer on the heels of a historic trade. They acquired three young and promising pros and could slot two of them – Rossi and defenseman Zeev Buium – into top-line roles right away. How they’re able to perform under the pressure of a losing season could go far in forecasting Vancouver’s next era, now shaped around three former Minnesota Wild, Pettersson, and inevitably high draft capital.
Senators Recall Olle Lycksell; Lars Eller To Miss An Extended Period
The injury woes continue for the Senators as Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch relays that center Lars Eller has been ruled out for the remainder of their road trip and that he’s expected to miss extended time. To add some extra forward depth to their roster ahead of today’s matinee against Minnesota, the team announced that they’ve recalled winger Olle Lycksell from AHL Belleville.
Lycksell has been up and down this season between Ottawa and Belleville, not getting a chance to play much at either level. The 26-year-old has played in six NHL contests, picking up one goal and nine shots on goal while averaging a little over 10 minutes per night. For his career, his production at the top level has been rather limited as he has two goals and ten helpers in 51 appearances; the others coming over parts of three seasons with Philadelphia.
Lycksell has been more productive with Belleville, however, tallying six points in nine games with them including four in his last four outings this month. It’s unlikely that he’ll have a chance to play the same role with the big club, however, as he’ll likely be on the fourth line if he gets a chance to get in the lineup.
As for Eller, the veteran is dealing with a lower-body injury. He has played in 28 games with the Sens this season, his first with them after coming over in unrestricted free agency on a one-year deal. The 36-year-old has two goals and four assists while also winning over 60% of his faceoffs, a career-best rate. Ottawa is second in the league in team faceoff percentage, so losing him will certainly be a damper in that category.
Devils Place Timo Meier On Non-Roster List, Recall Calen Addison
According to a team announcement, the New Jersey Devils have placed forward Timo Meier on the non-roster list for personal leave/family health matter. New Jersey has recalled defenseman Calen Addison from the AHL’s Utica Comets in a corresponding roster move.
Factoring in the Devils’ announcement from a few days ago, when Meier initially took a personal leave of absence, it appears that he’s dealing with a family health matter. Unlike other designations, such as injured reserve or long-term injured reserve, there’s not a fixed amount of time that Meier has to miss before being eligible to return. Since no specifics have been provided, it is unclear how much time will be missed.
Like PHR’s Ethan Hetu said at the time, “the hockey implications are secondary in this sort of situation, it is important for us here at PHR to at least take a moment to break down the on-ice ripple effect of Meier’s absence.”
For however long Meier is absent from the lineup, and with center Jack Hughes rehabbing a freak hand injury, New Jersey will be without two of their first-line forwards for the time being. Hughes remains the team leader in points-per-game while Meier sits third on the team in scoring with 23 points in 30 games, being the Devils’ leading goal-scorer.
Their first game without the pair didn’t go well, though not because of any lack of offense. New Jersey suffered a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning two nights ago, with Simon Nemec being one of three defensemen to earn a -2 rating.
He’s also the reason the Devils are replacing Meier with a defenseman on the active roster instead of a forward. According to James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now, Nemec injured himself a yesterday’s practice. There’s no timeline for his return aside from Nichols saying “he’s going to miss time.” It’s not expected to be a day-to-day injury.
Nemec, who’s off to a solid start this season, is leading the Devils in scoring among defensemen with seven goals and 18 points in 31 games. Now, without three of their top six scorers moving forward, New Jersey is likely to struggle to climb back into postseason positioning in the Eastern Conference. They’ve lost nine of their last 14 since Hughes exited the lineup.
If Addison plays, it’ll be his first NHL appearance since the 2023-24 campaign. The once 26-assist blue liner for the Minnesota Wild, Addison, is in his first year with the Devils organization, scoring two goals and nine points in 21 games for the AHL Comets.
Kraken’s Jared McCann Out Three Weeks
The Kraken announced today that forward Jared McCann will be out for the next three weeks with a lower-body injury. He remains on the active roster for now, but will be the top candidate for an injured reserve placement if Seattle needs a roster spot.
McCann sustained the injury against the Kings on Wednesday. He left that game late in the third period after an awkward tie-up with Los Angeles goalie Anton Forsberg. All things considered, his being back in the lineup around New Year’s is close to a best-case scenario.
A three-week timeline puts him back in the lineup on Jan. 2 against the Canucks. That has him in for a 10-game absence weeks after returning from a 17-game one. That was also a lower-body issue. All told, the 29-year-old has only been available for 11 games this season. He’s been his usual productive self, racking up five goals and eight points. If not for the missed time, he would be on pace for his fourth straight 60-point season.
Seattle is scoring the fewest goals in the league at 2.50 per game. Already down a top-six piece in Jaden Schwartz, missing the franchise’s all-time leading scorer for another extended period is far from ideal. It also brings to an end a stretch of good health, particularly during his time in Seattle. Entering this season, he’d yet to miss more than 10 games in a season and played a full 82 last year.
A pair of high-profile absences for a retooler/rebuilder like the Kraken would usually mean a promotion for their brightest young players. They won’t be able to do that with 2024 No. 8 overall pick Berkly Catton, who’s out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Instead, it’ll be names like Kaapo Kakko and Mason Marchment shifting up on the wings.
Maple Leafs’ Brandon Carlo Out Another Month
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
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
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
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
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
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.