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Snapshots: Fox On IR, Ekman-Larsson, Blue Jackets

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1:00 PM: Further updates have come on Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, as per Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic, the star will be placed on long-term injured reserve. Fox is expected to miss multiple weeks due to the shoulder injury. ESPN reporter Emily Kaplan shared that, at least, a longer term injury was avoided, and Fox should be set for the Olympics. However, it is a major blow to the struggling team nonetheless, to trudge into December without their #1 defenseman.

The 27-year-old alternate captain is tied for the Rangers’ team lead in points, with 26 in 27 games. In a season which has certainly not gone to plan, Fox has been a bright spot, playing at a franchise level, right on track with his best production to this point, which has been the 70+ point level.

Now, eyes may turn to GM Chris Drury to make a move to help out a seriously deflated defense corps, which has come at such an inopportune time. While questions exist on if Rangers can even keep up healthy or not, the franchise is at a serious crossroads. Now with Fox going down, Drury’s hand could be forced to try and provide reinforcements, although further mortgaging the future in an attempt to right the ship would be risky, as prior such moves to this point have already not panned out as initially hoped.

10:00 AM: The New York Rangers have not played up to expectation thus far in 2025-26, and their chances of making a serious push to climb the Eastern Conference standings may have taken a serious hit yesterday. Fox left yesterday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning with an injury, and head coach Mike Sullivan told the media after the game, including Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic, that Fox has suffered an upper-body injury and is still being evaluated.

While we are still waiting on official word on the extent of Fox’s injury, Daily Faceoff’s Arthur Staple cited sources this morning who said that Fox’s injury situation “doesn’t look good.” If Fox does indeed miss any kind of extended time, the Rangers would be left in an even more perilous position. Fox, the 2020-21 Norris Trophy winner, quarterbacks the Rangers’ top power play unit, a unit that the team has been heavily reliant on during its most recent competitive period. The team’s third-leading scorer, Mika Zibanejad, has been highly reliant on the power play for most of the offense he generates, so in the absence of Fox, it’d be fair to wonder where the Rangers’ offensive production will come from. The club doesn’t have another player with clear-cut power play quarterback ability. The team’s No. 2 defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov scored 30 points last season, but would be an imperfect fit in that role. Prospect Scott Morrow has gotten into some NHL games and has that kind of natural offensive ability, but Mercogliano wrote on Nov. 15 that “the early whispers” he’d heard from AHL Hartford regarding Morrow’s play were not “overly positive.” Morrow, who was ranked as the Rangers’ No. 2 prospect by Elite Prospects entering the season, has three points in 12 AHL games this season and one point in four NHL games.

Other notes from around the NHL:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson couldn’t finish yesterday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins due to an upper-body injury, head coach Craig Berube told the media yesterday. (via The Hockey News’ David Alter) Berube added that Ekman-Larsson would be evaluated today and that the injury isn’t expected to be serious. If the Maple Leafs lose Ekman-Larsson for any time due to this injury, it would cost them a very valuable player. Ekman-Larsson has been stellar in 2025-26, scoring 20 points in 25 games. That’s a 66-point pace over 82 games, a steep increase from the 29 points he scored in all of 2024-25. Ekman-Larsson also contributes on the penalty kill, albeit on a less regular basis compared to his contributions on the man advantage. The 34-year-old has two seasons left on his deal beyond this one at a $3.5MM AAV rate.
  • Columbus Blue Jackets team reporter Jeff Svoboda reported today that veterans Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan did not participate in today’s practice, and that the two players “have been battling through some things of late.” Werenski has been managing an upper-body injury, but thus far it hasn’t impacted his ability to dress for games. Werenski is Columbus’ most important player, skating in 26:30 per game with 24 points in 25 contests. Monahan dealt with an upper-body injury earlier in November, but it’s unclear at this time if his current ailment is related to what he was managing earlier this month. The 31-year-old pivot has had a slower-than-expected start to 2025-26, scoring just 11 points in 25 games. He scored 57 points in 54 games last season and was awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy for 2024-25.

Blue Jackets Recall Luca Del Bel Belluz

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The Blue Jackets announced that they have recalled center Luca Del Bel Belluz from AHL Cleveland. Defenseman Erik Gudbranson was moved to injured reserve in the corresponding move.

Del Bel Belluz’s addition to the roster comes in the wake of an injury to top center Sean Monahan, who left last night’s game against the Flames after sustaining an apparent upper-body injury late in the second period on an awkward collision into the end boards with Calgary rearguard Rasmus Andersson. Columbus isn’t expecting Monahan to miss significant time, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reports, but a short-term absence still appears likely.

Del Bel Belluz is in his third season of professional hockey after the Jackets picked him in the second round of the 2022 draft, 44th overall. He’s in the second year of his entry-level contract, which carries a reduced cap hit of $859,999 because of a pair of slide years. With over $16MM in cap space, according to PuckPedia, there’s virtually no limit on the roster moves Columbus can make.

The No. 4 prospect in Columbus’ system got his first legitimate taste of NHL action last season and looked the part. He made his debut the previous season but only played in one game. That time around, he got 15 appearances in January and February, also due in part to a Monahan injury. He was given bottom-six deployment but still averaged a respectable 13:45 of ice time per game, about 50 seconds of which came on the power play. He was productive in his chance, scoring twice and adding six assists for eight points. He only won 43% of his faceoffs – as to be expected for a rookie – and he wasn’t particularly physical with just four hits. His possession impacts were undesirable as well, although the Jackets will wait for a larger sample size before making any determinations on the quality of his two-way play.

While his defensive growth remains a question mark, Del Bel Belluz’s offensive ceiling is evident. In a Columbus pool flush with up-and-coming centers, he has some work to do to stand out, but he is making a real push. Now, 21, he has three goals and five points through his first seven games for Cleveland this season. Last year, he was named to the AHL’s All-Star Game amid a 27-goal, 53-point effort in 61 showings.

Columbus already had Yegor Chinakhov sitting as an extra forward, but he’s a winger. With Monahan facing missed time, they wanted insurance down the middle. They have options already dressed on the wing who can easily slot in down the middle – Boone Jenner and Cole Sillinger, in particular – but, understandably, head coach Dean Evason doesn’t want to mess too much with a forward group that’s helping Columbus generate 32.8 shots per game, second-most in the league.

The Blue Jackets aren’t back in action until Saturday, so they have some time to make a determination on Monahan’s status. As for Gudbranson, he’s on his second multi-game absence of the season already. He hasn’t played since Oct. 25 due to a hip issue, so since he’s missed more than a week, he’s eligible for activation at any time. The 33-year-old has only made four appearances this season because of his hip problem and a previous upper-body issue. He’s averaged only 14:51 per game and has a -2 rating.

Sean Monahan Wins 2025 Masterton Trophy

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The NHL has announced the winners of a few awards and trophies this week, including the Selke and Ted Lindsay. Today, the league announced that Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is this year’s recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually “to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”

Monahan, 30, signed a five-year contract with Columbus in free agency last season. One of the reasons for doing so was having a chance to reunite with his close friend and longtime Flames linemate, Johnny Gaudreau. Yet Monahan’s and the entire NHL season were overshadowed when Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were struck and killed by a drunk driver while cycling near their New Jersey home in late August, weeks before training camp began.

The Blue Jackets responded by staying in the playoff race until the final days of the regular season, a far better finish than anyone expected. That success was fueled in large part by Monahan, who recorded a career-high 0.70 assists per game and 1.06 points per game while also earning Selke votes for the second time in his 12-year career. He logged 57 points in 54 games, on pace to lead Columbus in scoring if not for missing nearly 30 games in the second half of the season with a wrist injury.

This year’s other finalists were Wild goaltender Marc-André Fleury, whose 2024-25 season was the last of a Hall-of-Fame career spanning 21 seasons, and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who returned to the ice in the postseason after a nearly three-year absence due to a knee injury.

While the 2025 NHL Awards ceremony will be held before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, the league has been surprising the winners of other honors in the days leading up to it.

Marc-Andre Fleury, Gabriel Landeskog, Sean Monahan Named Masterton Trophy Finalists

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The NHL has announced the three finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The award is presented each year to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” This year’s finalists are Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan.

The race for the sportsmanship title may be closer than ever this season. Leading the back is the 40-year-old Fleury, who played the last game of his illustrious career on Tuesday night. Fleury is one of just three goaltenders to ever be drafted first overall, and he’s the only one of the trio to play through a full career in the NHL. He amassed 1,051 appearances and ended his career on a strong note this season, posting a satisfactory 14-9-1 record and .899 save percentage while serving as Minnesota’s backup. Fleury went through a true farewell tour this season, facing standing ovations and long hand-shake lines in many of his final stops around the league. A Masterton win would acknowledge the 21 years of formidable hockey and warm personality that Fleury offered the league.

While Fleury stands for achievement, Landeskog will represent true perseverance on this year’s ballot. The Avalanche captain made his long-awaited return to the ice this postseason, finally marking the end of his recovery from a skate-cut injury suffered in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Multiple surgeries and extended absences marked his 2021-22 campaign, though he stayed together long enough to net 22 points in 20 playoff games en route to Colorado’s 2022 Stanley Cup win.

But Landeskog fell completely out of the lineup after he lifted the Cup, and has spent the last three years fighting to return to game shape. His journey to recovery was outlined in the ’A Clean Sheet’ documentary, hosted on HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. After three years of dedication, Landeskog has looked back to form in his return to the ice. He has four points in four playoff games and helped will a Game 7 when Colorado faced elimination on Thursday night.

For Monahan, Masterton recognition will mean something else entirely. The 30-year-old centerman signed a five-year, $27.5MM contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets last summer, intent on joining close friend Johnny Gaudreau on the team’s top line. But tragedy struck when Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by an alleged drunk driver in the weeks leading up to the season.

It was Earth-shattering news for much of the Columbus organization and fanbase, especially Monahan, who now lives two doors down from the Gaudreau family in Columbus. He channeled any emotions into incredible hockey to start the year, netting 41 points in 41 games to start the season. But Monahan sustained a right-wrist injury on Jan. 7 that forced him to miss nearly 10 weeks of action. He stayed hot when he returned, finishing the year with 16 points in 13 games, but the surge fell just a little short, and Columbus ultimately missed the postseason by just one win. Even then, Monahan’s season was a deep show of the resilience, community, and compassion that exists in the hockey world – all attributes that seem aptly summarized by the Bill Masterton Trophy.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports.

Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan And Erik Gudbranson Return

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After activating both center Sean Monahan and defender Erik Gudbranson from injured reserve earlier today, both players are in fact the lineup tonight against the Islanders, per a team release.

Both veterans return after lengthy absences. Gudbranson has missed the last 66 games with a shoulder injury that required surgery, while Monahan (upper body) returns following 28 games out of the lineup. The return of both should support Columbus’ attempt to secure a playoff spot, and their returns are particularly timely given the team’s recent six-game winless streak. The Blue Jackets currently find themselves four points out of the final wild card spot in the east.

Gudbranson has suited up in just three games on the season, his third in Columbus. A veteran of 792 games, Gudbranson has registered 133 points during his 13-year career, but his true calling card is in the defensive zone where he has carved out a solid career by utilizing his 6’5, 222-pound frame to play a physical and defensively responsible style. Gudbranson is paired with Denton Mateychuk on the team’s third defensive pairing tonight. The veteran also adds 31 games of playoff experience to his resume.

Meanwhile, Monahan is slotted back on the team’s first line between wingers Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko in his first game action since Jan. 7. In 41 games on the season, Monahan has posted 14 goals, 41 points, and a plus-17 rating. Monahan was a key part of Columbus’ early-season success, and his return should help the team’s offense as they make a run at the playoffs. Monahan has registered eight seasons with at least 20 goals during his 12-year career and was well on his way to hitting that mark again this season before his injury. In 805 career games, the 30-year-old has registered 258 goals and 579 points. He has added 22 points in 35 career playoff games.

Blue Jackets Activate Erik Gudbranson, Sean Monahan

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March 24: Gudbranson and Monahan will be coming off injured reserve and making their returns tonight, head coach Dean Evason confirmed. The team later announced they’ve both been activated.

March 23: Columbus Blue Jackets reporter Jeff Svoboda tweeted that center Sean Monahan and defenseman Erik Gudbranson may return to the lineup tomorrow night when the Blue Jackets take on the New York Islanders.

Monahan hasn’t played since January 7th, when he suffered a wrist injury in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 30-year-old was in the midst of a career year, having tallied 14 goals and 27 assists in 41 games. The Brampton, Ontario native signed with Columbus as a free agent last summer on July 1st, inking a contract that was largely panned by critics. However, Monahan has played well above expectations for the Blue Jackets and helped lead them into the playoff picture in a year where they weren’t expected to contend for the postseason. His return should give Columbus a boost as they try to snap a six-game losing streak.

Gudbranson hasn’t played since mid-October after he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery. The 33-year-old has played just three times during the 2024-25 season, last suiting up on October 15th. The Ottawa, Ontario native had a career year last season, tallying six goals and 20 assists in 78 games while continuing to provide his usual physical presence.

The Blue Jackets sit four points back of Montreal for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and will certainly welcome the return of two veterans who should help them in their push for the postseason.

Injury Updates: Lowry, Heineman, Blue Jackets, Maple Leafs

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The Jets will have their captain back in the lineup tonight versus St. Louis as the team announced (Twitter link) that Adam Lowry will return after missing the last three-plus weeks with an upper-body injury.  The 31-year-old was on pace for a career year offensively before being sidelined after collecting 11 goals and 15 assists in his first 48 outings while averaging 15:24 per night of ice time.  He’s likely to return to the middle-six role he held before being sidelined while being a key part of their penalty kill.  Winnipeg had two open roster spots so no corresponding move needed to be made to activate Lowry.

Other injury news from around the NHL:

  • The Canadiens will welcome back Emil Heineman tonight against Ottawa, per a team announcement (Twitter link). The rookie has chipped in with 10 goals and seven assists in 41 games despite primarily playing on Montreal’s fourth line as he’s averaging just over 11 minutes a night.  Heineman missed the last five weeks with an upper-body injury sustained on a road trip in Utah when he was struck by a car.
  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic provided (Twitter links) a pair of updates on injured Blue Jackets veterans. Center Sean Monahan skated today and has been skating on his own for a while as he hopes to be back soon from his wrist injury.  He was initially expected to be out until mid-March but is hopeful that he won’t be out for much longer.  Meanwhile, blueliner Erik Gudbranson took part in today’s optional skate.  He has been out since mid-October after undergoing shoulder surgery.  His initial timeline for a return was late March and the fact he’s on the ice now suggests that he’s at least on schedule in his recovery.
  • Maple Leafs winger Max Pacioretty has been ruled out of this weekend’s games after tweaking something earlier in the week, relays Nick Barden of The Hockey News. There’s no timetable yet on how long he’ll miss.  However, they could get center Connor Dewar back on Sunday against Chicago.  Dewar has missed a little over a month with an upper-body injury.  Toronto will have to make a roster move to activate him although that could be as simple as transferring Pacioretty to IR for the time being.

Blue Jackets’ Sean Monahan Expected Out Six To Eight More Weeks

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will remain thin down the middle for the foreseeable future. Columbus announced that center Sean Monahan is expected to miss an additional six to eight weeks due to the wrist injury he suffered on January 7th.

The injury update will likely change the Blue Jackets’ plans for the trade deadline. They had been looking forward to captain Boone Jenner’s return, which would have significantly boosted the team. However, now they will be without a top-six center until mid-March.

Despite missing the last three weeks, Monahan is still the third-highest-scoring player on the team. He’s tallied 14 goals and 41 points in 41 games for Columbus since signing a five-year, $27.5MM contract as an unrestricted free agent last summer.

Given the organization’s renewed playoff aspirations, the Blue Jackets should enter the market for a rental center in the next few weeks. Adam Fantilli has filled the void nicely, scoring five goals and nine points in eight games since Monahan’s injury, but they could use another center regardless. Furthermore, it would be a nice reward for a team that has shattered all preseason expectations. 

Thankfully for Columbus, there should be plenty of talent available. In no particular order, Trent Frederic, Ryan Donato, Jake Evans, Yanni Gourde, and Alexander Kerfoot all come to mind as potential options. The Blue Jackets have both an abundance of draft picks and cap space which conceivably puts them in the market for any available player if they’re willing to meet the price.

Blue Jackets Notes: Jenner, Mateychuk, Sillinger, Monahan

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Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner took to the ice today as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury sustained back in training camp, relays Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers (Twitter link).  It’s the first time the captain has skated with the team since suffering the injury.  Jenner has been a key middleman for Columbus for more than a decade when healthy although he has missed time with injuries for five straight years now.  Considering he’s just starting to skate with the team now, it’s fair to suggest Jenner is still several weeks away from returning but with the Blue Jackets hanging around the playoff battle in the East, it’s possible that their big trade deadline addition to boost their roster could simply be getting him back in their lineup.

More from Columbus:

  • The Blue Jackets will welcome defenseman Denton Mateychuk back to the lineup tonight against Los Angeles, notes Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 20-year-old had missed three straight games due to illness.  Mateychuk has played in 12 games since being recalled late last month and has held his own in his first taste of NHL action with three points along with 21 blocked shots while averaging a little over 18 minutes a night of playing time.  Mateychuk had gotten off to quite a strong start before that in the minors, collecting 25 points in 27 contests with Cleveland before being brought up.
  • While they’re getting Mateychuk back, the same can’t be said for center Cole Sillinger. Team reporter Jeff Svoboda mentions (Twitter link) that the 21-year-old didn’t take the morning skate and thus is expected to miss his third straight game with an upper-body injury.  Sillinger had a solid first half with 23 points in 45 games while seeing his playing time jump up to 17:40 per night.
  • Compounding Jenner’s absence is that Sean Monahan (wrist) has also been out of the lineup for the past three weeks, weakening their already relatively thin center depth. Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch mentions that while Jenner is hoping to be back after the 4 Nations Face-Off, Monahan is expected to be back before him so Columbus may not have to deal with being down their top two centers for too much longer.

East Notes: Lindgren, Monahan, Samuelsson

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Charlie Lindgren, one of the Washington Capitals’ two starting goaltender options, has left tonight’s game with an upper-body injury and won’t return (X Link). Lindgren left the game early in the second period of tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens after being on the receiving end of a collision with Montreal forward Nick Suzuki.

Several reports indicate that Lindgren has entered concussion protocol, which may delay his next start. It’s highly unlikely Lindgren will travel with the team for tomorrow night’s contest against the Nashville Predators and more information should be provided before the Capitals’ return home on January 14th.

The saving grace for Washington is they have a more than capable goaltender in Logan Thompson to carry the load for the foreseeable future. He’s been the Capitals’ best option this year with a 17-2-2 record in 21 starts with a .919 save percentage and a 2.32 goals-against average. Thompson has already reached 11.0 goals saved above average according to Hockey Reference which is 0.3 lower than Lindgren’s 50-game performance last year.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets got a positive injury update regarding one of their best forwards. Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported earlier that Sean Monahan has avoided fractures on his right wrist and is only dealing with a sprain. The severity of the sprain will provide more clarity on his timeline but it appears the worst-case scenario has eluded Monahan and the Blue Jackets.
  • Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson will miss his second straight game for the Buffalo Sabres. The organization announced that Samuelsson is still dealing with an illness that kept him out of the team’s most recent win against the Ottawa Senators and he won’t be in the lineup tomorrow night. Samuelsson’s absence should give oft-used seventh defenseman Jacob Bryson another opportunity in Buffalo’s lineup against the Seattle Kraken.

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