NHL Status Report: Cooley out minimum of 8 weeks for Mammoth

Welcome to the NHL Status Report. Here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.

Utah Mammoth

Logan Cooley is expected to be out a minimum of eight weeks because of a lower-body injury, Utah general manager Bill Armstrong announced on Thursday. The 21-year-old forward has not played since a 4-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 5. At 15:21 of the third period in that win, Cooley collided with goalie Kevin Lankinen after taking the puck hard to the net on a partial breakaway while being held by Quinn Hughes, who was assessed a minor penalty on the play. Cooley stayed down and was grabbing at his left knee as a trainer came out onto the ice, but he skated off under his own power and was back out on the ice before the end of that power play. Cooley leads the Mammoth with 14 goals and is tied for fourth with 23 points in 29 games this season.

Washington Capitals

Ryan Leonard will be out 3-4 weeks for the Capitals with a shoulder injury. The forward was injured during a 4-3 shootout loss at the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 5, leaving in the first period after a hit from Jacob Trouba. Coach Spencer Carbery said Leonard, who has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 29 games this season, also had facial injuries but no head injury. … John Carlson returned for the Capitals against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. The defenseman had missed Washington's previous three games because of an upper-body injury. … Goalie Charlie Lindgren (upper body) took part in the morning skate and is progressing. He has not played since Dec. 3.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman was placed on injured reserve Thursday because of an undisclosed injury. The Lightning captain was injured in a 6-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, his third game back after missing 12 with an undisclosed injury. Hedman has 12 assists in 18 games this season. "He's going to see to get second opinions on what's wrong with him. Obviously, a step back," coach Jon Cooper said. "We didn't anticipate this. So, can I sit here and say he's day to day or week to week? I can't." ... Defenseman Declan Carlile was recalled from Syracuse of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

New Jersey Devils

Timo Meier has taken a leave of absence from the Devils. The forward is third on the Devils with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 30 games this season. "We got to stick together. We're one big family here," Devils captain Nico Hischier said. "Obviously, we're all thinking about Timo and hope for the best, but at the end of the day, we also have to play a hockey game here, and I know everybody would love to be in the lineup, and there's other guys out of the lineup. But we're big family here and we play for each other and stick together and help each other out however we can."

Minnesota Wild

Mats Zuccarello and Jake Middleton were each placed on injured reserve on Thursday with an upper-body injury. Zuccarello, a forward, left a 4-1 win against the Seattle Kraken on Monday after taking a hit from defenseman Vince Dunn at 14:59 of the first period. He has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 15 games this season. Middleton, a defenseman, had an assist in 16:34 of ice time against Seattle and has six assists in 28 games this season. Forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel and defenseman Matt Kiersted were recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League on Thursday. "I would say it is more than day to day right now," Wild coach John Hynes said. "Usually on those, some certain injuries you have wait a few days to get a grasp of what it is going to be. It's definitely not day to day."

Winnipeg Jets

Connor Hellebuyck was back on the ice with the Jets on Wednesday for the first time since their No. 1 goalie had knee surgery Nov. 22. Hellebuyck was scheduled to miss 4-6 weeks. "He's getting closer, the workload is going up," Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said. Hellebuyck is 8-6-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 14 games this season. He last played on Nov. 15, allowing three goals in a 4-3 shootout win against the Calgary Flames. Hellebuyck, who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the League last season, has played at least 60 games in each of the past four seasons.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Joseph Woll (lower body) was on the ice before the Maple Leafs practiced on Wednesday. The goalie was placed on injured reserve on Saturday, retroactive to Dec. 4, when he did not play in the third period of a 5-1 win at the Carolina Hurricanes. "He felt good today," coach Craig Berube said after the practice. "Like I've said, it's probably a week (before he plays)." Woll didn't make his season debut until Nov. 15 after he left the team in training camp due to a personal matter. He is 4-3-1 with a 2.44 GAA and .928 save percentage in eight games this season. … Defenseman Dakota Mermis (lower body) was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Dec. 8. Berube said he is likely going to be out one month. … Chris Tanev (upper body) practiced in a noncontact jersey. The defenseman has not played since Nov. 1. … Defenseman Henry Thrun was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League. ... Berube said defenseman Brandon Carlo had surgery last week for a lower-body injury and would be out approximately a month following the surgery. Carlo has missed the past 12 games, last playing on Nov. 13.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte were placed on injured reserve Tuesday and are each week to week for the Penguins with an upper-body injury. Malkin missed a 3-2 shootout loss at the Dallas Stars on Sunday after he had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 win at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Dec. 4. He is second on the Penguins with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 26 games. "It's not easy to replace 'Geno.' Pretty much can't," captain Sidney Crosby said. "I think it's just by committee. He's been playing great hockey for us, so we're all going to have to step up and get some points here and play some good hockey until he's back." Lizotte had an assist in 13:59 of ice time Sunday; he has five points (three goals, two assists) in 27 games. Forward Danton Heinen was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. ... Rickard Rakell skated with the Penguins on Tuesday for the first time since having had surgery in October. The forward has missed the past 20 games.

Buffalo Sabres

Jason Zucker is week to week with upper- and lower-body injuries the forward sustained during a 7-4 loss to the Flames on Monday. Zucker left the game briefly after falling into the boards but returned and ended up with two assists. He has 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 21 games this season. The Sabres recalled forward Isak Rosen from Rochester of the AHL. … Goalie Colten Ellis was placed on injured reserve Thursday. He is in concussion protocol after being hit by David Tomasek during a 4-3 overtime win at the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. "He said he was feeling better already, but just protocol now," coach Lindy Ruff said. "So, we'll go through that and get him back as soon as we can."… Josh Norris will miss his second straight game when the Sabres visit the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, MSG-B). The forward was scratched after warmups Tuesday but it was unrelated to the upper-body injury that kept him out for almost two months.