NHL Status Report: Hellebuyck could return for Jets on Saturday

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

Winnipeg Jets

Connor Hellebuyck was not ruled out to possibly start for the Jets against the Washington Capitals on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SNW, MNMT). "Getting closer," Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel said of Hellebuyck on Friday. "That was a really good practice with bodies and traffic around him. We evaluate him after practices, how he wakes up tomorrow, all of that stuff. We're just goign day-to-day on this one" Hellebuyck, who had knee surgery on Nov. 22 and was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, returned to practice on Wednesday. He is 8-6-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and.913 save percentage in 14 starts this season.

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. Utah next hosts the Seattle Kraken on Friday (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, KHN/Prime, KONG).

Seattle Kraken

Jared McCann will be out three weeks for the Kraken with a lower-body injury and will not play at the Utah Mammoth on Friday (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, KHN/Prime, KONG). The forward was injured in a 3-2 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. McCann, who missed 17 games earlier this season with a lower-body injury, was helped down the tunnel with 39 seconds remaining in the third period after he got tangled with Kings goaltender Anton Forsberg outside the crease. He has eight points (five goals, three assists) in 11 games this season. "Jared's almost a point-per-game guy for us," Seattle coach Lane Lambert said. "We haven't had him very much this year. It's definitely a blow to our offense for sure. But there's nothing you can do about it. Injuries are happening."

Pittsburgh Penguins

Rickard Rakell will return to the lineup for the Penguins against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, NBCSCA, SN1, SN). The forward, who was activated off injured reserve Friday, has missed the past 20 games with since having hand surgery on Oct. 26. He has eight points (three goals, six assists) in nine games this season. "I feel good. Fun being back with my teammates and just being on the ice," Rakell said Friday. "It's been a long time, but I'm excited to play hockey games again. ... [My hand] feels really good now. And I don't feel like I'm thinking about it when I'm out there, so it's a good feeling."

New York Islanders

Jonathan Drouin will return for the Islanders against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET; The Spot, MSGSN). The forward has missed five games with a back injury since he was a late scratch after warmups prior to a 5-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 4. He has 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 26 games this season. … Bo Horvat will not play Saturday and is day to day with a lower-body injury. The forward left at 6:52 of the second period of a 5-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday. His right skate got tangled up with the right skate of Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson, which caused his left knee to bend awkwardly.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Oliver Ekman-Larsson will try to skate Saturday morning, and the defenseman could play for the Maple Leafs against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP). Ekman-Larsson left at 3:21 of the third period of Toronto's 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. He collided with Adam Gaudette and his left ankle appeared to get caught under the San Jose forward as he fell. Ekman-Larsson has 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) in 30 games this season. … Joseph Woll (lower body) practiced again on Friday and the goalie will not play Saturday, but he could return on Tuesday when the Maple Leafs play the Chicago Blackhawks. Woll, who has missed the past three games, 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. ... Chris Tanev was on the ice again Friday. He got imaging done Wednesday and is getting a second opinion on his upper body injury, which has forced him to miss the past 18 games.

Minnesota Wild

Jonas Brodin (undisclosed) is questionable to play for the Wild against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday (2 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, TSN5, TVAS). The defenseman left briefly in the first period but returned and logged 20:59 of ice time in a 5-2 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Brodin has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 30 games. The Wild recalled defenseman David Jiricek from Iowa, their American Hockey League affiliate, in case Brodin cannot play. ... Forward Marco Rossi, who has been out with a lower-body injury since Nov. 17, could return against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.

Washington Capitals

Charlie Lindgren practiced again on Friday and will travel with the Capitals for their road trip that begins at the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; SNW, MNMT). The goalie has not played since Dec. 3 because of an upper-body injury. "We'll find out tomorrow, but trending in the right direction," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said Friday. "He will travel. We just won’t activate him (from injured reserve) until we’re 1,000 percent sure." ... Ryan Leonard will be out 3-4 weeks 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. Leonard has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 29 games this season.

New Jersey Devils

Arseny Gritsyuk is out with an upper-body injury and will miss the next two games for the Devils, including against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, NHLN, KCOP-13, MSG, SN). The forward logged 19:44 of ice time in an 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. Gritsyuk has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 31 games this season. ... Timo Meier, who has taken a leave of absence from the Devils, will also remain out this weekend. The forward is third on the Devils with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 30 games this season.

Ottawa Senators

Lars Eller will miss "at least the next two games" with a lower-body injury, Senators coach Travis Green said Friday. The forward did not play in the third period after blocking a shot in a 6-3 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Eller has six points (two goals, four assists) in 28 games. The Senators play the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (2 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, TSN5, TVAS).

New York Rangers

Matt Rempe is close to returning from an upper-body injury he sustained almost two months ago but the forward will not play against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG, SNE, CITY, TVAS). Rempe was injured after a fight with San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Reaves at 5:55 of the first period of a 6-5 loss to San Jose on Oct. 23. He has one goal in nine games this season.

Carolina Hurricanes

Joel Nystrom signed a four-year, $4.9 million contract with the Hurricanes on Friday. It has an average annual value of $1.125 million and begins next season. The 23-year-old defenseman has four assists in 23 games this season. "Joel stepped into our lineup early in the season and has proven that he belongs in the NHL," Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said. "He fits our style of play well and we are excited to watch his continued development in Carolina."