NHL Status Report: Woll to return for Maple Leafs against Blackhawks

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

Toronto Maple Leafs

Joseph Woll will start against the Chicago Blackhawks at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TSN4, CHSN). The Maple Leafs goalie, who missed their past four games because of a lower-body injury, was a full participant in practice Monday. Woll is 4-3-1 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in eight games this season. ... Defenseman Chris Tanev practiced Monday for the first time since being taken from the ice on a stretcher because of an upper-body injury he sustained during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 1. He will not play against Chicago. "I feel good," Tanev said. "It was great to be out there with everyone and participate in my first full practice. It's a very fluid situation here, so we are going to go day by day and see how things are progressing here." Tanev has played eight games this season. He missed four because of a concussion he sustained Oct. 21, then was injured against the Flyers in his first game back.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak each will make his Penguins debut against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE). Skinner, a goalie, and Kulak, a defenseman, were acquired in a trade with the Oilers on Friday for goalie Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin. Pittsburgh also received a second-round pick in the 2029 NHL Draft. Skinner played 23 games for Edmonton this season, going 11-8-4 with a 2.83 goals-against average, .891 save percentage and two shutouts. Kulak has two assists in 31 games while averaging 17:42 of ice time; he was paired with Jack St. Ivany, who will make his season debut, at the morning skate. … Pittsburgh reassigned goalie Sergei Murashov to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Los Angeles Kings

Darcy Kuemper was placed on injured reserve by the Kings on Tuesday after their No. 1 goalie sustained an upper-body injury during the first period of a 4-1 loss at the Dallas Stars on Monday. Kings coach Jim Hiller did not have an update after the game on Kuemper, who made five saves before a collision with Stars forward Mikko Rantanen at 16:00. Kuemper took a forearm to the head and was down on the ice for several minutes before eventually going back to the locker room under his own power. Goalie Pheonix Copley was recalled from Ontario of the AHL. … Centers Quinton Byfield and Phillip Danault did not play Monday because of illness; Danault missed his second straight game. Los Angeles visits the Florida Panthers on Wednesday and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

Philadelphia Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen will make his season debut against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, NBCSP). It will be the defenseman's first game since March 11; he had surgery to repair a ruptured right triceps tendon March 26 and was expected to miss about six months. Ristolainen began practicing earlier this month, and coach Rick Tocchet said Dec. 11, "I'd be shocked," if Ristolainen didn't play before the Christmas break.

Montreal Canadiens

Mike Matheson is day to day because of an undisclosed injury and will not play against the Flyers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, NBCSP). The defenseman leads the Canadiens in time on ice per game (24:54) and has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 32 games this season. … Rookie goalie Jacob Fowler will make his first start at Bell Centre after going 1-1-0 with an .896 save percentage in road games at the New York Rangers on Dec. 13 and at Pittsburgh on Dec. 11.

San Jose Sharks

Forwards Will Smith (undisclosed) and Philipp Kurashev (upper body) have been placed on injured reserve and won’t be available when the Sharks host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, SNP, SNW, SN360). Each was injured during a 6-5 overtime win at Pittsburgh on Saturday. Kurashev exited at 8:24 of the second period after sliding into the end boards, and Smith left at 3:30 of the third period following a hit from Parker Wotherspoon. Forwards Igor Chernyshov and Ethan Cardwell were recalled from San Jose of the AHL. Chernyshov, 20, has 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 25 AHL games this season.

New Jersey Devils

Brett Pesce (hand) practiced with the Devils on Tuesday and will travel on a two-game road trip that begins at the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. The defenseman, who was paired with Luke Hughes, hasn't played since Oct. 26. He has three assists in nine games this season. “Well, he's going to be on the trip, and there's nothing else to do in Vegas, so you may as well try to get him in the game, so that's the plan,” coach Sheldon Keefe said. New Jersey visits the Utah Mammoth on Friday. ... Simon Nemec (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday; the defenseman has been out since being injured during practice on Dec. 12. Forward Nathan Legare was recalled from Utica of the AHL and joined New Jersey for practice.

St. Louis Blues

Dylan Holloway will be out six weeks because of an injury to his right ankle, the Blues announced before a 5-2 loss to the Nashville Predators on Monday. The forward, who was placed on injured reserve, has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 33 games. … Alexey Toropchenko was activated from injured reserve. The forward, who missed seven games after sustaining burns to his legs in a home accident, has two points (one goal, one assist) in 17 games. St. Louis hosts the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday and the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Ryan McDonagh has been upgraded to day to day but did not return for the Lightning’s 5-2 loss at Florida on Monday. The defenseman has not played since Nov. 8 because of an undisclosed injury. McDonagh, who signed a three-year, $12.3 million contract ($4.1 million average annual value) with Tampa Bay on Dec. 4, has six points (three goals, three assists) in 15 games while averaging 20:10 of ice time. … Coach Jon Cooper said he’s hopeful Andrei Vasilevskiy (undisclosed) will play before Christmas. The goalie has missed the past seven games. … Emil Lilleberg was placed on injured reserve Monday and is week to week. The defenseman did not play after the second period in a 3-2 shootout loss at the New York Islanders on Saturday. The Lightning host the Kings on Thursday.