Welcome to the NHL Status Report. Teams have resumed practicing, with the first games after the Olympic break scheduled for Wednesday. Here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.
Boston Bruins
Pavel Zacha practiced in a regular jersey Saturday, and Bruins coach Marco Sturm said the forward is “good to go” when they return from the Olympic break against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 26. Zacha had been skating in a noncontact jersey this week after he sustained an upper-body injury Jan. 29. Prior to the injury, Zacha was playing on a line with Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson. “Very important,” Sturm told the Bruins website. “How they’ve been our shutdown line, but also produce offensively. You can see it without [Zacha] in the lineup; we missed a little bit of faceoffs, power play. There are a lot of different areas where we kind of missed him. That’s why it’s so nice to have him out there fresh and healthy.” Zacha has 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 54 games this season. … Sturm also said forward David Pastrnak (Team Czechia), center Elias Lindholm (Team Sweden) and defenseman Hampus Lindholm (Sweden) have returned to Boston from the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and could join the Bruins for practice on Monday.
New York Rangers
Matt Rempe will have a procedure to correct an upper-body injury and has been placed on injured reserve by the Rangers. The 23-year-old forward will be evaluated as he progresses. There is no timetable for his return. Rempe has one point (one goal) in 26 games this season. He was also placed on IR after sustaining an upper-body injury on Oct. 23 against the San Jose Sharks before returning on Dec. 15 against the Anaheim Ducks.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Max Crozier will likely be out the remainder of the regular season for the Lightning following surgery to repair a core muscle injury. The 25-year-old defenseman is projected to miss about 10 weeks. Crozier last played Feb. 1, skating 13:36 in a 6-5 shootout win against the Bruins at the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series. He has 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 34 games this season. The Lightning (37-14-4) lead the Atlantic Division and are tied with the Carolina Hurricanes for first in the Eastern Conference with the Stanley Cup Playoffs scheduled to begin April 18.
Washington Capitals
Connor McMichael (upper body) switched from a noncontact jersey to a regular jersey at practice Thursday and is on schedule to return when the Capitals resume play against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP). McMichael, a forward, practiced in a noncontact jersey on Tuesday and Wednesday; he missed the previous four games prior to the Olympic break. "Yeah, he'd be on target," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. "… He has multiple practices left, so that's a good sign."
