NHL Status Report: Matthews expected to play for Maple Leafs on Wednesday

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

Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews is expected to be in the lineup for the Maple Leafs when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS), coach Craig Berube said. The captain, who helped the United States win gold at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, had seven points (three goals, four assists) in six games. Matthews has 48 points (36 goals, 22 assists) in 51 games with Toronto this season. "I do (expect Matthews to play)," Berube said. "He's riding a pretty good high right now, you know? He's feeling good. Again, we will evaluate that tomorrow and see where he is at and I will get a better feel when I talk to him here tonight."

Dallas Stars

Mikko Rantanen likely will be out for some time because of a lower-body injury sustained at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The forward missed Team Finland's 6-1 win against Team Slovakia in the bronze medal game Saturday. "I don't have a full update," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said Monday. "I would say to you that we are going to miss him for a little bit here, but I don't know quite [the extent]. He's going to see [the doctor] today, but I wouldn't expect him for the first game or maybe even the first two." Dallas hosts the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; FOX4, KHN/Prime, KING 5, Victory+, KONG) and the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Rantanen leads the Stars with 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists) in 54 games.

Washington Capitals

John Carlson skated on his own in a noncontact jersey Tuesday and is questionable to play when the Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP) in their first game following the Olympic break. Carlson sustained a lower-body injury in Washington's final game before the break, against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 5. "He's day to day," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said of the defenseman. "We'll see how he is tomorrow and then we'll assess for tomorrow night." … Forward Connor McMichael will be activated from injured reserve to play Wednesday after missing the final four games before the break because of an upper-body injury. Carbery said it's still to be determined whether forward Tom Wilson and goalie Logan Thompson will play. Neither practiced Tuesday after returning late Monday from playing for Canada at the Olympics. Defenseman Martin Fehervary, who returned Sunday after playing for Slovakia at the Olympics, practiced Monday and is expected to play against the Flyers. 

Winnipeg Jets

Josh Morrissey (upper body) will miss the start of a three-game road trip at the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3), Jets coach Scott Arniel said after practice Monday. The defenseman was injured during Team Canada's first Olympic game, against Team Czechia on Feb. 12, and didn't play again in the tournament; the Jets placed him on injured reserve Tuesday, retroactive to that date. "He will not be available for Vancouver; we'll kind of give you a heads-up from there," Arniel said. Morrissey leads Jets defensemen with 42 points (10 goals, 32 assists) in 56 games while averaging a team-high 24:37 of ice time. … Defenseman Neal Pionk (lower body) practiced and is expected to play Wednesday for the first time since Jan. 13. … Goalie Eric Comrie is expected to start for Winnipeg with Connor Hellebuyck just returning from the Olympics with Team USA. Goalie Domenic DiVincentiis was recalled from Manitoba of the American Hockey League.

Detroit Red Wings

Dylan Larkin is expected to play for the Red Wings against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, FDSNDET). The center and Detroit captain helped the USA win gold at the Olympics, where he had three points (two goals, one assist) in six games. "If all goes well and the weather and flights and everything cooperate, I think he can sleep in his own bed tonight," Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said Tuesday. "We'll have him around the arena tomorrow. I'm not sure if he'll skate. Expect him to be on the plane and be a factor in Ottawa on Thursday night." Larkin has 51 points (26 goals, 25 assists) in 58 games this season.

Ottawa Senators

Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson will be back when the Senators host the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, FDSNDET), coach Travis Green said Monday, after winning Olympic gold with the U.S. Sanderson leads Senators defensemen with 46 points (11 goals, 35 assists) in 57 games. Tkachuk, Ottawa's captain, has 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 37 games.

St. Louis Blues

Dylan Holloway likely will return when the Blues host the Kraken on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, KHN/Prime, KONG) in their first game after the Olympic break. The forward has missed 23 of 24 games because of a right high ankle sprain sustained during practice Dec. 14. He returned for a 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 18 after missing 15 games but hasn't played the past eight and admitted he probably came back too soon. "I feel much better," Holloway said. "Obviously it's been tough being out. It [stinks]. It's hard mentally, but I'm definitely feeling a lot better than I did before I tried to play the last time." Holloway has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 34 games. … Robert Thomas practiced for the second time since having a right leg procedure, which the Blues announced Jan. 31, but the forward's status for Thursday is to be determined. "I just talked to him at the end [of practice]," coach Jim Montgomery said. "Said he felt good. It's a good step, but it's not all the way there yet."

Vancouver Canucks

Filip Chytil could miss the rest of the season after being hit in the face by a puck during practice Friday. "He had a couple breaks under his eye," coach Adam Foote said Monday. "They haven’t determined if he’ll be out for the season yet. They are going to see another specialist. They don’t think it’s going to have to be surgical. Fingers crossed and we'll wait and see." Chytil has three goals in 12 games this season but didn't have a point in six games before the Olympic break after he returned after missing three months because of a concussion he sustained Oct. 19. ... Goalie Kevin Lankinen's return to Vancouver from playing for Team Finland at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 has been delayed by a snowstorm that blanketed the northeast United States. Foote said Lankinen is stuck in New York, and the hope is he can return to Vancouver sometime Tuesday or Wednesday and potentially play against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday. Lankinen likely won't be available against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3). ... Brock Boeser returned to practice in a noncontact jersey Monday, but Foote said it was more because of a virus than a recurrence of symptoms from the concussion that kept the forward out for the final five games before the Olympic break. Foote said he expects Boeser to skate in a regular jersey Tuesday.