NHL Status Report: Thomas takes leave of absence from Blues

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

St. Louis Blues

Robert Thomas is taking a temporary leave of absence from the Blues because of a personal matter. The forward will not play at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNMW, KHN/Prime, KONG), St. Louis' first game following the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, but is expected to return Friday. Thomas has not played since Jan. 10 and had a right leg procedure, which the Blues announced Jan. 31. He has 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 42 games this season. ... Forward Dylan Holloway likely will return Thursday; he has missed 23 of the past 24 games because of a right high ankle sprain sustained during practice Dec. 14. Holloway has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 34 games.

Washington Capitals

Tom Wilson will be a game-time decision for the Capitals when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP). Coach Spencer Carbery said the forward, who did not participate in the optional morning skate, is feeling under the weather after returning from helping Team Canada win the silver medal at the Olympics. Goalie Logan Thompson, who also played for Canada, will start Wednesday. ... Defenseman John Carlson will not play because of a lower-body injury he sustained against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 5 during the Capitals' final game before the break. ... Forward Connor McMichael is expected to be activated from injured reserve and play after missing the last four games before the break with an upper-body injury.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Brayden Point and Victor Hedman are expected to play when the Lightning return from the Olympic break against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS). An undisclosed injury prevented Point from playing for Canada. The forward left after scoring a power-play goal at 4:29 of the second period in a 5-1 win against the Flyers on Jan 12. Hedman was in uniform and on the bench for Team Sweden, but the defenseman did not play in a 2-1 overtime loss to Team USA in the quarterfinals because of a lower-body injury sustained during warmups. "It's good," the Lightning captain said following practice Tuesday. "It's frustrating and still a little bit of disbelief it happened before one of the most important games of my career, but it is what it is. Representing your country is more than yourself, so you have to be a little unselfish. I felt like not playing was the best for the team. I don't think I could have played at my level in that game." Hedman has 13 assists in 21 games this season. … Canada forward Brandon Hagel, United States forward Jake Guentzel and Team Slovakia defenseman Erik Cernak will be in the lineup for Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Buffalo Sabres

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could return for the Sabres against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, MSG-B). The goalie will be a game-time decision after missing five games with a lower-body injury. Luukkonen is 11-7-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .903 save percentage in 21 games (20 starts) this season. "He is available to play for sure," coach Lindy Ruff said. "… Forward Josh Norris is probable after missing 12 games with an upper-body injury, and forward Josh Dunne is probable after missing 13 games with a middle-body injury. Norris has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 19 games this season. Dunne has four points (one goal, three assists) in 28 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews is expected to be in the lineup at Tampa Bay on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS), coach Craig Berube said Tuesday. The Maple Leafs captain, who helped the U.S. win gold at the Olympics, 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. ... Forward Dakota Joshua is expected to return for the Maple Leafs after missing 19 games with a lacerated kidney. He has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 36 games this season.

Winnipeg Jets

Neal Pionk has a new injury and is week to week, Jets coach Scott Arniel said Tuesday. The defenseman practiced Monday and was expected to face the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; SNP, TSN3). Pionk has been sidelined since Jan. 13 because of a lower-body injury. … Nino Niederreiter is also week to week with an injury Arniel said the forward playing through prior to joining Team Switzerland for the Olympics, where he scored one goal in five games. Niederreiter skated Wednesday, but it did not go as well as hoped. … Josh Morrissey (upper body) will not be on Winnipeg's three-game road trip; Arniel hopes the defenseman is available when the Jets return home to play the Chicago Blackhawks on March 3. He was placed on injured reserve Tuesday retroactive to Feb. 12, when he was injured during Canada's 5-0 win against Team Czechia to begin the preliminary round of the Olympic tournament. … Forward Kyle Connor will play Wednesday after helping Team USA win a gold medal. … Defenseman Haydn Fleury skated in a noncontact jersey, and is day to day. The defenseman was taken from the ice on a stretcher during the first period of a 4-3 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 6.

Montreal Canadiens

Alex Newhook will return for the Canadiens against the New York Islanders on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, MSGSN). The forward has not played since Nov. 13 because of a broken ankle and was expected to be sidelined four months. He has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 17 games this season. "It's been a long few months away from the team," Newhook said Wednesday. "... Excited to get back and excited to help this team down the stretch here."

Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin will not play for the Golden Knights when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNO, SNE, SN1, TVAS). Eichel, a forward, and Hanifin, a defenseman, won the gold medal with the United States at the Olympics. "Jack and Noah I would anticipate would play on Friday (at the Washington Capitals) and be ready to go," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Tuesday. "They'll have had a little bit of a break." ... Forwards Mitch Marner and Mark Stone, and defenseman Shea Theodore are questionable to play Wednesday. All three represented Canada, which won the silver medal at the Olympics. .Cassidy said, though, that forward Tomas Hertl (Czechia), defenseman Rasmus Andersson (Sweden), and goalie Akira Schmid (Switzerland) each would be available. "The Canadian guys we're still sorting through to see how they feel. The other guys are here," Cassidy said. "Tomas came back I think over the weekend, Akira, Rasmus, so, they've kind of acclimated and will be ready to go."

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," Canucks 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 Olympics was delayed by a snowstorm that blanketed the northeast United States. Foote said Lankinen was stuck in New York, and the hope was he could return to Vancouver sometime Tuesday or Wednesday and potentially play against the Kraken on Saturday. Lankinen likely won't be available against the 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.

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 Team 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 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 Ottawa defensemen with 46 points (11 goals, 35 assists) in 57 games. Tkachuk, the Senators captain, has 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) in 37 games.