NHL Status Report: Hughes to miss 2nd straight game for Devils with injury

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

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes will miss his second straight game for the Devils against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSGSN) because of a lower-body injury. The forward, named to Team USA's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, was injured during the first period of a 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 29. Hughes skated briefly after practice Monday and skated and shot pucks on his own Tuesday. "It's just a level of strength and obviously pain subsiding but it's more so the strength and to be able to have the necessary reinforcement that you need to play in an NHL game," New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. "His goal is to play on Thursday (against the New York Islanders) and he's trying to do everything that he can to get to that point, but it's really up to the medical team. They're not confident with where he's at but we'll just see what [Wednesday] brings." Hughes has 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 36 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forwards Anthony Cirelli and Nick Paul will each miss the Lightning's final two games before the Olympic break because of undisclosed injuries. Cirelli, on Team Canada's roster, was injured on an open ice hit by Mark Kastelic in the first period of the Lightning's 6-5 shootout win against the Boston Bruins in the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series. "We'll have to evaluate from there," coach Jon Cooper said. "It was just a really awkward collision in the neutral zone. Same with Paul, he injured himself in overtime. It's two huge losses for us." Paul's power-play goal at 16:13 of the second period cut Boston's lead to 5-4, part of Tampa Bay's rally from down 5-1 for a 6-5 shootout victory. … Like Cirelli, Brayden Point's availability for Team Canada remains in question. The forward took part in an optional morning skate Tuesday and was on the ice for warmups before the Stadium Series. He's been out since Jan. 12 with an undisclosed injury. "Those are questions for a whole different press conference," said Cooper, who will coach Team Canada. "It's a wait and see." … The Lightning are home against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+) and the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

Florida Panthers

Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell are possible to return against the Bruins on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT, TVAS). Though neither Bennett nor Lundell took part in an optional practice Tuesday, Marchand wore a regular jersey. All three forwards are day to day. "Put Bennett, Lundell and Marchand all in the same category," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "There is a chance they all play tomorrow, and there's a chance none of them do. We won't know until after the morning skate." ... Bennett left a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday with an upper-body injury after he was minus-1 in 5:11 of ice time. He has 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 55 games. ... Marchand (lower body) has missed two games, is on Team Canada's Olympic roster and second on the Panthers with 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 45 games. ... Lundell (upper body), named to Team Finland's roster, has missed three games in a row and skated before the game Monday. He has 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 52 games. ... forward Aleksander Barkov (knee) and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder) were on the ice for a light workout. Barkov, the Panthers captain, hasn't played all season and Kulikov has missed all but Florida's first two games (Oct. 7 and Oct. 9). "When he walks by in his skates," Maurice said of Barkov, "you realize how big of a man he is (6-foot-3, 214 pounds). You kind of miss him. It's good to have him around, for sure. There's a longing there when you see him walk through in his gear. We got a spot for him."

Buffalo Sabres

Josh Norris could return for the Sabres against the Lightning. The forward (17 points; six goals, 11 assists) has missed 10 games with an upper-body injury. ... Buffalo may be without Zach Benson after they lost the forward to an upper-body injury during the third period Monday. Benson crashed hard into the boards after being tripped up on a scoring chance, then returned for one shift before heading back to the dressing room.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets are likely to get forward Sean Monahan and defenseman Dante Fabbro back for the game at the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSGSN). Monahan left in the third period of a 5-3 win at the St. Louis Blues on Saturday with an illness. Fabbro has missed six games with an upper-body injury.