NHL Status Report: Elias Lindholm, Zacha to miss Stadium Series for Bruins

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

Boston Bruins

Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha each is expected to miss the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS), Bruins coach Marco Sturm said Friday. The forwards are not traveling for the start of a two-game road trip, which ends at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Each is day to day because of an upper-body injury; Lindholm missed a 6-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, and Zacha left in the second period of that game. Sturm said he didn't think the injuries were serious enough to affect either player for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, with play beginning Feb. 11; Lindholm is set to represent Sweden and Zacha will suit up for Czechia.

Florida Panthers

Anton Lundell could return against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (4 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN3) after missing a 5-4 loss at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. The forward was injured in a 4-3 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday and did play in the third period of that game after sustaining an upper-body injury on a hit along the boards late in the second. Lundell has 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 52 games this season.

Toronto Maple Leafs

William Nylander (groin) could return at the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNW, SNP). The forward, who has missed seven games, skated Thursday and said "yeah" when asked Friday if he was ready to return. Nylander leads the Maple Leafs with 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 37 games and was selected to represent Team Sweden at the Olympics. “Missed so many games this year, most I've ever missed, so it's been very tough not being out there every night and playing," Nylander said. "So, it will be nice to hopefully be out there tomorrow night. ... I feel like when the schedule started getting crazy is when I kind of got hurt. So, I had like two weeks off, I played a week, and now two weeks off. So, I haven't really been in the thick of it yet, but coming back from Olympic break, I'll feel it for sure.”

St. Louis Blues

Dylan Holloway was placed on injured reserve by the Blues on Thursday because of a lower-body injury. The forward missed 15 games after injuring his right ankle during practice Dec. 14 before returning to play the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 18, but hasn't played since. The 24-year-old has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 34 games this season.

Buffalo Sabres

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is "going to miss a little bit of time" because of a lower-body injury, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Thursday, but there has been no determination yet whether the goalie will be available to play for Team Finland at the Olympics. Ruff said Luukkonen will be reevaluated in one week. The 26-year-old was injured during the first period of Buffalo's 7-4 win at Toronto on Tuesday. In 21 games (20 starts) this season, Luukkonen is 11-7-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. "I'd say right now we're looking at a week and then see where he's at after that," Ruff said. "We really haven't talked about [the Olympics] yet. We don't want to rule it out or rule it however we have to rule it. Let's just see where we get by early next week."