NHL Status Report: Thomas out until after Olympics for Blues

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

St. Louis Blues

Robert Thomas had a minor procedure on his leg and is expected to be out until after the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the team announced Saturday. The forward hasn’t played since Jan. 10 and was placed on injured reserve Jan. 15 with a lower-body injury. “The consensus was that, in the end, if he gets this done, it would be the best thing long term instead of trying to manage it,” St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery said. “I think it was just becoming a nuisance to him. It’s no fun every time that you take a stride and you have pain.” Thomas leads the Blues with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 42 games this season. The NHL’s Olympic break will run from Feb. 6-24; St. Louis’ first game after the break is Feb. 26, when it hosts the Seattle Kraken.

Boston Bruins

Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha are each 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) because of an upper-body injury. The forwards did not travel for the start of a two-game road trip, which ends at the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. Lindholm missed a 6-3 win against the Flyers on Thursday, and Zacha left in the second period of that game. Boston coach Marco Sturm said each is day to day and that the injuries aren’t serious enough to affect either player for the Olympics, with play beginning Feb. 11. Lindholm is set to represent Sweden and Zacha will suit up for Czechia.

Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar returned from an upper-body injury in a 3-2 overtime win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The center and Kings captain missed 11 games after he was injured during a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 5. Kopitar, who won 10 of 14 face-offs in 16:13 of ice time Saturday, has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 38 games this season, which he’s said will be his last in the NHL. … Alex Turcotte (upper body) was placed on injured reserve; the forward has been out since Jan. 24.

Ottawa Senators

Linus Ullmark made 26 saves in a 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday in his first start since Dec. 27. The goalie took a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons on Dec. 28 and had served as the backup the previous two games.

Florida Panthers

Forwards Brad Marchand (undiclosed) and Anton Lundell (upper body) did not play in a 2-1 loss against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. Marchand did not play after in the second period in a a 5-4 loss at the St. Louis Blues on Thursday; he ranks second for the Panthers with 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 45 games. Lundell missed his second straight game; he was injured in a 4-3 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday and did play in the third period of that game. Lundell has 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 52 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs

William Nylander returned in a 3-2 shootout win at the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, finishing with five shots on goal in 20:29 and scoring in the shootout. The forward had missed seven games with a groin injury. 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.

Washington Capitals

Forward Connor McMichael, and goalies Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren did not play for the Capitals in a 4-3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. McMichael was placed on injured reserve Saturday and is week to week after sustaining an upper-body injury in the third period a 4-3 shootout win at the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. Lindgren sustained an undisclosed injury late in overtime Thursday but remained in for the shootout before being helped to the locker room after the game. Thompson missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Goalie Clay Stevenson made 19 saves in his second NHL start, and Garin Bjorklund was recalled from Hershey of the American Hockey League to serve as the backup. Forward Bogdan Trineyev was also recalled from Hershey but did not play. … Defenseman Matt Roy (lower body) was placed on injured reserve and missed his third straight game. He is day to day, per Capitals coach Spencer Carbery.

San Jose Sharks

Philipp Kurashev (upper body) and Shakir Mukhamadullin (undisclosed) each returned in a 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday. Neither player had a point in the loss. Kurashev, a forward, had missed 19 games; Mukhamadullin, a defenseman, had missed 11 games. … Forward Kiefer Sherwood (undisclosed) is not quite ready to make his Sharks debut. The forward, who was acquired in a trade with the Canucks on Jan. 19, remains day to day. “We’re getting closer, just not 100 percent there yet for today,” San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky said.

Buffalo Sabres

Josh Norris (upper body) and Jacob Bryson (upper body) participated in the morning skate for the Sabres prior to their 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Norris, who hasn’t played since Jan. 14, has been limited to 19 games this season; the forward has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists). Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said Norris will practice again on Sunday; Bryson, a defenseman, is day to day and could return at the Florida Panthers on Monday. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in 33 games. Bryson has been out since Jan. 22. ... Jordan Greenway was a game-time decision but did not play. The forward has been dealing with a lingering issue from having multiple hernia surgeries last year. ... Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is "going to miss a little bit of time" because of a lower-body injury, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said, but there has been no determination as to whether the goalie will be available to play for Team Finland at the Olympics. Ruff said Thursday Luukkonen would be reevaluated in one week. The 26-year-old was injured during the first period of a 7-4 win at Toronto on Tuesday. Luukkonen is 11-7-2 with a 2.73 GAA and .903 save percentage in 21 games (20 starts). "We really haven't talked about [the Olympics] yet,” Ruff said. "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."

New York Islanders

Casey Cizikas was back in the lineup in a 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday, finishing with two shots on goal in 10:37. The Islanders forward missed a 2-1 win at the New York Rangers on Thursday because of an illness. … Calum Ritchie (lower body) did not participate in the morning skate and missed his fourth straight game. Ritchie, a forward, hasn’t played since a 5-0 loss to the Sabres on Jan. 24. Islanders coach Patrick Roy said Ritchie is not expected to play again until after the Olympic break.