NHL Status Report: Sanderson week to week for Senators with upper-body injury

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

Ottawa Senators

Jake Sanderson is week to week because of an upper-body injury, Senators coach Travis Green said before their 2-0 win at the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. The defenseman, who won the gold medal with Team USA last month at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, left in the second period of a 7-4 win against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday after a hit into the boards from Brandon Montour. Sanderson, who was replaced by defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo on Monday, leads Ottawa defensemen in goals (11), assists (37), points (48) and time on ice per game (24:49) in 62 games this season. “He’s a big piece for sure,” Green said. “He's an important player for our team, obviously, but like we always do, next man up.” The Senators (32-22-9) trail the Boston Bruins by three points for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Dallas Stars

Mikko Rantanen (lower body) skated Monday for the first time since his injury last month and could return in 2-3 weeks, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said before their game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; FOX4, Victory+, SCRIPPS). The forward was injured during the Olympics and missed Team Finland's 6-1 win against Team Slovakia in the bronze medal game Feb. 21. Rantanen still ranks second for Dallas with 69 points (20 goals, 49 assists) in 54 games. "He skated yesterday for the first time," Gulutzan said. "We're hoping -- it's the 10th day -- it's somewhere in the two, two-and-a-half-week range." … Gulutzan said forward Roope Hintz (lower body) will not need surgery, and the hope remains he’ll be able to return in time for the playoffs next month. Hintz left a 5-4 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday late in the second period after he was injured during a battle along the boards with Nathan MacKinnon. He did not put any weight on his left leg as he was helped off the ice by a teammate and a team trainer. Hintz was playing his first game since missing four because of an illness. "Hopefully we stay on that week-to-week timeline," Gulutzan said. "Hopefully he can play before the playoffs, that would be a plus."

Florida Panthers

Sam Reinhart did not play for the Panthers against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday because of soft-tissue issues. The forward leads Florida in points (59) and goals (28) in 63 games this season. Coach Paul Maurice said that with the Panthers not having played since Friday in Detroit, this was a good opportunity to give Reinhart extra days off to "mitigate" any lingering injury concerns. "We're trying to get ahead of this with Sam Reinhart," Maurice said without going into detail on what his forward is dealing with. "We just had this unusual three-day block … and we thought if we could add two more onto that, we may be able to manage this out." Reinhart is expected to play against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

New York Rangers

J.T. Miller participated in an optional morning skate but missed his fourth straight game when the Rangers hosted the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. It was his first time skating with teammates since sustaining an upper-body injury during the third period of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on March 2. Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said Miller, their captain, is progressing "pretty well" from his injury. "He's had a number of skates on his own with our skills guys," Sullivan said. "He joined the group today. Obviously, suggests progress." Miller was wearing a noncontact jersey, but Sullivan said he thinks it won't be long before he's cleared for contact. "We'll take each day as it comes, but I would anticipate sooner than later," Sullivan said. Miller has 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 51 games this season.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Erik Gudbranson did not travel with the Blue Jackets for the start of a three-game road trip that began at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. The defenseman sustained an upper-body injury on a check by Artemi Panarin during the first period of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. Gudbranson has three points (one goal, two assists) in 21 games while averaging 17:51 of ice time. Columbus (32-21-10) is two points behind Boston for the second wild card in the East.

St. Louis Blues

Colton Parayko will return for the Blues against the New York Islanders on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT). The defenseman has missed five games with back spasms. He has 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 58 games this season.

Seattle Kraken

Jaden Schwartz is out indefinitely because of an upper-body injury, the Kraken announced Monday. The forward left a 7-4 loss to the Senators on Saturday with 45 seconds left in the first period; his face was hit by Nick Cousins’ skate after Eeli Tolvanen hit Cousins into the boards. Seattle coach Lane Lambert said after the game that Schwartz was being evaluated. “It could have been worse, I guess,” Lambert said. Schwartz has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 42 games for the Kraken (29-24-9), who host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, KHN/Prime, KONG). They are one point ahead of the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Justin Brazeau is week to week for the Penguins because of an upper-body injury. The forward had one assist in 15:22 of ice time in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday and did not play in a 5-4 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Sunday. He has 30 points (16 goals, 14 assists) in 48 games this season. ... Defenseman Samuel Girard and forward Kevin Hayes are each day to day because of upper-body injuries. Girard had no points in seven games since being acquired in a trade with the Avalanche on Feb. 24. Hayes has five points (three goals, two assists) in 25 games this season.

Colorado Avalanche

Logan O'Connor, who has not played this season following offseason hip surgery, participated in the morning skate in a noncontact jersey prior to the Avalanche hosting the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS). "He's making really good progress," coach Jared Bednar said of the forward, who will not play against the Oilers. O'Connor had 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 80 regular-season games last season and six points (two goals, four assists) in seven playoff games.

Chicago Blackhawks

Oliver Moore (lower body) will miss "some significant time," Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said after a 3-2 overtime win against the Utah Mammoth on Monday. The forward was injured while crashing into the boards with Colin Blackwell during a 4-3 overtime loss at Dallas on Sunday. Moore has 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 51 games for Chicago (24-29-11), which visits Utah on Thursday.

Calgary Flames

Zach Whitecloud (upper body) is not with the Flames for a five-game road trip that began with a 7-3 loss at the Washington Capitals on Monday. The defenseman was injured Saturday when he fell awkwardly into the boards late in the first period of a 5-4 win against the Hurricanes. Calgary coach Ryan Huska said that Whitecloud, who has four assists in 14 games since being acquired by the Flames in a trade with the Golden Knights on Jan. 18, was day to day.