NHL Status Report: Stone game-time decision for Golden Knights

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

Vegas Golden Knights

Mark Stone will be a game-time decision for the Golden Knights against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, SCRIPPS, SNE, TVAS). The forward has missed five games since sustaining an upper-body injury in the final minute of the first period of a 5-0 loss to Pittsburgh on March 1. "He hasn't been ruled out or hasn't been ruled in," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "... We'll make that decision tonight." Stone has 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 43 games, third on the Golden Knights behind forwards Jack Eichel (72 points) and Mitch Marner (65).

Buffalo Sabres

Tanner Pearson and Luke Schenn each made his debut with the Sabres against the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Pearson, a forward, and Schenn, a defenseman, were acquired from the Jets separate deals prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday. Pearson has 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 52 games with the Jets this season and Schenn has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 46 games. … Forward Alex Tuch (lower body) who missed the final minutes of Buffalo's 6-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, did not play.

Florida Panthers

Sam Reinhart played for the Panthers against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The forward, who has soft tissue issues, was rested in the Panthers' 4-3 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Forwards Carter Verhaeghe (tightness) and Anton Lundell (rest after playing in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026) did not play against Columbus. ... Defenseman Mike Benning made his NHL debut for the Panthers. Benning replaced Uvis Balinskis (upper-body injury) and paired with Niko Mikkola.

Anaheim Ducks

John Carlson will make his Ducks debut this weekend. The 36-year-old defenseman was acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on March 5 for a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in 2027 but has not played since Feb. 5 with the Capitals due to a lower-body injury. Carlson did not play against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday but will play either at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday or the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. Carlson has 46 points (10 goals, 36 assists) in 55 games this season.

Colorado Avalanche

Ross Colton will not play for the Avalanche against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KING 5, KONG, KTVD, ALT2). The forward sustained an upper-body injury at 11:20 of the second period of Colorado's 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. "He took a shot from a player during the game and then he kind of tightened up," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said after the game. Colton has 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 60 games. … Defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who was acquired from the Nashville Predators on March 4, will make his Avalanche debut on Thursday.

Chicago Blackhawks

Spencer Knight will be available to back up starting goalie Arvid Soderblom for the Blackhawks against the Utah Mammoth on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; Utah16, CHSN). Knight has missed their past three games due to illness. He is 16-18-8 with a 2.62 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and three shutouts in 42 starts this season. Goalie Drew Commesso, who made 23 saves in a 3-2 overtime win against the Mammoth on Monday, was reassigned to Rockford of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

New York Rangers

J.T. Miller participated in morning skate but missed his fifth straight game when the Rangers played the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday. Miller skated with the Rangers on Tuesday for the first time since since sustaining an upper-body injury during the third period of a 5-4 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on March 2. Miller has 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 51 games this season. ... Forward Taylor Raddysh, who missed the previous two games to attend the funeral of his father, Dwayne, skated with the Rangers on Thursday but did not play. He has 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 59 games.