NHL Status Report: Laughton week to week for Maple Leafs
Toews day to day for Jets; Luukkonen, Kesselring sidelined for Sabres
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Scott Laughton is week to week for the Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury. The forward was injured in a 3-1 preseason loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. The timeline means he will not be available for Toronto's regular-season opener against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
Winnipeg Jets
Jonathan Toews (undisclosed) did not practice with the Jets on Thursday and is day to day, coach Scott Arniel said. The 37-year-old center, who missed the previous two seasons because of health issues, left a 3-2 preseason loss to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. "He just tweaked something," Arniel said after the game. ... Vladislav Namestnikov was a full participant at practice Thursday after the forward was pulled by a concussion spotter Tuesday.
Buffalo Sabres
Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (undisclosed) and defenseman Michael Kesselring (undisclosed) are each week to week for the Sabres and will be reevaluated next week, coach Lindy Ruff said. Luukkonen did not come out for the second period of a 5-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, and Kesselring did not play in the third period Wednesday. Ruff said Luukkonen's injury was not the same as the lower-body injury he dealt with earlier in training camp. ... Bowen Byram (undisclosed) is expected to play for the Sabres in their preseason game against the Penguins on Friday; the defenseman did not practice Monday and Tuesday after he was injured during a 5-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Sept. 27. ... Owen Power skated in workout clothes Thursday after the defenseman "strained something" and was held off the ice for two days.
New York Rangers
J.T. Miller returned to practice Friday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury in practice Monday. Miller wore a noncontact jersey and skated in his regular spot at center between Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle. Forward Artemi Panarin did not practice Friday and day to day with an upper-body injury. Panarin skated with a coach before the team got on the ice for practice. He previously missed time in training camp with a lower-body injury. The Rangers are hopeful to have Miller and Panarin in the lineup when they open the season against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1, TVAS). "I think it's just day by day at this point," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "We're trying to err on the side of caution as we've said with these guys all along."
Pittsburgh Penguins
Bryan Rust will miss at least two weeks because of a lower-body injury, the Penguins announced Thursday. That means the forward, who had 65 points (31 goals, 34 assists) in 71 games in 2024-25, will miss Pittsburgh’s season opener on Oct. 7 at the New York Rangers. ... The Penguins also announced defenseman Jack St. Ivany (lower body) will miss at least six weeks.
New Jersey Devils
Stefan Noesen practiced Friday in a full contact jersey but remains week-to-week with a groin injury that he re-injured during the summer and required a procedure. The 32-year-old forward, who was on the ice Thursday in a noncontact jersey, had 41 points (22 goals, 19 assists) in 78 games last season. "No change," Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Friday. "Not close to being ready to play." ... Defenseman Brett Pesce did not play in the third period of a 3-1 preseason loss to the Rangers on Thursday. Keefe said Pesce would skate on his own Friday and "we will have to see" about his status for the season opener against the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 9.
New York Islanders
Calum Ritchie could miss the start of the season because of a lower-body injury. The 20-year-old forward is expected to be out 1-2 weeks; the Islanders open the regular season at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 9. Ritchie has two points (one goal, one assist) in four preseason games.
Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin (soreness) wore a full-contact jersey Thursday, exactly one week after the Hurricanes defenseman practiced for the first time at training camp. Prior to that, Slavin had been skating on his own but was held out of practice for precautionary reasons. Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said Tuesday he expects Slavin to be available for the season opener on Oct. 9 against the New Jersey Devils. "I think so," Brind'Amour told the Hurricanes website. "He looks good. He just had a little something that we definitely want to make sure is behind us." ... Jesperi Kotkaniemi was not on the ice Thursday; the forward left a 6-5 preseason loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sept. 26 with 4:24 remaining in the third period after taking a stick to the face from Lightning forward Zemgus Girgensons, who was assessed a double minor for high-sticking. "[He] will be good to go within a day or two, it sounds like," Brind'Amour said.
Ottawa Senators
Drake Batherson skated Thursday for the first time since the forward sustained an upper-body injury during the opening week of training camp. Batherson played all 82 games for the Senators last season and had 68 points (26 goals, 42 assists). ... Coach Travis Green said he is hoping forward Lars Eller (abdominal hernia) and defenseman Nick Jensen (hip surgery) can make their preseason debuts Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens.
Nashville Predators
Tyson Jost was on the ice with the Predators on Thursday, one day after being claimed off waivers from the Hurricanes. The 27-year-old forward had nine points (four goals, five assists) in 39 games for Carolina last season and nine points (four goals, five assists) in 14 games with Chicago of the American Hockey League. A first-round pick (No. 10) by the Colorado Avalanche at the 2016 NHL Draft, Jost has 149 (61 goals, 88 assists) in 495 regular-season games with the Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Sabres and Hurricanes, and 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 46 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Goalie Pheonix Copley was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. The 33-year-old played one game for the Kings last season and 42 games with Ontario of the American Hockey League. He is 44-16-8 in 77 regular-season games (69 starts) for the St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals and Kings.
