NHL Status Report: Hague out 4-6 weeks for Predators with upper-body injury
Batherson to miss 2 weeks for Senators; Lee out 1-2 weeks for Islanders
© Tori Bookwalter, Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
Nicolas Hague is out 4-6 weeks because of an upper-body injury the Predators defenseman sustained during a 5-3 preseason win against the Florida Panthers on Sunday. This is Hague’s first season with Nashville after he was acquired in a trade from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 30 and signed a four-year, $22 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value). The Predators play their season opener on Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Ottawa Senators
Drake Batherson is out two weeks because of an upper-body injury, Senators coach Travis Green said Wednesday. The forward left practice early Tuesday; he was second for Ottawa last season with 68 points (26 goals, 42 assists) in 82 games. Fabian Zetterlund took Batherson's spot at right wing on the second line at practice Wednesday alongside center Dylan Cozens and left wing David Perron.
New York Islanders
Anders Lee will be out 1-2 weeks because of an upper-body injury, the Islanders announced Wednesday. Their captain sustained the injury during a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday and was not in the lineup for a 6-2 preseason loss at the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. Coach Patrick Roy said Lee will skate on his own Thursday. Forward Maxim Tsyplakov (maintenance) skated Wednesday but is day to day.
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin skated in a noncontact jersey for the second straight day Wednesday prior to practice. The Capitals captain sustained a lower-body injury a few minutes into the first day of training camp Sept. 18. Coach Spencer Carbery said Tuesday he wasn't concerned. “[There’s] still plenty of runway in training camp with a decent amount of time for him to get back and get a bunch of practices under his belt and potentially get into some preseason games,” Carbery said. Ovechkin will not play in Washington's preseason game Thursday against Philadelphia in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Seattle Kraken
Forwards Chandler Stephenson (undisclosed) and Jared McCann (lower body) did not practice Wednesday. Stephenson left a 4-1 preseason loss at the Calgary Flames on Tuesday late in the second period after taking a hit from Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh. McCann remains day to day.
San Jose Sharks
Macklin Celebrini returned to practice Tuesday. The center and No. 1 pick from the 2024 NHL Draft skated before the group went on the ice Sunday but had not practiced with the team since the opening day of camp Sept. 16 because of an illness. Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said John Klingberg is day to day with an upper-body injury that the defenseman sustained during their 3-0 preseason win against the Golden Knights on Sunday. The 33-year-old skated on his own Wednesday.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Joseph Woll has taken a leave of absence from the Maple Leafs to attend to a personal family matter. The team is asking that the goalie's privacy be respected.
New York Rangers
Artemi Panarin (lower body) is skating on his own but remains day to day. The forward left practice early Sept. 19 for what Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said was "precautionary reasons."
St. Louis Blues
Jimmy Snuggerud and Milan Lucic (each undisclosed) are day to day, Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. Snuggerud left the ice early Wednesday after he crashed hard into the boards; Lucic, who is with St. Louis on a professional tryout agreement, left practice early Tuesday.
Edmonton Oilers
Vasily Podkolzin is taking a leave of absence to return to his native Russia following the death of his father, Alexander, on Tuesday. The Oilers announced the leave of absence Wednesday prior to their 4-1 preseason home loss to the Seattle Kraken. The 24-year-old forward signed a three-year, $8.85 million contract ($2.95 million average annual value) on Tuesday that begins with the 2026-27 season.
"We feel terribly for Vasily," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said after the loss. "Yesterday may be the best day of his life signing that contract, and then today what happened unexpectedly. 'Pods' is a very popular guy in our room, guys have a lot of respect for him, and we feel terribly for his family."
Buffalo Sabres
Alex Tuch (undisclosed) did not play for the Sabres in their 2-1 preseason win against the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, but the forward did practice with those who were not in the lineup. Tuch was unable to participate in the first practices of training camp, and coach Lindy Ruff said, “We’d like him to skate a little bit more.” Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) has yet to practice with the team, but Buffalo's No. 1 goalie is “feeling pretty good,” according to Ruff.
Utah Mammoth
Logan Cooley is day to day with an undisclosed injury after the forward left a 3-2 preseason loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday in the third period. Cooley took a hit along the boards from Avalanche forward Zakhar Bardakov and did not return. Coach Andre Tourigny also told the Mammoth website that forwards Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain (each undisclosed) are day to day, forward Alex Kerfoot (lower body) remains week to week and forward Liam O'Brien is "coming along" from a lower-body injury.
Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin (soreness) has not skated at camp for precautionary reasons, and coach Rod Brind'Amour said Sunday his top defenseman, along with defenseman Jalen Chatfield (hip), may be held out for the preseason. "I think we've made the decision that we're just going to overly hold them off ... it's just not worth it at this point,” Brind’Amour told the Hurricanes website. “I think if we were starting (the regular season) today, they'd be in the lineup. But we're not." Carolina opens its regular season against New Jersey on Oct. 9.
Boston Bruins
David Pastrnak practiced Monday for the first time in training camp. The forward was not on the ice last week because of tendinitis in his knee, but he’s not concerned about the injury. Pastrnak skated on the top line with left wing Morgan Geekie and center Elias Lindholm. He did not play the Bruins' 5-4 overtime preseason win against the Rangers on Tuesday.
New Jersey Devils
Stefan Noesen is "weeks away" from a return to the ice, Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said Tuesday. The forward had surgery during the offseason after he reaggravated a groin injury.
Chicago Blackhawks
Andre Burakovsky (lower body) partially practiced Monday after staying off the ice Sunday. Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said the forward sustained “a little bit of a tweak, but he’ll be fine.” Burakovsky, who was acquired from the Kraken for forward Joe Veleno on June 21, had 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists) in 79 games last season. Forwards Landon Slaggert and Brett Seney did not practice Monday after leaving the ice early Sunday. They are day to day.
