Welcome to the NHL Status Report. Here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin practiced with the Capitals on Saturday for the first time since the forward sustained a lower-body injury a few minutes into the first session of training camp Sept. 18. The 40-year-old is still wearing a noncontact jersey and left the ice about two-thirds of the way through practice. He had been skating on his own earlier this week. Washington coach Spencer Carbery is hopeful Ovechkin, the NHL's all-time leader with 897 goals, will be able to play two preseason games to gear up for the start of the regular season. Carbery did not rule out Ovechkin playing Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but it's more likely he could play in the Capitals' last two preseason games on Oct. 2 (Boston Bruins) and Oct. 4 (Blue Jackets). "He's got to participate in a full-contact [jersey] before [he plays]," Carbery said. "And when I said that about two games, it's not ideal, but [he has] potential to play both home games." Washington opens its regular season on Oct. 8 against Boston.
Anaheim Ducks
Jansen Harkins will be out eight weeks with an upper-body injury, the Ducks announced Saturday. The forward was injured in Anaheim's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 21. The 28-year-old played 62 games for the Ducks last season and had six points (two goals, four assists).
Vancouver Canucks
Nils Hoglander is out week to week for the Canucks with a lower-body injury. The forward sustained the injury in the second period of a 3-1 preseason win against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Vancouver opens its regular season against Calgary on Oct. 9. "It opens up a spot for someone here," assistant coach Brett McLean said Friday. "So, there's some guys that should be excited about that opportunity, but obviously we want to get 'Hoggy' back as soon as we can."
Buffalo Sabres
Alex Tuch played his first preseason game on Saturday, a 5-2 win against the Detroit Red Wings. The forward was dealing with a minor injury but has been a full participant in practice since Monday. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) practiced Thursday for the first time at camp. The goalie did not play in their preseason game that night but could play in a preseason game next week and is expected to be ready for the start of the season.
Toronto Maple Leafs
James Reimer signed a professional tryout contract with the Maple Leafs on Friday. The 37-year-old goalie was 10-10-2 with a 3.04 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 24 games (21 starts) for the Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres last season and has 225 wins in 15 NHL seasons. Earlier this week, Toronto announced goalie Joseph Woll has taken a leave of absence to attend to a personal family matter.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Joel Blomqvist will be out a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury. The goalie made 11 saves in 30:05 in a 2-1 preseason shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday but did not play in a 4-1 preseason win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. He played 15 games with the Penguins last season and likely was going to be the No. 3 goalie behind Tristan Jarry and Arturs Silovs.
Montreal Canadiens
David Reinbacher is expected to be out four weeks because of a broken bone in his hand. The 20-year-old defenseman, selected by the Canadiens with the No. 5 pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, had one shot on goal in two preseason games. He missed five months last season because of a torn meniscus in his left knee sustained during a preseason game with Montreal on Sept. 28, 2024. Reinbacher returned with five points (three goals, two assists) in 10 regular-season games for Laval of the American Hockey League and had six points (two goals, four assists) in 13 AHL playoff games to help it reach the conference finals.
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 Oct. 9 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Utah Mammoth
Connor Ingram cleared waivers Friday, one day after he was placed on waivers. Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong said last week the goalie would not participate in training camp and they would try and trade him. Ingram, 28, played 22 games for Utah last season before entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on March 9. He went 9-8-4 with a 3.27 goals-against average and .882 save percentage. Ingram was cleared by the program Aug. 20.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Andrei Vasilevskiy will not play in preseason games this weekend, but the goalie is expected to be ready for the season opener against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 9. Coach Jon Cooper said Friday that Vasilevskiy is expected to practice Monday for the first time at camp and could play in one of the Lightning's final two preseason games, against the Panthers on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. "Unless there's any hiccups, [we] hope to see him one of those games," Cooper said.
Carolina Hurricanes
Jaccob Slavin (soreness) practiced with the Hurricanes for the first time Thursday. The defenseman had skated on his own but had been held out of practice for precautionary reasons. "We could have had him out there from Day 1 (of camp)," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "That's basically how we're handling all the injuries." Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov didn't practice Thursday because of a minor injury. "He tweaked something. ... We're keeping him out of there until he's 100 percent."
