NHL Status Report: Mailloux to miss eight weeks for Blues after hand surgery

Welcome to the NHL Status Report. With training camp and preseason games underway, here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL.

St. Louis Blues

Logan Mailloux was placed on injured reserve Monday. The defenseman had surgery on his right hand Sunday and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks. He had been expected to start the season on the right side of one of the Blues' top defense pairs. "He's had a great (training) camp but that's the game," general manager Alexander Steen said Monday. "These things pop up sometimes when things are going good and it's not the right timing. But it's part of the game and Logan is in a good headspace, everything went well yesterday. Now his main goal is to rehab and get himself as prepared as he was for camp for when he's able to return. At that time, grab an oar and start rowing with the boys again." ... Defenseman Tyler Tucker was placed on IR on Monday because of a lower-body injury and is considered week to week. ... On Sunday, defenseman Adam Jiricek was recalled from Springfield of the American Hockey League, and defenseman Justin Barron was claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators. One or both could be in the lineup when the Blues open the season at the Dallas Stars on Friday (9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1).

New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal is listed as an injured/non-roster player but has not been ruled by the Islanders for their season-opener at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; Prime, MSGSN. The forward is expected to skate Wednesday morning. He did not practice during training camp or play in any of the Islanders' four preseason games after aggravating a prior injury that caused inflammation.

Montreal Canadiens

Oliver Kapanen did not practice Monday and the forward is considered day to day because of a lower-body injury. Kapanen had been skating at second-line center, between Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov, and likely would have played there when the Canadiens open the season at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN). Alex Newhook practiced in that spot Monday. "I feel like 'Newy' has worked himself into a great Swiss army knife for us," coach Martin St. Louis said Monday. "There's a lot that he can do and he's grown a lot off the puck, defensively, he's using his speed defensively. And there's not much that he can't to, play wing, play center, play PK or PP."

Pittsburgh Penguins

Bryan Rust is being evaluated for an upper-body injury the forward sustained during a 3-1 preseason win against the Sabres on Saturday. Rust left early in the second period. "'Rusty' is obviously a huge part of our group,” coach Dan Muse said Sunday. “I thought he had a great camp, and so, it's unfortunate." ... Muse said defenseman Ryan Graves is out indefinitely because of issues in both knees. … Forward Blake Lizotte (upper-body injury) practiced Sunday as the fourth-line center but remains day to day. ... Forwards Justin Brazeau and Ben Kindel are each week to week with a lower-body injury.

Minnesota Wild

Brock Faber is being evaluated after he was hit in the head by a puck during a 2-1 preseason loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday. The defenseman was struck by a shot from the point with 9:36 remaining in the second period. He was down on the ice briefly before skating to the bench under his own power, returned for the next shift and played the rest of the period before leaving. Coach John Hynes said he'd have an update Tuesday. "We do have to give it a little bit of time with 'Fabes' just because of the type of injury it was," Hynes said. "Lots of times, you feel good, but you’ve got to give it a little bit of time to make sure." Faber was not at the rink during the weekend. Minnesota plays its regular-season opener at Nashville on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, SCRIPPS).

Buffalo Sabres

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left early in the third period of a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh in Buffalo's preseason finale Saturday. "He tweaked something, and we just got him off," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of the goalie. "Lower body. Didn't want to take any chances." ... Ruff said goalie Alex Lyon was "going to miss a few days, for sure," after sustaining an upper-body injury in the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. After diving forward and corralling a loose puck, he flexed his left arm and immediately skated toward the bench. The Sabres play their season opener at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; CBJHN, CBJNHL, MSG-B).