NHL Status Report: Hedman returns for Lightning against Islanders

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

Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman returned to the lineup for the Lightning against the New York Islanders on Saturday. The defenseman, who had missed 12 games with an undisclosed injury, had said he was "trending in the right direction" after the morning skate. Hedman has 12 assists in 15 games this season and is averaging 22:36 of ice time. ... Forward Brayden Point (undisclosed) missed his seventh straight game. ... Forward Nikita Kucherov and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy also did not play and are day to day (undisclosed). Kucherov was not at practice Friday. He was a participant in the optional skate Saturday but didn't wear pads or participate in drills. Vasilevskiy didn't play in a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and was expected to return Saturday.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Joseph Woll was placed on injured reserve by the Maple Leafs on Saturday, retroactive to Dec. 4, and is expected to be sidelined for one week. The goalie sustained a lower-body injury on Thursday and did not play in the third period of a 5-1 win at the Carolina Hurricanes. Woll didn’t make his season debut until Nov. 15 after he left the team in training camp due to a personal matter. He is 4-3-1 with a 2.44 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in eight games this season for the Maple Leafs (13-11-3), who have won three straight. "We're not expecting it to be too long," coach Craig Berube said. "Not going to comment too much on it, but about one week." Goalie Artur Akhtyamov was recalled from Toronto of the American Hockey League and backed up Dennis Hildeby on Saturday.

Ottawa Senators

Shane Pinto (lower body) will be out at least two weeks, Senators coach Travis Green said before their game against the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. The forward was injured from a hit by Mika Zibanejad during a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday. "He's a big part of our team, much like when Brady (Tkachuk) got hurt, [Thomas Chabot]," Green said. "Those are big parts of your team. We're going to miss him when he's out, and when he gets back, that'll be great." Pinto has 18 points (12 goals, six assists) in 27 games this season for Ottawa, which recalled forward Hayden Hodgson from Belleville of the AHL.

Florida Panthers

Eetu Luostarinen returned for the Panthers in a 7-6 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. The forward, who had been out of the lineup since Nov. 15, practiced Friday for the first time since sustaining burns during a barbecue accident. Luostarinen skated on the top line with Anton Lundell and Sam Reinhart, and had an assist in 18:03 of ice time. He has 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 19 games this season.

New York Islanders

Jean-Gabriel Pageau could return for the Islanders against the Florida Panthers on Sunday. The forward missed his seventh straight game at the Lightning on Saturday because of an upper-body injury but was a full participant in the morning skate. ... Forward Jonathan Drouin did not make the trip because of a back injury. He was a late scratch prior to a 6-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday.

New York Rangers

Jonathan Quick (lower body) was activated from injured reserve and served as the backup goalie for the Rangers for Igor Shesterkin on Saturday in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche. Quick has not played since Nov. 22, when he made 31 saves in a 3-2 loss at the Utah Mammoth. He is 3-3-0 with a 1.69 GAA and .944 save percentage in six games this season. New York reassigned goalie Spencer Martin to Hartford of the AHL.

Philadelphia Flyers

Cam York didn't practice Saturday but remains a "slight option" to play against the Avalanche on Sunday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, NBCSP, ALT, SN, TVAS), coach Rick Tocchet said. York is day to day because of an upper-body injury sustained during the second period of the Flyers' 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday. "He's a mobile guy, he plays all parts of the game, specialty teams," Tocchet said of York, who is second on the Flyers with an average ice time of 23:31 per game. "He's with 'Sanny' (Travis Sanheim), they usually check the other (top) lines. It's going to be a big loss if he doesn't play. But it's next man up. That's why we play this game." Nick Seeler was paired with Sanheim during practice Saturday.

Vancouver Canucks

Thatcher Demko and Nils Hoglander could each return for the Canucks as early as Thursday against the Sabres. Demko, a goalie, has missed nine straight games and 11 of the past 12 with a lower-body injury. He skated with the team at practice Thursday for first time since he last played on Nov. 11 but wasn't full participant. "Buffalo is probably not out of reach, but if that changes, don't be mad at me," Canucks coach Adam Foote said Thursday. "... I think Buffalo is realistic." Hoglander, a forward, has not played this season after sustaining a lower-body injury in training camp. He "needs a few practices" before making his season debut but could also return against Buffalo. The Canucks host the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CITY, SNP, FDSNNOX, FDSNWI).