NHL Status Report: Hughes misses 2nd straight game for Devils with injury

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

New Jersey Devils

Jack Hughes missed his second straight game for the Devils against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday because of a lower-body injury. The forward, who was named to Team USA's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, was injured during the first period of a 3-2 overtime win against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 29. Hughes skated briefly after practice on Monday and skated and shot pucks on his own Tuesday. "It's just a level of strength and obviously pain subsiding but it's more so the strength and to be able to have the necessary reinforcement that you need to play in an NHL game," New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. "His goal is to play on Thursday (against the New York Islanders) and he's trying to do everything that he can to get to that point, but it's really up to the medical team. They're not confident with where he's at but we'll just see what [Wednesday] brings." Hughes has 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in 36 games.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Anthony Cirelli will not play for Team Canada at the Olympics because of an undisclosed injury. He was replaced by Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett. Cirelli and Nick Paul (undisclosed) will not return for the Lightning until after the Olympic break. The former was injured on an open ice hit by Mark Kastelic in the first period of a 6-5 shootout win against the Boston Bruins in the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series. "We'll have to evaluate from there," coach Jon Cooper said following an optional morning skate Tuesday. "It was just a really awkward collision in the neutral zone. Same with Paul, he injured himself in overtime. It's two huge losses for us." … Brayden Point's availability for Team Canada remains in question. The forward took part in the skate and was on the ice for warmups before the Stadium Series. He's been out since Jan. 12 with an undisclosed injury. "Those are questions for a whole different press conference," said Cooper, who will coach Canada. "It's a wait and see."

Florida Panthers

Sam Bennett, named to Team Canada's roster as an injury replacement for Anthony Cirelli, could join Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell for a return against the Bruins on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT, TVAS). Though neither Bennett nor Lundell took part in an optional practice Tuesday, Marchand wore a regular jersey. All three forwards are day to day. "Put Bennett, Lundell and Marchand all in the same category," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "There is a chance they all play tomorrow, and there's a chance none of them do. We won't know until after the morning skate." ... Bennett left a 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday with an upper-body injury after he was minus-1 in 5:11 of ice time. He has 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 55 games. ... Marchand (lower body) has missed two games, is on Team Canada's Olympic roster and second on the Panthers with 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 45 games. ... Lundell (upper body), named to Team Finland's roster, has missed three games in a row and skated before the game Monday. He has 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 52 games. ... forward Aleksander Barkov (knee) and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (shoulder) were on the ice for a light workout. Barkov, the Panthers captain, hasn't played all season and Kulikov has missed all but Florida's first two games (Oct. 7 and Oct. 9). "When he walks by in his skates," Maurice said of Barkov, "you realize how big of a man he is (6-foot-3, 214 pounds). You kind of miss him. It's good to have him around, for sure. There's a longing there when you see him walk through in his gear. We got a spot for him."

Buffalo Sabres

Josh Norris could return for the Sabres against the Lightning. The forward (17 points; six goals, 11 assists) has missed 10 games with an upper-body injury. ... Buffalo may be without Zach Benson after they lost the forward to an upper-body injury during the third period Monday. Benson crashed hard into the boards after being tripped up on a scoring chance, then returned for one shift before heading back to the dressing room.

Chicago Blackhawks

Nick Foligno will travel with the Blackhawks, and the forward is likely to play against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, CHSN). The Blackhawks captain played 1:18 before leaving with an undisclosed injury in a 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and missed a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday. The forward practiced again with the Blackhawks on Sunday. Foligno has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 32 games this season. Spencer Knight did not practice on Tuesday, but coach Jeff Blashill said the goalie took a maintenance day. Knight made 24 saves in 6-3 win against the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

Washington Capitals

Logan Thompson is expected to start against the Nashville Predators on Thursday, the Capitals' final game before the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The goalie skated on Tuesday morning but missed his fourth straight game because of an upper-body injury when the Capitals played the Philadelphia Flyers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. "That's the expectation, that he's going to come back and play against Nashville at home," Washington coach Spencer Carbery said. "So, today was another positive step." Thompson, who will play for Team Canada at the Olympics, last played on Jan. 27, making 27 saves in a 5-1 loss at the Seattle Kraken. ... Pierre-Luc Dubois also skated on Tuesday, and Carbery said the forward continues to progress well in his recovery from surgery he had on Nov. 7 to address issues with his abdominal and adductor muscles. Carbery said Dubois, who last played on Oct. 31, remains on target to return after the Olympic break. "That's always been the goal, right round there," Carbery said. "He is progressing really well, in full-contact stuff now. So we'll continue to assess him over the next couple days."