NHL Status Report: Horvat out at least 1 week for Islanders

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

New York Islanders

Bo Horvat will be out at least a week for the Islanders because of a lower-body injury. The forward was injured in the third period of a 7-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Thursday when he got tangled with Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi. Horvat, who was named to Team Canada for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Wednesday, leads the Isanders with 21 goals and 33 points in 36 games this season. "He's not going to play this week, and we're going to evaluate him after the week," Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. The Islanders host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, SNP, SNO, SNE, CBC) and the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday before beginning a seven-game road trip at the Nashville Predators on Thursday. … Ilya Sorokin was on the ice Friday for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury on Dec. 19. The goalie is 12-10-2 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 24 games this season and will back up David Rittich against the Maple Leafs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin returned to practice Friday for the first time in almost a month. The forward, who was in a noncontact jersey, has not played since Dec. 4 because of an upper-body injury. He has 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 26 games this season. Malkin won't travel for their game against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday (Noon, ET; ABC, SN, TVAS). "No change in status," Penguins coach Dan Muse said. "Today was noncontact, so it was just the first opportunity for him to, you know, be out there. But it's a good step in the right direction."

New York Rangers

Conor Sheary (lower body) and Noah Laba (upper body) won't be available for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic against the Florida Panthers at loanDepot park in Miami on Friday (8 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS). The forwards were injured during a 6-3 loss at the Washington Capitals on Wednesday. Sheary is being placed on long-term injured reserve; he has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 37 games this season. Laba, a rookie, is week to week. He has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 42 games. Forwards Brett Berard, Anton Blidh and Justin Dowling were recalled from Hartford of the AHL, and forward Brennan Othmann was reassigned to Hartford.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Brendan Smith was placed on injured reserve Friday retroactive to Dec. 29 with a lower-body injury and is week to week. The forward was injured that day in a 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators. He has two assists in 15 games this season. … Miles Wood was placed on injured reserve Thursday and is week to week with a lower-body injury. The forward was injured on his third shift of the game in a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. "It doesn't look good," coach Dean Evason said after the game. Wood had 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 32 games this season. Forward Danton Heinen was recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Thursday. He was acquired in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday for forward Yegor Chinakhov, a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. Columbus next hosts the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, MSG-B).

Vancouver Canucks

Marco Rossi and Conor Garland did not practice on Thursday and will be out "at least a week," Canucks coach Adam Foote said on Thursday. Rossi, a center acquired from the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 12 in the trade for defenseman Quinn Hughes, sustained a lower-body injury and did not play the final 8:27 of a 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. He was placed on injured reserve Friday. The 24-year-old has one goal and one assist in eight games since the trade after having 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 17 games with the Wild. Garland, a right wing, ranks second for the Canucks with 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 33 games this season despite missing games on three other occasions because of previous injuries. Forward Arshdeep Bains was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League Friday ahead of the Canucks' game against the Seattle Kraken on Friday (10:30 p.m. ET; SNP, KONG, KING 5, KHN/Prime).

Tampa Bay Lightning

Charle-Edouard D'Astous signed a one-year, $875,000 contract with the Lightning on Friday. The 27-year-old defenseman has 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 33 games this season and could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.