NHL Status Report: Kopitar, Armia day to day for Kings

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

Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar (lower body) and Joel Armia (upper body) are day to day for the Kings after the forwards were injured during a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild on Monday. Kopitar, the captain, did not return after the first period, and Armia left following a collision with Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes midway through the second period. Kopitar has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 37 games this season. Armia has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) in 41 games. Los Angeles hosts the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET; FDSNW, NBCSCA, SN).

Florida Panthers

Matthew Tkachuk wore a regular jersey at the morning skate for the first time this season but did not play against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. The 28-year-old forward had surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia on Aug. 22. Tkachuk said on Sunday that it was likely he would not play until the end of the Panthers’ six-game road trip, which began on Tuesday and ends at the Washington Capitals on Jan. 17. "We're not in full, heavy contact with him, but we don't have that practice anymore anyway," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Tuesday. "So he's out there banging around a little bit more, and that's the next box that has to get checked, he has to be able to get leaned on, push himself, recover for a day or so, see how he goes back on the ice again." Florida (22-16-3) has a long list of injured players, headlined by captain Aleksander Barkov (knee), who is out for the regular season. The Panthers are also without defenseman Seth Jones, who is week to week with an upper-body injury he sustained during the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic, a 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 2. Tkachuk, who was named to Team USA's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, was initially injured at the 4 Nations Face-Off last season, missing the last 25 games of the regular season. He returned for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning and played all 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games during Florida’s run to its second straight Stanley Cup championship. He had 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists). "I'm sure I lied-slash-fibbed to you a few times in the spring saying I was feeling good and probably wouldn’t need surgery," Tkachuk said Sunday of playing without pain during the playoffs. "I knew in the back of my mind that it was ultimately going to have to happen. … But it has been a few months now, [and] every box has been checked with the last one being taking off the noncontact jersey which, we have another couple skates here and we will figure it out from there."

Carolina Hurricanes

Seth Jarvis was activated from injured reserve by the Hurricanes and returned against the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. The forward missed eight games with an upper-body injury after crashing into the goal post against the Panthers on Dec. 19. "I'm just happy I get to play again and excited for tonight," Jarvis said. "I couldn't really breathe, which scared me a little bit. And then when I kind of got my breath back, a lot of pain, a lot of discomfort, but after a few days of that, it started to wear down a little bit and I started to move and kind of get back in the swing of things." Jarvis has 29 points (19 goals, 10 assists) in 34 games this season.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Brandon Carlo returned to the lineup against the Panthers on Tuesday. The Maple Leafs defenseman hadn't played since Nov. 13 (23 games) because of an ankle infection that developed after blocking a shot, requiring surgery. Carlo practiced on a defense pair with Morgan Rielly on Monday. ... Jake McCabe (lower body) will be out a week after he was injured against the Islanders on Saturday. McCabe left the game at 11:02 of the third period and did not return. "It could be sooner, but I would guess a week," coach Craig Berube said.. … William Nylander was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 27. The forward skated prior to practice, and though Berube said he's doing better, he's not yet ready to play. … … Chris Tanev will be evaluated this week to determine if the defenseman will need surgery for a lower-body injury he sustained in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 28. … The Maple Leafs recalled defenseman Marshall Rifai from Toronto of the American Hockey League.

Boston Bruins

Hampus Lindholm was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury he sustained in a 3-2 overtime win against the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 3. "It is not going to be a day-to-day thing," coach Marco Sturm said. "Hopefully not too long, but he's definitely going to be out for a little bit. We have to do more testing when we're back in Boston, so we can go from there."... Tanner Jeannot and Henri Jokiharju could return when the Bruins visit the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; KHN/Prime, KONG, NESN, SNP, SNO, SNE). Jeannot, a forward, has been out with an undisclosed injury since Dec. 23. Jokiharju, a defenseman, has been out since Nov. 28, also with an undisclosed injury. On Monday, Sturm said both players "look pretty good and pretty close… We are going to decide [Tuesday], sleep [on it]."

Philadelphia Flyers

Matvei Michkov did not play against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. The forward had participated in the Flyers' optional morning skate after getting hit in the foot with the puck during a 5-2 win at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Coach Rick Tocchet said X-rays were negative but there was some swelling. Michkov has 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 40 games this season.

Edmonton Oilers

Kasperi Kapanen will play for the first time since Oct. 19, when the Oilers host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET; TVAS, SNW, FDSNSO). The forward sustained a lower-body injury in a 4-2 loss at the Detroit Red Wings and re-aggravated the injury in practice on Nov. 27. The 29-year-old has two assists in six games this season. "It's never fun to be out of the lineup and getting hurt in practice is very frustrating, but mentally the hardest part is to not be on the ice and go on the road with the team and just the life that you're used to throughout the year," Kapanen said Sunday. He will play on the second line alongside Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin against Nashville.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Sean Monahan will return to the lineup for the Blue Jackets against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday (10 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, NBCSCA) after missing four games with an undisclosed injury. The forward has 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 37 games this season. ... Forward Mason Marchment reaggravated a lower-body injury at the morning skate and is unlikely to play. He has 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 36 games. ...Egor Zamula signed a one-year contract on Tuesday. Financial terms were not announced. The forward had one assist in 13 games with the Flyers this season; he was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade with Philadelphia on Dec. 31 and had his contract terminated Tuesday. "Egor is a mobile defenseman with good size who sees the ice well and can move the puck very efficiently," Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell said. "We are excited to have him join our hockey club."

Chicago Blackhawks

Frank Nazar skated on Tuesday for the first time since sustaining a facial injury last month, but isn't close to a return. "Good for Frankie to be skating. He's further away than Connor (Bedard, who practiced on Tuesday) but it's a good step in the right direction, for sure," Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said. Nazar left and did not return after taking a shot from Ottawa Senators defenseman Jordan Spence in the face at 5:11 of the first period of their 6-4 loss to Ottawa on Dec. 20. At the time, Blashill said Nazar would miss approximately four weeks. The Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT).

Buffalo Sabres

Jason Zucker returned against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The forward, who had missed 11 games with an upper- and lower-body injury, skated at left wing with Josh Norris and Alex Tuch at practice Monday. … Michael Kesselring (lower body) saw a doctor on Monday, and coach Lindy Ruff hopes the defenseman can resume skating by the end of the week. Kesselring hasn't played since a 4-1 win at Dallas on Dec. 31. … Alex Lyon (lower body) is day to day. Ruff said it doesn't appear to be anything too major, but there is no timetable for the goalie’s return. Lyon was injured late in a 4-2 win at the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 29.

Calgary Flames

John Beecher is week to week for the Calgary Flames with an upper-body injury. The forward left a 4-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday in the second period because of an upper-body injury after a fight with defenseman Nicolas Hague and did not return. Beecher was also later suspended one game for roughing Nashville Predators forward Michael McCarron earlier in that same game. Beecher has three points (one goal, two assists) in 25 games this season. The Flames next visit the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; RDS, SN).

Dallas Stars

Casey DeSmith was activated by the Stars, who began a six-game road trip at the Hurricanes on Tuesday. The goalie was granted leave of absence on Jan. 3 to attend to a personal family matter. DeSmith hasn’t played since Dec. 31, a 4-1 home loss to the Sabres. He is 9-2-4 with a 2.44 GAA and .912 save percentage in 15 games this season.

St. Louis Blues

Alexey Toropchenko signed a two-year contract, $5 million contract with the Blues on Monday. It has an annual average value of $2.5 million. The 26-year-old has five points (two goals, three assists) in 27 games this season.