NHL Status Report: Carlson to make Ducks debut this weekend

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

Anaheim Ducks

John Carlson will make his Ducks debut this weekend, the team said. The 36-year-old defenseman was acquired in a trade with the Washington Capitals on March 5 for a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a third-round pick in 2027 but has not played since Feb. 5 with the Capitals due to a lower-body injury. Carlson did not play in a 6-4 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday but will play either at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN5, KCOP-13, Victory+) or the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. Carlson has 46 points (10 goals, 36 assists) in 55 games this season.

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield practiced on Friday, and the forward is expected to play for the Canadiens against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, CITY, SNE, NBCSCA). Caufield did not play in Montreal's 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday after leaving its 3-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday with an illness. Caufield has 64 points (37 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games this season.

Ottawa Senators

Nick Jensen did not practice on Friday, and the defenseman is not expected to play when the Senators face the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; TVAS, TSN5, KCOP-13, Victory+). Jensen, who is day to day with a lower-body injury, has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 61 games this season.

San Jose Sharks

Ty Dellandrea signed a two-year, $3.25 million contract with the Sharks on Friday. It has an average annual value of $1.625 million. The 25-year-old defenseman has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 42 games this season, his second with the Sharks. He could have become a restricted free agent after the season. "Ty has been a consistent performer at both ends of the ice and a big part of our locker room and the culture we're building," San Jose  general manager Mike Grier said. "We are excited to keep him in San Jose."

Colorado Avalanche

Ross Colton did not play for the Avalanche in a 5-1 win against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. The forward sustained an upper-body injury at 11:20 of the second period of Colorado's 4-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday. Colton has 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 60 games this season and it is unsure if he will play at the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday (4 p.m. ET; TSN3, ALT).

Minnesota Wild

Bobby Brink participated in an optional practice on Friday and could play against the New York Rangers on Saturday (6 p.m. ET; FDSNWIX, FDSNNO, MSG). The forward was injured during the first period of a 5-0 win against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday and finished the game, but did not play in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Brink, who was acquired in a trade with the Flyers on March 6, has one goal in three games with Minnesota. He had 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in 55 games with Philadelphia.

Buffalo Sabres

Mattias Samuelsson (maintenance), Tanner Pearson (lower body) and Colten Ellis (maintenance) did not practice on Friday, and each is questionable for the Sabres against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG-B, SNP, SNO, CBC). Samuelsson, a defenseman, logged 20:30 of ice time and Pearson, a forward, played 8:58 in his debut with the Sabres when they lost 2-1 to the Washington Capitals on Thursday. Ellis backed up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Forward Alex Tuch, who was out with a lower-body injury on Thursday, practiced on Friday and will be reevaluated on Saturday before determining his status for the game.