Welcome to the NHL Buzz. Each day during the regular season, NHL.com has you covered with all the latest news.
Washington Capitals
Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson will each be a game-time decision when the Capitals host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, ROOT-NW).
"We'll see how warmup and how the day unfolds, but we'll have some roster decisions later today," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said.
Ovechkin (lower-body injury) limped off the ice following a collision with Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal in the third period of a 6-2 loss on Friday but returned to finish the game, and played in a 4-3 victory against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday.
Wilson, who broke his nose in the third period against the Kings, practiced wearing a full shield on his helmet on Wednesday. Carbery said the deciding factor for him playing will be "facial comfort."
"It's not an issue with him playing," Carbery said. "It's just him being able to play the style/at the level he's capable of playing at with the discomfort."
Forward T.J. Oshie will return after missing 11 games with an upper-body injury; goalie Charlie Lindgren will return after missing five with an upper-body injury to back up Darcy Kuemper against the Kraken. -- Tom Gulitti
Boston Bruins
Linus Ullmark is day to day and will not dress when the Bruins visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NESN, TVAS).
The goalie sustained a lower-body injury at 2:40 of overtime in Boston's 4-3 loss to the Arizona Coyotes at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona, on Tuesday.
The injury occurred when Ullmark stretched in an attempt to make a glove save on Coyotes forward Logan Cooley’s wrist shot from the slot, which sailed over the crossbar.
Ullmark, who made 32 saves prior to the injury, had to be helped off the ice by two teammates. Jeremy Swaymanthen allowed a goal on the first shot he faced, scored by Arizona forward Nick Schmaltz at 4:04 of overtime.
Forwards Brandon Carlo, who did not play against the Coyotes, and Matthew Poitras, who was injured in the game, also will not play Thursday.
Carlo was placed on injured reserve.
"All day to day, all going to be with us throughout the trip, none of them are available tonight," Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said.
Swayman will start Thursday and backed up by Brandon Bussi, who was recalled from Providence of the American Hockey League.
Following the game Thursday, the Bruins visit the St. Louis Blues on Saturday.
New York Islanders
Casey Cizikas will be out week to week for the Islanders after suffering a lower-body injury in a 5-2 loss against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday.
The center blocked a shot from Canucks defenseman Filip Hronek off his left leg at 3:44 of the first period. He returned at the end of the period but left the game at 1:41 of the second after taking two shifts.
"He's a big part of the group," New York coach Lane Lambert said. "His motor is always running, so guys are going to have to replace him somehow, and certainly we have the ability to do that. [His absence] affects a couple of different areas for us, but as we've done and we'll continue to do with our defensemen, whoever else is out, it's a next-man-up mentality."
Cizikas leads Islanders forwards in short-handed ice time per game (2:06) and has won 52.1 percent of his face-offs.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau will skate with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck in Cizikas' spot.
The Islanders are also without defensemen Ryan Pulock (lower body) and Robert Bortuzzo (lower body), and goalie Semyon Varlamov (lower body). -- Stefen Rosner
New York Rangers
Kaapo Kakko is nearing his return for the Rangers but will not play against the Blues on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; BSMW, MSG2).
The forward has not played since he sustained a lower-body injury in a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 27, missing the past 19 games.
"Right now, he is day to day," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said Wednesday. "Obviously he changed jerseys (from no contact to regular) ... [Tuesday] was really no restrictions on him and today we removed the jersey, no restrictions on him. He looked really good again to me, feels good."
Kakko has three points (two goals, one assist) in 20 games this season.
The Rangers recalled forward Jake Leschyshyn from Hartford of the AHL on Tuesday and assigned forward Brennan Othmann.
Laviolette said Leschyshyn will make his season debut for New York on Thursday.
Leschyshyn had no points in 35 games with the Rangers and Golden Knights last season, and has six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 games with Hartford this season.
Vegas Golden Knights
Adin Hill did not return for the Golden Knights in their 3-0 loss at the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
The goalie, who was initially expected to start, has missed nine straight games with a lower-body injury. He is 10-2-2 with a 1.93 GAA and .933 save percentage in 15 games.
Logan Thompson is sick and did not travel, leaving Jiri Patera to start Wednesday. He made 32 saves. Goalie Isaiah Saville was recalled from Henderson of the American Hockey League
The Golden Knights host the Bruins on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, NESN, TVAS).
Vegas announced just before the game Wednesday that forward William Carrier had successful surgery for an upper-body injury and will be out week to week. Carrier has seven points (five goals, two assists) in 33 games this season. -- Ryan Boulding
