NHL Buzz: Islanders unsure if Barzal can return before end of season

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New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal may not be able to return before the end of the regular season.

The 27-year-old forward has been out with a lower-body injury sustained after blocking a shot late in the third period of a 3-2 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1. He had a minor procedure Feb. 6 and is out indefinitely.

The Islanders' regular-season finale is April 17 at the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"We hope, but I couldn't answer that," general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "We'll see where the rehab will take us. We're not going to push it. We're not going to rush it. We're not going to chance anything. He will be 100 percent completely healthy if he is to return."

Barzal missed 21 games earlier in the season with an upper-body injury. He has 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 30 games.

Semyon Varlamov (lower body) remains sidelined. The 36-year-old goalie hasn't played since Nov. 29 and was working his way back before Lamoriello said Feb. 1 he had been shut down and is out indefinitely.

"I think that Varlamov is going to be difficult for the rest of the season," Lamoriello said. -- Stefen Rosner

Chicago Blackhawks

Artyom Levshunov was recalled from Rockford of the AHL on Sunday and could make his NHL debut at the Colorado Avalanche on Monday (9 p.m. ET; CHSN+, ALT2, TVAS-D).

The 19-year-old defenseman, who was the No. 2 pick by the Blackhawks at the 2024 NHL Draft, has 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) in 50 AHL games this season.

Levshunov missed training camp and the start of the season after blocking a shot with his right foot Sept. 11.

Chicago (20-35-9) is 31st in the NHL and traded defenseman Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers on March 2 for goalie Spencer Knight and a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. Florida also received a fourth-round selection in 2026.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Victor Hedman was not in the lineup for a 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday and is day to day with a lower-body injury.

The defenseman and Lightning captain played 2:57 in a 6-5 win against the Sabres on Thursday. He did not practice Friday as part of a day off for each of Tampa Bay's players who participated in the 4 Nations Face-Off last month, but Hedman was on the ice for warmups before the game Saturday.

Hedman has 50 points (11 goals, 39 assists) in 61 games this season. He was replaced in the lineup by Nick Perbix. -- Corey Long

Florida Panthers

Vitek Vanecek got a shutout in his Panthers debut, a 4-0 win against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

The goalie was acquired from the Sharks on Wednesday for forward Patrick Giles.

Florida is Vanecek's fourth NHL team: He played two seasons for the Washington Capitals (2020-22), two with the New Jersey Devils (2022-24), and one for San Jose.

Vanecek was supposed to start for the Sharks on March 4 in Buffalo but was held out for trade-related reasons.

"I am here to do everything I can to help the team win games," Vanecek said. "Really good guys, really good team. I hope we go as far as possible, win the Stanley Cup again." -- George Richards

Ottawa Senators

Dylan Cozens and Dennis Gilbert were each in the lineup for a 4-3 overtime win against the New York Rangers on Saturday, one day after being acquired in a trade with the Sabres.

Cozens, a forward, had an assist and a game-high nine hits in 17:27 of ice time. He has 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 62 games this season.

Gilbert, a defenseman, had three hits in 6:19. He has five assists in 25 games.

"I really wanted to be a part of the solution in Buffalo," Cozens said Friday. "I dreamt every day about being a part of a good team in Buffalo, playing in the playoffs in Buffalo, so it's tough, it's sad, for sure. But at the same time, there's a very exciting opportunity in Ottawa and I'm super excited to be a part of the Sens."