NHL Status Report: Kucherov game-time decision for Lightning

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

Tampa Bay Lightning

Nikita Kucherov will be a game-time decision for the Lightning when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, TSN2, RDS). The forward, who is second in the NHL in scoring with 121 points (40 goals, 81 assists), has missed the past two games with an illness. He took part in the morning skate and coach Jon Cooper said he is hopeful Kucherov will play. The Lightning and Buffalo Sabres are tied for first in the Atlantic Division.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin will return for the Penguins against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNDET, SN-PIT). The center has missed the past four games with an upper-body injury. He is fifth on the Penguins with 52 points (15 goals, 37 assists) in 50 games this season. Pittsburgh is one point ahead of the New York Islanders for second in the Metropolitan Division.

Montreal Canadiens

Alexandre Carrier will be out 2-4 weeks because of an upper-body injury. The defenseman played 19:05 in a 3-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.  He has 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 73 games this season. The Canadiens visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, TSN2, RDS).

Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar sustained an upper-body injury in a 9-2 win against the Calgary Flames on Monday. The defenseman had three assists in the win, including the primary assist on Nathan MacKinnon's power-play goal with 35 seconds left in the second period on what was his final shift of the game. Two shifts earlier, Makar was hit by Flames forward Adam Klapka with 5:28 left in the second period. Makar did not take any shifts in the third period. "Upper body. (Makar) went out to get evaluated, we'll know more (Tuesday)," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "I don't have an update, really."

Columbus Blue Jackets

Mathieu Olivier will be out "at least a couple of weeks" for the Blue Jackets with an upper-body injury, coach Rick Bowness said Tuesday. The forward left a 4-3 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday in the second period after playing six shifts. He has 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 61 games this season. The Blue Jackets host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+).

Florida Panthers

Forwards Aleksander Barkov (knee), Brad Marchand (lower body), Sam Reinhart (foot), Anton Lundell (ribs), Evan Rodrigues (broken finger) and Jonah Gadjovich (upper body), and defensemen Niko Mikkola (knee) and Uvis Balinskis (fractured foot) are not expected to return this season, coach Paul Maurice said on Tuesday. Forward Cole Schwindt, who hasn't played since Feb. 26 because of a lower-body injury, is the only injured Panthers skater who could return this season. Florida, which hosts the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, TSN5, RDS2), is 15 points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

Buffalo Sabres

Jordan Greenway is "definitely an option" to play against the Islanders on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN2, MSG-B), coach Lindy Ruff said. The forward, who has not played since Jan. 22, skated at left wing with Sam Carrick and Beck Malenstyn. "Just a relief," Greenway said Monday. "It's been a long journey, so, yeah, the excitement, just happy it worked out. It has worked out up to now, and I'm feeling great." The Sabres had Greenway on a load management plan to help his recovery from multiple hernia surgeries during the past year. He sought out a different treatment option since he last played and said it's worked out great. … Noah Ostlund has continued skating. The forward remains day to day because of an upper-body injury sustained during a 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins on March 25.

Washington Capitals

Aliaksei Protas did not practice Monday and won't play when the Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MNMT, NBCSP) because of an upper-body injury. The forward was injured in a collision with former teammate Nic Dowd during the first period of a 5-4 shootout win at the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. "He's going to miss a little bit of time," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. "Won't play tomorrow and then we'll sort of reassess later." … David Kampf will play for the first time since he was acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on March 6. Kampf previously was unavailable while awaiting the paperwork for his work visa to be completed and then returned to Vancouver to be with his wife, Eliska, for the birth of their daughter.  "He's been in some big, big hockey games, so the moment and coming back into an NHL game with he significance of tonight isn't going to be an overwhelming scenario for David Kampf," Carbery said. ... Forward Pierre-Luc Dubois did not practice Monday for maintenance, but Carbery said he is expected to play against the Flyers.

Detroit Red Wings

Trey Augustine, a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA men's hockey player, signed a three-year, entry-level contract that begins next season. The 21-year-old goalie will join Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League for the remainder of the season on an amateur tryout. Augustine was 24-8-1 with one tie, a 2.11 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and three shutouts in 34 games as a junior at Michigan State this season. He was named Big Ten Goaltender of the Year for the second consecutive season and is one of the finalists for the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in NCAA men's hockey for the second consecutive season.

Chicago Blackhawks

Artyom Levshunov and Matt Grzelcyk will not play the rest of the regular season, Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said Tuesday prior to their game against the Winnipeg Jets (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN, TSN3). Levshunov sustained a fracture in his left hand in a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday. He played the next two games against the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers before the fracture was discovered, then was out of the Blackhawks' 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Sunday. Grzelcyk has been out since sustaining an upper-body injury at 4:49 of the first period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on March 22. "For differing reasons, it (stinks)," Blashill said. "'Gryz' has been awesome, an unbelievable teammate, unbelievable leader in a quiet way with the leadership he provided for us. Obviously, he's on the last year of his deal, so it (stinks) he can't play and continue to showcase his ability and then with 'Arty', it takes away some opportunities for his growth." …  Forward Andrew Mangiapane, who has been out since March 19 with an upper-body injury, could travel with the Blackhawks on Wednesday or join them at some point during their three-game road trip.