NHL Status Report: Provorov week to week for Blue Jackets

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

Columbus Blue Jackets

Ivan Provorov is week to week for the Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury and was played on injured reserve Thursday. The defenseman has never missed a game due to injury in his 10-season NHL career. He has played 778 games, including 375 in a row, and only missed three games due to COVID protocol in 2022. "This guy, he's a warrior, man," Columbus coach Rick Bowness said. "He's just heartbroken that he's not playing. Like he unreal. He would go to 20 doctors and just hopefully find one that would say, 'Right, you can play.' ...He's heartbroken that he's not playing. This guy just loves to play and he's the ultimate team player, the ultimate team warrior. So that's a tough one." Provorov had 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 82 games last season and averaged 24:49 of ice time per game. The Blue Jackets opened their regular season against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

Dallas Stars

Matt Duchene (lower body) was placed on long-term injured reserve by the Stars on Thursday. The forward was dealing with the injury throughout training camp and will miss at least the first 10 games to start the season after having a setback. "We thought he was going to play but it doesn't look that way," Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "And then if you look at the last couple of weeks, he just hasn't been able to turn the corner and even that's with two weeks of trying to nurse this thing around." Duchene had 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) in 57 regular-season games and nine points (two goals, seven assists) in six Stanley Cup Playoff games last season. Dallas recalled forwards Colin Blackwell and Arttu Hyry from Texas of the American Hockey League ahead of their season opener against the St. Louis Blues on Friday (9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1).

Buffalo Sabres

Mattias Samuelsson (lower body) played in the Sabres season opener at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. The defenseman was injured in a preseason game on Sept. 22 after blocking a shot and had been listed as week to week. …  Olen Zellweger did not play Thursday; the defenseman has been in concussion protocol since Sept. 22. Coach Lindy Ruff did not rule him out for the game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. "He just didn't get through his tests, so he's just got to continue to skate for a couple of days," Ruff said Wednesday.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Blake Lizotte is being evaluated for a lower-body injury. The forward had four shots on goal in 13:13 of a 7-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. He had previously sustained an upper-body injury in the preseason. ... Forward Ben Kindel, who is week to week with a lower-body injury, took part in a full contact practice Thursday. "He's been out for a little while, so now just see how things respond," Penguins coach Dan Muse said. "It was a good sign. ... But he looked good out there. I thought it was a real positive sign."

St. Louis Blues

Tyler Tucker will be out indefinitely for the Blues after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Blues general manager Alexander Steen said the defenseman will be reevaluated in six weeks. Tucker had 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 69 games for the Blues last season. The Blues open the regular season against the Dallas Stars on Friday (9 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1).

New Jersey Devils

Connor Brown sustained a lower-body injury toward the end of Devils practice Monday and will miss their first two games. "He didn't feel right," coach Sheldon Keefe said Wednesday. "He'll need a little bit of time. I don't expect it to be anything too extensive, but he won't be available for us this week. We'll determine how much more beyond that, but we don't expect it to be anything significant. We're just waiting on some imaging." The forward, who had 43 points (18 goals, 25 assists) in 75 games in his first season with the Devils, was replaced by Stefan Noesen for their 2026-27 opener against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. New Jersey visits the Islanders on Saturday.

Chicago Blackhawks

Andrew Mangiapane will be out for the Blackhawks for at least the next two games. The forward left their season opener, a 5-2 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, with a lower-body injury after taking one shift in the second period. "He won't play on this trip," coach Jeff Blashill said. "I'm not sure how long or what that means, but he definitely won't play the next two games." Chicago visits the Utah Mammoth on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET; Disney+, HULU, ESPN+) and Buffalo on Saturday before its home opener against St. Louis on Oct. 6.

New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal could return to the ice this weekend. The forward traveled with the Islanders to Toronto after missing training camp due to an aggravation of a prior injury that caused inflammation, but he did not play in their season opener, a 2-1 loss to the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. "Maybe by the weekend or early next week at the latest, he gets back on the ice," general manager Mathieu Darche said Wednesday. "We will see how things progress, but he had a really good week last week. He's with us on the trip, so hopefully he's back on the ice soon. ... Mat Barzal, you give him a few practices and he will be good to go." Barzal led New York with 72 points (19 goals, 53 assists) in 81 games last season.