NHL Status Report: Provorov makes season debut for Blue Jackets

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

Columbus Blue Jackets

Ivan Provorov made his season debut for the Blue Jackets in a 3-1 loss against the Dallas Stars on Saturday and had one shot on goal in 19:31. The defenseman sustained a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve Oct 1. Provorov, who missed the first 11 games of the season, had never missed a game due to injury in his 10-season NHL career. He had played 778 games, including 375 in a row, and only missed three games due to COVID protocol in 2022.  "Give him a chance to get his feet wet," Columbus coach Rick Bowness said. "He's dying to play. If there's one guy that can play without practicing for a couple weeks, it's him. He's been working his butt off. He said he felt better now than he did in training camp." Provorov had 31 points (nine goals, 22 assists) in 82 games last season and averaged 24:49 of ice time per game.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Chris Tanev was activated from injured reserve by the Maple Leafs on Saturday and returned in a 4-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks, playing 19:21. The defenseman practiced fully with teammates in a regular jersey at the morning skate Wednesday but did not play in a 5-4 loss at the Seattle Kraken. Tanev was injured in the first period of a 6-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 10 and missed nine games.

Dallas Stars

David Perron made his Stars debut in a 3-1 win against the Blue Jackets on Saturday. The forward signed a one-year contract on Oct. 16 and had been practicing with the team. Perron had 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 65 regular-season games for the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings last season. "It's been a long time, so really excited just to join this great group of guys," Perron said. "Good team. And try to just bring my game. Do my thing and just play a simple, hard game. Good on the boards, win my battles, and really kind of build from there. I really don't expect anything more than just, go out there, have some fun, work as hard as I can, and hopefully results come." ...Esa Lindell returned for the Stars on Saturday, playing 23:08. The defenseman missed the past five games with a lower-body injury after being injured Oct. 17.

Calgary Flames

Devin Cooley is week to week for the Flames because of lower-body injury. The goalie stopped eight of the nine shots he faced in a 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday before he was injured following a collision in the crease with Oilers forward Colton Dach with 12 seconds left in the first period. Cooley is 4-3-0 with a 2.69 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in seven games this season. ... Forward Brennan Othmann (upper body) is day to day; he left at 5:04 in the first on Wednesday and did not play in a 6-2 win against the Kraken on Friday or against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday.

Montreal Canadiens

Mike Matheson will be out two weeks for the Canadiens because of a lower-body injury. The defenseman did not play in a 5-2 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. He has four points (one goal, three assists) in eight games and is averaging 23:45 of ice time per game, second on the Canadiens. ... Forward Nick Suzuki (upper body) took part in the morning skate but missed his fifth straight game in Saturday's 5-4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. ... Goalie Sam Montembeault is day to day; he participated in the morning skate but has not played all season due to a lower-body injury sustained in practice on Oct. 7.

St. Louis Blues

Colton Parayko is day to day with an upper-body injury and did not play in a 5-4 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The defenseman missed practice Friday after he departed a portion of the first period of a 4-1 win against the Bruins on Thursday but returned to finish the game and played 17:31. "Just cautionary," coach Jim Montgomery said Friday. "Just giving him a little more rest. ... We'll just see how it feels and looks tomorrow when he does his stretching and stuff like that." With Parayko unavailable, Theo Lindstein entered the lineup. ... Forward Ross Johnston, who has not played since Oct. 15  because of a lower-body injury (six games missed), did not return Saturday, but Montgomery said he "will play on (the current four-game road trip) 100 percent."

New York Islanders

Ryan Pulock (upper body) did not play for the Islanders in a 4-0 loss to the Oilers on Saturday. The defenseman was injured in the first period of a 4-3 overtime win at the Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Pulock has one assist in 13 games this season while averaging 17:31 of ice time. Coach Peter DeBoer said Pulock was still being evaluated. Defenseman Isaiah George was recalled from Hamilton of the American Hockey League before the game Saturday but did not play.

Vancouver Canucks

Filip Chytil (upper body) was placed on injured reserve by the Canucks on Friday. The forward did not practice and was being evaluated after reaggravating the injury that sidelined him for the first eight games of the season. Chytil made his season debut Oct. 15 and has two assists in seven games. Forward Jacob Quillan was recalled from Abbotsford of the AHL ahead of Vancouver's 4-2 loss against Toronto on Saturday.

Ottawa Senators

Forwards Andre Burakovsky and Warren Foegele will be out 3-4 weeks for the Senators. Burakovsky sustained a lower-body injury in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. He has no points in eight games this season. Foegele did not play on Thursday after he was injured on a knee-on-knee hit from Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Jeremy Lauzon in a 4-1 loss on Tuesday. He has four points (one goal, three assists) in 13 games this season.

New York Rangers

Joonas Korpisalo practiced with the Rangers on Friday for the first time in the regular season, a "big step" in his recovery from a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since the end of training camp, coach Mike Sullivan said. Korpisalo was one of three goalies on the ice for the start of practice, along with Dylan Garand and James Reimer. He didn't finish practice, but Sullivan said that was by design based on a plan Korpisalo has with New York's medical staff. Korpisalo began skating on his own earlier in the week but was ruled out for an additional four weeks on Oct. 10. The Rangers acquired Korpisalo in a trade with the Boston Bruins on July 1 with the intention of him being the backup to Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin sustained a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 9, and Reimer signed a one-year contract with the Rangers on Oct. 25. New York hosts Edmonton on Sunday (6 p.m. ET; NHLN, MSG, SN, TVAS).

Minnesota Wild

Jared Spurgeon (lower body) is week to week for the Wild and missed a 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders on Thursday. The defenseman and Wild captain sustained the injury in a 3-1 win at the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. He left the game at 4:04 of the second period after blocking back-to-back shots from Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther on a penalty kill. Spurgeon, who has five points (one goal, four assists) in 10 games this season, played the previous four games prior to Thursday after missing four prior because of an upper-body injury. ... Brock Faber, who has been out recovering from a skull fracture sustained when he was hit in the head by a puck during a preseason game Sept. 25, has been cleared for his return to exercise and workouts. There is no timetable yet for the defenseman to play. "I think he's going to start skating in another day or so," coach John Hynes said. "Then we'll go from there." Minnesota visits the Washington Capitals on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, MNMT, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS).

Washington Capitals

Rasmus Sandin joined the Capitals for skills work and the start of practice Saturday, continuing his recovery from surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee on April 21. It was the defenseman's first time on the ice with his teammates after he had been skating on his own previously. "That was a pleasant surprise coming in and seeing that and (head athletic trainer Jason Serbus) saying he was going to come on the ice and do skills and take part in the first few flow drills of practice," coach Spencer Carbery said. "So, nothing timeline-wise, but a really, really positive step." The Capitals estimated Sandin would miss 6-9 months after he had the surgery. Washington next hosts Minnesota on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET; Wild+, MINNHL, MNMT, SNP, SNO, SNE, TVAS).

Los Angeles Kings

Adrian Kempe did not play for the Kings in a 3-2 loss against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. The forward is day to day with an undisclosed injury. Kempe has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 12 games this season. Forward Martin Chromiak replaced Kempe in the lineup and made his NHL debut. ... Kevin Fiala practiced Thursday for the first time since sustaining multiple fractures to his lower left leg while playing for Team Switzerland in the 2026 Winter Olympics in February and undergoing a follow-up procedure in September. Fiala wore a noncontact jersey, and the forward is week to week, coach Peter Laviolette said.

Philadelphia Flyers

Travis Konecny (lower body) and Owen Tippett (upper body) practiced in regular jerseys Saturday, and the forwards could play against the Mammoth on Sunday (4 p.m. ET; Mammoth+, Utah16, NBCSP, SN1). Konecny wore a noncontact jersey Friday but took an increasing amount of physicality as practice progressed. Konecny has missed the past 10 games; Tippett has missed five. "(Tippett) looked good today, and (Konecny) too," Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. "I'll talk to TK later today. Tipp looks like he's trending that way (toward playing). But later this afternoon, we'll know because they're getting treatment and stuff like that. They feel good."

Carolina Hurricanes

Taylor Hall is expected to miss "probably another couple games" because of an upper-body injury, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said prior to a 3-2 win against the Blue Jackets on Thursday. The forward did not play in a 2-1 win against the Bruins on Tuesday after leaving the morning skate early. Hall had practiced on a line with Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis on Monday and was anticipating a return to the lineup after missing the previous five games because of an unrelated upper-body injury. He has five points (three goals, two assists) in eight games this season.