NHL Player News

Thomas (leg) is taking a leave of absence from the team due to a personal matter and is expected to return Friday.

Thomas will miss Thursday's game against Seattle. He'll be back with the team ahead of Saturday's match versus the Devils, but it's not clear if he'll be an option for that game. Thomas hasn't played since Jan. 10 due to a leg injury, and he is on IR.

Crosby (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday and will be out of action for at least four weeks.

Crosby's timeline could put him on the shelf until late March at a minimum. He has amassed 27 goals and 59 points in 56 NHL games this season. Crosby sustained the injury while playing for Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. With the 38-year-old center unavailable, Pittsburgh looks set to move Rickard Rakell to center alongside Bryan Rust and Avery Hayes.

Howden (lower body) was transferred to long-term injured reserve Tuesday, per PuckPedia.

Howden has already missed the requisite time, so he can return whenever he's healthy. Vegas has not provided an update on his status since he was placed on injured reserve Jan. 20. Once healthy, he'll contend for bottom-six minutes.

Winterton signed a two-year, $2.25 million contract extension with the Kraken on Tuesday.

Winterton is in the final year of his entry-level contract, and he's emerged as a reliable bottom-six forward and penalty killer. He has picked up 15 points, 61 shots on net, 48 hits and 25 blocked shots over 54 appearances this season. Winterton is just 22 years old, so he may be able to grow into a more significant role during his new contract.

Meyers (lower body) signed a two-year contract extension with the Kraken on Tuesday.

Meyers has filled a depth role over the last two seasons with the Kraken, and he'll continue in that role for another two years. He's earned a career-best 11 points in 31 outings in 2025-26. Meyers is currently on injured reserve, and there's been no indication when he'll be able to return to the lineup.

Faksa (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per the NHL media site.

Faksa probably won't be available to play against Seattle on Wednesday, but he is eligible to come off the IR list whenever he is healthy. Still, it's unclear when he will return to the lineup after sustaining the injury during the 2026 Winter Olympics. He has contributed two goals, 17 points, 33 shots on net, 42 blocked shots and 75 hits in 56 appearances this season.

McBain was absent from Tuesday's afternoon skate due to an illness, per Brogan Houston of the Deseret News.

Head coach Andre Tourigny stated that McBain is sick, which puts his status for Wednesday's home game against Colorado up in the air. The 26-year-old forward was one of three players not on the ice for the Mammoth, who were also missing top-line forwards Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. McBain will likely need to log a limited practice or more Wednesday morning to have a shot at playing in Utah's opening game out of the Olympic break.

Eichel will miss Wednesday's road game in Los Angeles, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Tuesday.

With the extended stay in Milan to pick up some golden hardware, Eichel, alongside United States teammate Noah Hanifin, won't play in Vegas' opening clash out of the Olympic break. The Golden Knights plan on having Eichel join the team for Friday's road game against Washington, where he'll likely reassume his role as the top-line center. Once he returns, the 29-year-old forward will look to continue his impressive regular season, where he has compiled 47 assists and 68 points across 50 appearances this year.

Dries was assigned to AHL Grand Rapids on Tuesday.

Dries will link back up with the Griffins just a day after being recalled by the Red Wings on an emergency basis. He has been juggled back and forth between the NHL and AHL over the last week to help Detroit fill the void in practices during the Olympic break. Dries hasn't made an appearance in the NHL since the 2022-23 season, when he was with the Canucks.

Uchacz was recalled from AHL Henderson on Tuesday.

Uchacz played in two straight games for Vegas before the Olympic break, recording one shot on goal, two blocked shots and six hits. He has seven goals and 27 points in 44 AHL appearances this season.