NHL Player News

Matthews (lower body) hasn't been ruled out against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday after head coach Craig Berube told reporters, "I'll probably know tomorrow if they're available Wednesday," per Mark Masters of TSN.

It's far from a confirmation that Matthews will face Columbus, but it's a step in the right direction. It seems Tuesday's practice session will be critical for the world-class center in determining his availability. Whenever Matthews does return, he will reclaim his first-line role and spot on the No. 1 power-play unit.

Hinostroza (lower body) was designated for injured reserve Monday.

Hinostroza was previously deemed week-to-week, so his placement on IR shouldn't come as a surprise. The veteran winger becomes the fourth forward on IR for the Wild right now, joining Ryan Hartman, Marco Rossi and Vladimir Tarasenko, all of whom are also dealing with lower-body problems. All the injuries will see Danila Yurov and Yakov Trenin taking on bigger roles.

Point (undisclosed) won't play against Philadelphia on Monday, according to Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site.

Head coach Jon Cooper also said Monday that Point's availability for Wednesday's matchup against Calgary is "dicey." The 29-year-old Point sustained an injury in Saturday's 5-3 win over Washington, and it's unclear when he will be ready to return. He has produced three goals, 11 points and 44 shots on net across 21 appearances this season. With Point unavailable, Dominic James will occupy a top-six role against the Flyers on Monday.

Miller (upper body) won't play against St. Louis on Monday, per Colin Stephenson of Newsday.

Miller remains day-to-day and will miss his second straight game. He has racked up six goals, 12 points, 51 shots on net and 54 hits through 22 appearances this season. Jonny Brodzinski has been occupying a top-six role due to Miller's absence.

Glass (upper body) will be in the lineup versus Detroit on Monday.

Glass returns following a four-game stint on injured reserve due to his upper-body issue. This follows a previous seven-game absence due to an upper-body problem, though it's unclear if the issues are related. With the veteran center back, he'll slot into a third-line role while Juho Lammikko finds himself relegated to the press box.

Trocheck is considered a game-time decision for Monday's matchup against the Blues due to an undisclosed injury, Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic reports.

Trocheck didn't participate in Monday's morning skate, and while his absence was initially labeled as precautionary, the Rangers will monitor him in the hours leading up to puck drop before determining his status. While the exact nature of Trocheck's ailment isn't yet clear, Juuso Parssinen will likely enter the lineup if Trocheck is unavailable.

Dowd (upper body) is considered a game-time decision for Monday's matchup against Columbus, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.

Dowd has missed the last three games due to an upper-body injury, and while he's officially considered a game-time decision Monday, he remained on the ice after morning skate, suggesting that he'll be unavailable once again. If Dowd is forced to miss another game, Sonny Milano will likely remain in the lineup for Washington.

Backlund logged two assists, two shots on net and a plus-2 rating in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Canucks.

Backlund has a goal and five helpers over his last seven contests. He set up tallies by Connor Zary and Blake Coleman (shorthanded) in this game. Backlund is up to 13 points, 54 shots on net, 16 hits and a plus-5 rating over 24 appearances this season while playing in his usual middle-six role.

Kadri logged two assists, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Canucks.

This was his third straight two-helper outing. The 35-year-old center has seven assists over his last four contests following his five-game slump earlier in the month. Kadri is up to 18 points (four goals, 14 helpers), 77 shots on net, 18 hits and a minus-11 rating across 24 appearances. His 5.2 shooting percentage is the lowest of his career, so he's due for some positive regression if he continues to maintain a high shot volume.

Zary scored a goal in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Canucks.

Zary was on an 11-game slump prior to Sunday. He followed up on a second-chance play to score the Flames' go-ahead goal at 8:08 of the first period, just 35 seconds after Morgan Frost had tied the game. Zary was on the third line with Blake Coleman and Mikael Backlund in this contest, which is typically a good spot for a slumping forward to land. Zary has three points, 29 shots on net, 15 hits and a minus-2 rating through 22 appearances. He'll need to find a lot more consistency to be an option in fantasy.