NHL Player News

Stillman (lower body) was placed on the injured non-roster list Monday.

Stillman has been dealing with a lower-body injury since late September, and he'll be unavailable to begin the regular season. Once he's healthy, it wouldn't be surprising to see him report to AHL Chicago. Over 47 appearances with AHL Rochester last year, he recorded two goals and six points.

Mermis (jaw) was placed on long-term injured reserve Monday.

Mermis underwent jaw surgery in late September and will miss the first several weeks of the regular season while he recovers. He was expected to compete for a depth spot on Toronto's blue line prior to his procedure, but he could be forced to spend time in the minors when he's back to full health. The 30-year-old made a career-high 47 appearances in the NHL with the Wild last year, totaling three goals, 59 blocked shots and 45 hits while averaging 14:05 of ice time.

Hakanpaa (knee) was placed on long-term injured reserve Monday.

Hakanpaa underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in the spring but joined the Maple Leafs on a one-year deal in September. However, he'll have to wait to make his team debut while he continues his recovery process. The 32-year-old has recently practiced in a no-contact jersey, but it's not yet clear when Toronto expects him to return to game action.

Harpur was recalled by the Rangers on Monday, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports.

Harpur was waived by the Rangers in late September and assigned to AHL Hartford, but he'll rejoin the NHL club as part of a slew of procedural moves Monday. It wouldn't be surprising to see him sent back down ahead of Opening Night against the Penguins on Wednesday, but he could be back in the NHL at some point this year.

Mancini was demoted to AHL Hartford on Monday, Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today reports.

Mancini has yet to make his NHL debut, so his stint in the minors may not be a short one. Still, the 22-year-old defenseman impressed during training camp and could still earn his way back onto the NHL roster ahead of Wednesday's Opening Night matchup with Pittsburgh.

Lindgren (upper body) was placed on injured reserve Monday, Arthur Staple of The Athletic reports.

Lindgren has been dealing with an upper-body injury for approximately two weeks and was already expected to miss Opening Night against the Penguins on Wednesday. The 26-year-old initially had a return timetable of 2-3 weeks, so it seems unlikely that he'll miss substantial time to begin the regular season.

Mukhamadullin (lower body) was placed on the injured non-roster list Monday, Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now reports.

Mukhamadullin has been dealing with a lower-body injury since before the start of training camp, and he didn't return to full health during preseason action. It's not yet clear when he'll be ready to return, but the 22-year-old could head to the minors once he's deemed healthy.

Thompson was assigned to AHL San Jose on Monday.

Thompson made his NHL debut last season, making three appearances between the Lightning and the Sharks. He didn't have much of an impact and will begin the 2024-25 campaign in the minors, which is likely where he'll spend most of the season.

Crozier was assigned to AHL Syracuse on Monday.

Crozier provided four goals and 21 points in 49 AHL contests during the 2023-24 regular season before adding four assists in six playoff outings. He also had two helpers in 13 NHL regular-season appearances with the Lightning last campaign. Crozier could see more playing time with Tampa Bay in 2024-25, though most of his games will likely be in the minors.

Head coach Luke Richardson said Monday that Kaiser (illness) will likely be available late in Chicago's season-opening road trip or shortly after, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

Kaiser was placed on injured reserve Friday, retroactive to Sept. 19, due to an illness. However, it doesn't appear as though he'll be forced to miss significant time to begin the regular season. The Blackhawks open the 2024-25 campaign with four consecutive games on the road, but Kaiser could be cleared to return sometime in mid-October.