Ice Chips: Leafs' Matthews will not play vs. Panthers
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Captain Auston Matthews will not play on Wednesday against the Florida Panthers, according to TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston.
Matthews took part in his first practice as a full participant on Tuesday and Saturday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning remains a possibility for his return.
Head coach Craig Berube told reporters that the delay in his return to game action is more about getting him up to speed rather than healing from his injury.
"He had a real good practice yesterday, but he's been off for a while," said Berube. "He needs a little bit more to be ready to go."
Matthews told reporters on Saturday that the injury was one that he sustained during the preseason that had gotten better and then worse as the season progressed.
The 26-year-old superstar missed the team's last eight games while he re-evaluated the injury and travelled to Germany to get further treatment.
The 6-foot-3 centre has five goals and 11 points in 13 games this season.
Forward Matthew Knies was a full participant at the Maple Leafs' morning skate on Wednesday, wearing a regular practice jersey.
The 6-foot-3 winger had previously been skating in a red non-contact jersey after taking a high hit from Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Zach Whitecloud on Nov. 20.
Knies has eight goals and 12 points in 20 games this season.
The Maple Leafs are projected to use this lineup for Wednesday's game against the Panthers:
Anthony Stolarz is expected to start in net on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-6 netminder has a 7-3-2 record this season with a .927 save percentage and 2.18 goals-against average.
The Maple Leafs assigned defenceman Dakota Mermis to the AHL's Toronto Marlies on a long-term injured reserve conditioning stint on Wednesday.
Mermis, 30, joined the team on a one-year $775,000 deal in the off-season.
The 6-foot defenceman was placed on long-term injury reserve at the beginning of the season after undergoing jaw surgery. He participated in his first practice with the team on Tuesday.
Mermis had three goals and eight points in 47 games with the Minnesota Wild last season while averaging 14:05 of ice time
Montreal Canadiens
Defenceman Mike Matheson will not be available to the Canadiens when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets due to a lower-body injury.
The 6-foot-2 defenceman was a late scratch for the Canadiens' 3-2 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday.
Matheson has a goal and 13 points in 20 games this season.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Andrei Vasilevskiy will be in net on Wednesday when the Lightning take on the Washington Capitals.
Vasilevskiy has won four of his last five games and has a 10-6-1 record with a .915 save percentage and 2.24 goals-against average this season.
Additionally, Mitchell Chaffee will be out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury while forward Cam Atkinson draws in.
Chaffee had 9:55 of ice time with one shot during the Lightning's 8-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.
The 6-foot-1 winger has five goals and nine points in 20 games this season.
Atkinson, 35, has a goal and two points in 12 games this season.
Detroit Red Wings
Forward Patrick Kane participated in the Red Wings' morning skate on Wednesday prior to their game against the Calgary Flames but his status is questionable to play, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
Kane, 36, missed Monday's 4-2 win over the New York Islanders with an undisclosed injury.
The 5-foot-10 winger has three goals and 10 points in 20 games this season.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Tristan Jarry was the first goaltender off the ice during Wednesday's optional morning skate prior to their game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Jarry, 29, last appeared in a 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 22 and has not recorded a win since a 6-3 victory on Oct. 14 over the Montreal Canadiens.
The 6-foot-2 netminder has a 1-3-1 record with an .869 save percentage and 4.41 goals-against average this season.
Florida Panthers
Forward Anton Lundell will be a game-time decision when his team takes on the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Lundell, 23, participated in morning skate with a full face shield after taking a puck to the face during the team's 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday.
Head coach Paul Maurice told reporters that he may have to adjust his lineup on Wednesday depending on how Lundell feels.
The 6-foot-1 centre has seven goals and 16 points in 22 games this season.
Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to start in net against the Maple Leafs, according to Panthers insider George Richards.
Bobrovsky, 36, has a 9-5-1 record this season with an.885 save percentage and 3.18 goals-against average.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Elvis Merzlikins will go for his fifth straight win in net when the Blue Jackets take on the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-3 netminder has a 6-5-1 record this season with an .894 save percentage and 3.08 goals-against average this season.
New Jersey Devils
Jacob Markstrom is expected to get the start in net on Wednesday when the Devils take on the St. Louis Blues.
The 6-foot-6 netminder has a 10-5-1 record this season with a .907 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average.
Nashville Predators
Defenceman Jeremy Lauzon is considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury, the team announced on Wednesday.
Lauzon, 27, left Monday's 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils after just 9:11 of ice time with the injury.
The 6-foot-3 defenceman has an assist in 22 games this seasons while averaging 18:33 of ice time.
The Predators recalled defenceman Adam Wilsby and Nick Blankenburg from the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday.
Wilsby has a goal and five points in 13 games in the AHL this season while Blankenburg has three goals and eight points in 13 games.
Additionally forward Michael McCarron was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.
McCarron, 29, has two goals and four points in 18 games this season.
Buffalo Sabres
Tage Thompson will return to the lineup when the Sabres take on the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday.
Thompson has missed the team's last five games with a lower-body injury.
The 6-foot-6 centre leads the team with 11 goals to go along with his 18 points in 16 games this season.
Colorado Avalanche
Ross Colton skated prior to the Avalanches morning skate on Wednesday, according to Corey Masisak of the Denver Post.
Colton has been out of the lineup since Oct. 28 after sustaining a broken foot and was given a 6-to-8 week timeline for his return.
The 28-year-old centre has eight goals and nine points in 10 games this season.
The Avalanche recalled forwards Ivan Ivan, Nikolai Kovalenko, and Chase Bradley from the AHL's Colorado Eagles on Wednesday.
Ivan has appeared in 22 games with the Avalanche this season recording five goals and eight points while Kovalenko has three goals and seven points in 22 games.
Bradley has three goals and four points in 17 games with the Eagles this season.
Minnesota Wild
Filip Gustavsson will be in net for the Wild when they take on the Buffalo Sabres, according to head coach John Hynes.
Gustavsson has a 9-4-3 record this season with a .923 save percentage and 2.18 goals-against average.
Additionally, Hynes stated that forwards Marat Khusnutdinov and Jakub Lauko are considered day-to-day.
Khusnutdinov missed the team's last two games with a lower-body injury and has two assists in 19 games this season.
Lauko has an undisclosed injury and has two goals and four point in 21 games this season.
Philadelphia Flyers
Aleksei Kolosov will get the start in net when the Flyers take on the Nashville Predators, according to head coach John Tortorella.
Kolosov, 22, recorded his first career victory in a 3-2 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.
The 6-foot-1 netminder has a 1-4-0 record this season with an .877 save percentage and 3.34 goals-against average.
Dallas Stars
The Stars will be without forward Roope Hintz when his team takes on the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, according to team reporter Mike Heika.
Hintz, 28, skated 17:36 and recorded one shot during the Stars' 6-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and will be out with a "tweak"
The 6-foot-3 centre has eight goals and 13 points in 20 games this season.
Colin Blackwell will come into the lineup in Hintz's absence. He has a goal and four points in 15 games this season.
Casey DeSmith is expected to start against the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
The 6-foot netminder has a 2-3-0 record this season with a .914 save percentage and 2.22 goals-against average.