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Combined summaries and individual breaking-news reports, all in one recency-first feed.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired prospect Michael Milne from the Minnesota Wild in a trade for Boris Katchouk. Milne, a 23-year-old forward drafted 89th overall in 2022, has been injury-prone. This season, he recorded 2 goals and 5 points in 15 AHL games with Iowa, accumulating 32 goals and 65 points over 172 career AHL games.
The Minnesota Wild have acquired veteran power forward Boris Katchouk from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for prospect Michael Milne. Katchouk, 27, has played 3 NHL games this season with no points and 5 hits. Over 179 career NHL games, he has recorded 15 goals, 21 assists, 36 points, and 310 hits. He is expected to report to the AHL's Iowa Wild.
Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) participated in his first team practice since last year's playoffs on Sunday, wearing a non-contact jersey. The star forward underwent offseason surgery for a torn adductor and sports hernia, sustained while playing for Team USA in February. He is nearing a return, but his game play timeline, including for the upcoming Winter Classic, remains unclear as the team prioritizes his full health. Tkachuk played through injuries in the last playoffs, recording 23 points in 23 games.
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury after taking a hit from Joel Eriksson Ek during Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Wild. The 30-year-old blueliner's status for Monday's game against the Oilers is uncertain. Morrissey has been a key contributor this season, recording 30 points (six goals, 24 assists) in 36 games.
New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox (upper body) is considered day-to-day after fully participating in Sunday's practice, per Peter Baugh. While his return date is still unclear, Fox appears close to rejoining the lineup after missing the last 13 games. This season, he has tallied three goals, 26 points, 51 shots, 41 blocked shots, and 15 hits through 27 appearances.
Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues) will start Monday's game against the Buffalo Sabres. The 25-year-old netminder has seen the vast majority of starts in December, posting a 5-2-0 record with a 2.10 GAA and a .929 save percentage. Hofer is currently on a personal three-game winning streak and will face a Sabres team that has won a league-best eight straight games.
Jared McCann (Seattle Kraken) has been activated from injured reserve and is probable to return Sunday against the Flyers after a seven-game absence due to a lower body injury. This season, the 29-year-old forward has recorded 5 goals, 3 assists for 8 points, along with 27 shots, 8 blocked shots, and 14 hits in 11 appearances. His return is expected to boost the Kraken's top-six lineup. He also missed 10 games earlier this season.
Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) has been placed on injured reserve due to a lower body injury, causing him to miss his second consecutive game. He is considered day-to-day and eligible for activation when ready. Werenski has been a significant contributor this season, tallying 14 goals and 40 points through 35 appearances, ranking him second among NHL defensemen in both categories. He also recorded 132 shots and 52 blocked shots. Mathieu Olivier was activated in a corresponding move.
Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning) has been activated off injured reserve and is likely to play in Sunday's contest against the Canadiens. The 27-year-old forward missed the last four games due to an upper body injury, but the holiday break helped minimize his time out. Hagel has had a strong season, registering 18 goals and 13 assists in 32 games. His return will restore the Lightning's full complement of forwards for the game.
New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt scored two goals, including one on the power play, in Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Capitals. Bratt, who had only found the back of the net once in his prior 23 games, snapped shots past Logan Thompson in the second and third periods. This performance brings his season totals to eight goals and 31 points through 38 contests. His 9.3 percent shooting percentage this season is on pace to be his lowest since 2020-21.
Washington Capitals center Aliaksei Protas recorded a goal and two assists, totaling three points, in Saturday's 4-3 overtime win against the Devils. He also registered five shots on net, a hit, and a plus-3 rating. All three points came in regulation, as Protas continues to build momentum. The 24-year-old has now scored in four of his last five games and has accumulated an impressive seven goals and 11 points through 12 contests in December.
Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs was the first off the ice at Sunday's morning skate, indicating he is in line to start against the Blackhawks. The Penguins appear to be going with Silovs over Stuart Skinner to reset their goalie rotation after the holiday break. The 24-year-old holds a 5-5-6 record this season with a 3.22 GAA and an .887 save percentage. He will face a Blackhawks squad playing the second of a back-to-back, coming off a win that snapped a six-game losing streak.
Mattias Samuelsson delivered a career-first three-point performance in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Bruins, tallying a goal and two assists. He also contributed six hits, two shots, two blocked shots, and a plus-3 rating. This effort ended a 15-game goal drought for the blueliner. Through 35 games this season, Samuelsson has achieved career highs with six goals and 18 points, alongside 74 blocked shots, 53 hits, 48 shots on net, and a plus-15 rating, marking a breakout campaign for the Buffalo Sabres defenseman.
Jet Greaves is slated to start Sunday's game against the Islanders, marking his eighth start in the last nine contests for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 24-year-old netminder has posted a 2-5-0 record with a 2.41 GAA and a .918 save percentage during this busy stretch. He will face an Islanders team that, despite rising to second in the Metropolitan Division, has struggled offensively, being held to two goals or fewer in their last five outings.
Anze Kopitar delivered a stellar performance for the LA Kings, notching three assists and a plus-3 rating in Saturday's dominant 6-1 victory over the Ducks. The 38-year-old center provided secondary helpers on all three goals of Alex Laferriere's hat trick, marking his first multi-point effort since November 20. Kopitar's season totals now stand at six goals, 14 assists, 48 shots on net, 28 blocked shots, and a plus-14 rating through 33 appearances. He continues to play a top-six role for the Kings.
Malinski recorded three assists, three shots on goal, and a plus-3 rating in Saturday's 6-5 shootout victory against the Golden Knights. The 27-year-old blueliner set up goals by Samuel Girard, Martin Necas, and Nathan MacKinnon. He has accumulated a goal and eight assists over 12 games in December. For the 2025-26 season, Malinski has tallied 21 points (three goals, 18 assists), 64 shots on net, 39 blocked shots, 19 hits, and a plus-19 rating across 37 appearances.
MacKinnon delivered a stellar performance in Saturday's 6-5 shootout win over the Golden Knights, scoring a goal on nine shots, adding two assists, and finishing with a plus-2 rating. This marked his 11th multi-point effort in his last 15 contests, during which he has amassed 14 goals and 13 helpers. The 30-year-old superstar now boasts 31 goals, 33 assists, 171 shots on net, and an impressive plus-47 rating through 37 appearances this season, maintaining a career-best pace.
Necas netted two goals on four shots and registered a plus-3 rating in Saturday's 6-5 shootout win against the Golden Knights. He has now scored four goals in his last four games, bringing his December totals to five goals and 11 assists over 12 outings. The 26-year-old forward has accumulated 18 goals, 49 points, 83 shots on net, 35 hits, and a plus-37 rating across 37 appearances this season, putting him on pace to surpass the 100-point mark for the first time in his career.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Blake Lizotte has been cleared for contact and is expected to return to the lineup as early as Sunday against the Chicago Blackhawks. He was a full participant in Saturday's practice after missing nine games since Dec. 7 with an undisclosed injury. Lizotte's return is crucial for the Penguins' penalty kill, which has struggled in his absence, and his impactful 5v5 play on the fourth line. This season, Lizotte has recorded 3 goals and 5 points in 27 games, with coach Dan Muse highlighting his contagious energy and forechecking ability.
Kings forward Alex Laferriere achieved his first career hat trick, scoring three goals to propel Los Angeles to a dominant 6-1 victory over the Ducks. This crucial win provided a much-needed boost for the Kings, who had previously lost six of their last seven games. Laferriere's performance included his 10th goal of the season and marked his third multi-goal game. The Kings' offense exploded with a four-goal first period, featuring additional goals from Drew Doughty, Trevor Moore, and Quinton Byfield.
