Monday night featured a relatively light schedule, but was heavy on the NHL injury report. A big name was a sudden scratch, while news isn’t so good for Aleksander Barkov and the Florida Panthers.
Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens have apparently gotten some good news.
Let’s take a closer look at the latest roundup of injury updates.
Macklin Celebrini Late Scratch in Sharks Game in Dallas
Macklin Celebrini was a late scratch Monday against Dallas with a lower-body injury, despite taking part in warmups. San Jose announced the scratch only minutes before puck drop. He reportedly left the ice earlier than usual after participating in most of warmups.
Sharks fans hope Celebrini’s into the NHL injury report is only a precautionary measure. It’s worth noting that the timing is particularly interesting: San Jose doesn’t play again until Thursday against St. Louis, giving Celebrini a few days before the next game.
An update would be expected on Tuesday, given the surprising nature of the injury.
Barkov Could Be on the NHL Injury Report Long-Term
Florida’s official update Monday said Barkov met with doctors, but the Panthers still did not have a recovery timeline. Paul Maurice specifically pushed back on the reported 10–12 week timeline, saying essentially that nobody outside the medical evaluation knows yet. The Panthers expect another update Tuesday.
Reuters is reporting the 10–12 week estimate, but that’s based on a report from Locked On Panthers, while Maurice is explicitly saying not to treat that timeline as established.
The Panthers head coach downplayed the situation, stating it’s still unclear how long Barkov will be on the NHL injury report.
“Do not bet your hard-earned money on that one,” Maurice said, adding that Barkov is still meeting with doctors and the team will have another update Tuesday. “I know you can bet on everything these days, but hang on to your cash. … If I don’t know, nobody else does.”
It seems that the situation is pretty status quo at the moment, though the rumblings are no bueno.
Minnesota Not Getting Good News on Yurov
Minnesota Wild forward Danila left Minnesota’s Monday practice early with an injury, according to reports. He is already listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
The loss will be a challenge for the Wild as they are already pretty thin down the middle as it is. Still, the hope is that Yurov won’t miss much time.
Canadiens Get Good Guhle News in Latest NHL Injury Report
Lastly, the Montreal Canadiens got a positive NHL injury report on defenseman Kaiden Guhle. Guhle practiced Monday in a standard jersey, suggesting he’s cleared for contact after undergoing offseason adductor surgery.
While it’s still unclear when Guhle could return, it’s a good sign for the Canadiens’ blueline depth. The club has been dealing with the possibility of losing Alexandre Carrier. The 29-year-old left Saturday night’s game. It’s still unclear what the extent of the injury is or what precisely the issue is. If Carrier misses any significant time, getting Guhle back soon will be crucial to offsetting the loss.
More information should be on the way in the coming days, as the Habs get ready for the Home Opener against the Carolina Hurricanes.
NHL Injury Report: Celebrini, Barkov Long-Term, Habs Good News