Here's the latest injury news from across the NHL! If you're looking for information about a specific player and don't see their name in this article, there probably haven't been any significant updates about their progress since our last article. If you ever need injury updates for a specific player, shoot me a message on Twitter @BrennanDeSouza.

Josh Manson – The Ducks defenseman is week-to-week with a finger injury.  

Scott Wedgewood – Is officially day-to-day with an upper-body injury. It sounds like he sustained the injury in practice after taking a puck to the chest.

Patrice Bergeron – Left Tuesday's game against the Penguins with an upper-body injury. Coach Bruce Cassidy didn't have an update on his captain's status after the game, but we should hear more in the coming days.

Tuukka Rask – Reports indicate that Rask won't be returning this season and could finalize his retirement in the next few days. On Monday, coach Bruce Cassidy said Rask wouldn't be practicing this week, which already gave an indication that the Finnish netminder wouldn't be back any time soon. Rask has been dealing with the lingering effects of hip surgery, which he had in the summer of 2021.

Casey Mittelstadt – It sounds like Mittelstadt recently aggravated muscles around the area of an upper-body injury he sustained earlier in the season. He's expected to practice with the team on Wednesday but won't be taking any contact. The Sabres forward is officially week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen – The Sabres netminder practiced on Tuesday, for the first time since sustaining a knee injury on January 11^th. His status has been upgraded to day-to-day, so he should be available relatively soon.

Teuvo Teravainen – A lingering lower-body injury has kept Teravainen out of Carolina's past four games – two before the All-Star break and two after. Although coach Rod Brind'Amour said Teravainen was feeling better on Monday, the Finnish winger didn't end up playing in Carolina's back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday night. On one hand, he's been a game-time decision ahead of each contest he's missed, which suggests the injury isn't too serious. On the other hand, he's been sidelined for a week and a half now.

Jonathan Toews – Chicago's captain remains in concussion protocol and won't be travelling with the team on its three-game road trip, which starts in Edmonton on Wednesday and ends in Winnipeg on February 14^th.  Toews has been doing some work off the ice but hasn't resumed skating just yet. Recovering from a head injury is an unpredictable process and coach Derek King made it clear there's no concrete timetable for Toews' return.

Kevin Lankinen – Has done some on-ice drills with the coaching staff recently but won't join the team for its upcoming road trip through Edmonton, St. Louis and Winnipeg. Lankinen is in the latter stages of his recovery from a hand injury and could start facing shots next week.

Nathan MacKinnon – The Avalanche star skated by himself ahead of Tuesday's team practice. MacKinnon won't be in the lineup against Tampa Bay on Thursday, but the Avs hope to have him back for Sunday's game against the Stars. Everything would have to go smoothly between now and then for that to happen as reports indicate MacKinnon hasn't been officially cleared of his concussion just yet.

Jason Robertson – Missed Tuesday's practice due to an eye infection but is expected to play against Nashville on Wednesday.

Braden Holtby – Was dealing with a lower-body injury shortly before the All-Star Break but seems to be fine now as he was a full participant in Tuesday's practice. I expect he'll be available for Wednesday's game against Nashville.

Jakub Vrana – The Red Wings forward had shoulder surgery in early October, which came with a recovery timeline of at least four months. Well, it's been about four months since the procedure and he's recently been skating, stick-handling and shooting during team practice. Vrana hasn't been taking contact just yet but will see his surgeon in the next couple of weeks to figure out when he'll be ready for contact. 

Matt Dumba – Coach Dean Evason is optimistic Dumba will be in the lineup against Carolina on Saturday. An upper-body injury kept Dumba out of Minnesota's final game before the All-Star Break, as well as their first game after the All-Star Break.

Carey Price – Took part in on-ice sessions frequently during the All-Star Break and had a short skate before Monday's practice. In our last installment of the Injury Ward, we discussed how Price's status for the rest of the year would probably become evident over these next few weeks as he continues to test out his knee.

Mackenzie Blackwood – The Devils netminder is reportedly going through second and third opinions regarding treatment for his injured heel. There's no official timeline for his absence at this point, but the fact that he's seeking multiple opinions suggests to me that this is a significant issue and he could be sidelined for some time.

Dougie Hamilton – Continues to skate but still hasn't been cleared for contact. Hamilton didn't travel to St. Louis with the team and won't be in the lineup against the Blues on Thursday. Once he participates in a few full-contact practices, we can start anticipating a return.

Drake Batherson – Recently ditched the crutches and walking boot which helped him through the early stages of his recovery from a high ankle sprain, which he sustained on January 25^th. Batherson says he's able to walk normally now and that the recovery process has been moving much quicker than anyone expected. He hopes to start skating again in the next couple of weeks but will follow advice from medical staff, who have warned that setbacks can happen if he rushes things. Based on this optimistic update, I expect we'll see Batherson return at some point this season.

Josh Norris – Will be sidelined for at least two more weeks due to a shoulder injury. Fortunately, it doesn't sound like he's dealing with any structural damage. Norris is putting together a solid sophomore campaign, scoring at a 59-point pace.

Sean Couturier – No substantial updates recently, but coach Mike Yeo said on Tuesday that Couturier hasn't been skating recently and isn't expected back any time soon.

Kevin Hayes – Skated before the team's practice on Tuesday. He underwent a procedure on January 18^th which came with a recovery timeline of three to four weeks. It's encouraging that Hayes is skating, but it still sounds like it'll be a while before he's back in the lineup.

Ryan Ellis – When asked about Ellis on Tuesday, coach Mike Yeo said the defenseman wasn't skating and there's no indication he'll be back any time soon.

Nikita Kucherov – Was a full participant in Tuesday's practice, which suggests he'll be available for Thursday's clash with Colorado. He was sidelined due to COVID protocol ahead of the All-Star Break.

Erik Cernak – Wasn't on the ice for Tuesday's practice. The hope is Cernak will be able to return against the Devils on February 15^th or the Oilers on February 23^rd. That means he'll most probably miss Tampa's next two games – Thursday in Colorado and Friday in Arizona.

Auston Matthews – Left Monday's game against Carolina after he took an inadvertent knee to head as he was falling to ice. Fortunately, he was feeling good on Tuesday and the team seemed optimistic about his status going forward. Whether or not he participates in Wednesday's practice should reveal his availability for Thursday's clash with Calgary.

Jake Muzzin – Has been progressing well in his recovery from a concussion as Tuesday was another good day on the ice. It sounds like Muzzin could return at some point during Toronto's three-game road trip through Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle.

Jack Eichel – Was a full participant in Monday's practice, marking the first time he's taken contact since undergoing artificial disk replacement surgery in mid-November. This is huge step forward in his recovery and it suggests a return is just around the corner. He probably won't play against Calgary on Wednesday, but Vegas' next game on February 16^th seems like a realistic date for Eichel's return. 

Zach Whitecloud – Has a broken bone in his foot and there's no timetable for a return as I write this.  

Alec Martinez – It sounds like he's had a few setbacks in his recovery from a head injury, which has kept him out since late November. One of those setbacks was a bout with COVID-19 which hit him a bit harder than it did others. It doesn't sound like Martinez will make his return against the Flames on Wednesday. I suppose the team will continue to monitor his status on a day-to-day basis.

Vitek Vanecek – Is dealing with an upper-body injury which he sustained on February 2^nd. He was working out off the ice on Tuesday, but we'll have to wait until he's skating and facing shots before we can start talking about a return.  

T.J. Oshie – Hasn't been skating recently but he's working out off the ice and progressing well. Oshie remains week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Anthony Mantha – Is progressing well in his recovery from shoulder surgery, which he had in early-November. The team hopes he'll be able to resume skating on his own soon.

Nikolaj Ehlers – Injured his left knee in a knee-on-knee collision on January 18^th. Coach Dave Lowry said that Ehlers was not close to practicing with the team, saying it could be weeks or even a month before the winger is able to practice.

NHL's COVID-19 Protocol List

Over the past few weeks, many players have been placed in COVID protocol. There isn't really much information available for each case, so I've simply listed the date that each player entered protocol. In the past, players stayed sidelined for about 10 days, but the league and player's association agreed to let vaccinated individuals leave isolation five days after a positive COVID test, if they have no symptoms or if symptoms are resolving. That early exit is only possibly if allowed by local health authorities.

Below is a list of fantasy-relevant players currently sidelined due to COVID.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Entered COVID protocol on February 6^th.

Mikko Koskinen – Was placed in COVID protocol on February 7^th.

Jack Hughes – Entered COVID protocol on February 6^th.

Evgeni Malkin – Was placed in COVID protocol on February 7^th.

Quinn Hughes – Entered COVID protocol on February 7^th.

Pierre-Luc Dubois – Was placed in COVID protocol on February 7^th.

Neal Pionk – Entered COVID protocol on February 7^th.