NHL Player News

Girard (upper body) has been ruled out of Thursday's clash in Vegas.

Girard missed Tuesday's tilt against Carolina. The defenseman has yet to pick up a point in seven games with the Penguins after accumulating three goals and nine assists in 40 games with Colorado before his trade Feb. 24. Look for Ilya Solovyov to remain in the lineup in Girard's absence.

Emberson (undisclosed) has returned to Edmonton for evaluation, the team announced Thursday.

Emberson left Tuesday's game against Colorado because of the injury. He won't play Thursday in Dallas and also isn't expected to be available Friday in St. Louis. Spencer Stastney is projected to draw into the lineup due to Emberson's absence.

Gudbranson (upper body) might join the Blue Jackets ahead of the team's road matchup against Philadelphia on Saturday, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.

Head coach Rick Bowness stated he hopes to have Gudbranson join the team for Saturday's game. If Gudbranson is to make the trip, it could indicate that he feels good enough to play. The 34-year-old blueliner has three points, 19 shots on net, 27 hits and 29 blocked shots across 21 games this season and would likely reclaim a role on the Blue Jackets' second or third pairing.

Alexeyev was recalled from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday, per Dave Molinari of Pittsburgh Hockey Now.

Alexeyev had three goals and seven points in 29 AHL games this season. He is expected to be an extra defenseman for the Penguins. Pittsburgh sent Ryan Graves to the AHL on a conditioning stint in a corresponding move.

Graves was sent to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning stint Thursday, Dave Molinari of Pittsburgh Hockey Now reports.

Graves has played only twice since Dec. 14 and has been a healthy scratch in 11 straight games. He could see AHL action for up to two weeks before he must return to the Penguins. Graves has one goal in 19 NHL games this season.

Rosen signed a two-year, two-way contract extension with the Blues on Thursday.

Rosen will receive $850,000 while in the NHL during the 2026-27 season and $900,000 the following campaign. Rosen will get $500,000 per season when in the minors. Rosen has seven goals and 19 assists in 46 AHL games this season.

Cernak (undisclosed) has been ruled out of Thursday's tilt against Detroit, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

Cernak should be considered day-to-day according to head coach Jon Cooper after Thursday's contest. Cernak will miss his second straight game and will be replaced in the lineup by Steve Santini once again. Cernak has one goal, six assists, 81 hits and 77 blocked shots across 43 appearances this season. He could return to action as early as Saturday versus Carolina.

Romanov (shoulder) is making strides in his recovery from surgery and could return during the 2025-26 postseason, per Stefen Rosner of NHL.com.

Romanov was spotted skating with Pierre Engvall and Semyon Varlamov on Thursday, showcasing a big step in his recovery that was projected to take five to six months. General manager Mathieu Darche importantly noted that Romanov could return for the playoffs if the Islanders, who currently occupy the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, make it to the dance. If he ultimately can return, the physical blueliner would add strong depth for New York's defensive core, as he dished out 31 hits and blocked 31 shots in just 15 games this season.

Balinskis (undisclosed) was deemed questionable ahead of Thursday's clash with the Blue Jackets, per George Richards of Florida Hockey Now.

On the same topic where head coach Paul Maurice stated that Balinskis is questionable, he noted that Michael Benning, who was called up Thursday, will likely suit up and make his NHL debut. Balinskis has 10 assists, 15 points, 66 shots on goal, 71 hits and 42 blocked shots across 54 games played this season. His status will be monitored during Thursday's morning skate, but if he can't go, it would likely lead to Benning taking Balinskis' spot on Florida's second pairing.

Benning was recalled from AHL Charlotte on Thursday.

Following Thursday's move, Benning will have the opportunity to make his NHL debut after posting a solid trio of seasons in the AHL. Across 56 games with Charlotte this season, he has eight goals, 23 assists and 110 shots on net. The 24-year-old defenseman has been a steady contributor from the blue line with 89 points across 182 career games with the Checkers, which should help him carve out a role with the Panthers if his name is called upon.