NHL Player News

Willander was recalled from AHL Abbotsford on Tuesday.

The Canucks are dealing with multiple injuries on the blue line, so Willander might draw into the lineup Tuesday versus the Rangers if Quinn Hughes (lower body) is unable to suit up. The 20-year-old Willander has yet to make his NHL debut, so he'd likely receive sheltered minutes on the third pairing if he's forced into action in the near future.

Forbort (undisclosed) was placed on long-term injured reserve Tuesday.

In corresponding moves, the Canucks put Victor Mancini (upper body) on injured reserve and recalled Tom Willander from AHL Abbotsford. Forbort has already missed the last eight games. He will be eligible to play against Chicago on Nov. 5, but it's unclear when he will be available to return to the lineup.

Mancini (upper body) has been placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Mancini was injured during Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over Edmonton, and he'll now miss at least the next three games. His placement on IR is retroactive to Oct. 26, so he'll be eligible to return to the lineup in Nashville on Monday. If Quinn Hughes (lower body) is unable to play against the Rangers on Tuesday, Tom Willander, who was recalled from AHL Abbotsford, will be an option to draw into the lineup, likely in a third-pairing capacity.

Back (upper body) isn't expected to play against Washington on Tuesday, according to Stars beat writer Robert Tiffin.

After missing the first eight games of the season due to an undisclosed injury, Back scored a goal and logged 8:28 of ice time against Nashville on Sunday. However, he is dealing with another injury and is considered day-to-day. With Matt Duchene (upper body) and Roope Hintz (undisclosed) also unavailable, Dallas will probably dress 11 forwards and seven defenseman against the Capitals, with Kyle Capobianco entering Tuesday's lineup.

Bogosian (lower body) was labeled week-to-week Tuesday, Jessi Pierce of NHL.com reports.

Bogosian was injured against the Capitals on Oct. 17, and he was placed on injured reserve Oct. 21 as a result. The right-shot defenseman has missed five consecutive games after not recording a point across his first five appearances in 2025-26. David Jiricek has been skating on the third pairing due to Bogosian's absence.

Kesselring (lower body) will be in action against Columbus on Tuesday, Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic reports.

Kesselring's return to the lineup will likely see Jacob Bryson (concussion) given at least one more game to fully recover. In 82 regular-season games for the Mammoth last year, the 25-year-old Kesselring notched seven goals and 22 assists, both career highs, while chipping in just three power-play points.

Wotherspoon scored his first goal of the season on his only shot on net and added three blocked shots and a plus-4 rating in Monday's 6-3 win over the Blues.

It's only the second goal of Wotherspoon's career, with the other coming Jan. 14 of last season when he was with the Bruins. After signing a modest one-year, $2 million contract with the Penguins in free agency this offseason, the 28-year-old blueliner has clicked on a pairing with Erik Karlsson, producing five points, 16 blocked shots, nine shots on net, eight hits, eight PIM and a plus-7 rating in 10 games.

Karlsson notched three assists with one shot on net, three blocked shots and a plus-3 rating in Monday's 6-3 win over the Blues.

The veteran blueliner had a helper in each period, including the primary assist on Bryan Rust's game-winner just 42 seconds into the third. Karlsson has yet to find the back of the net himself in 2025-26, but through 10 games, he's delivered nine assists, all of them coming in the last six contests.

Sanderson delivered three power-play assists in Monday's 7-2 win over the Bruins.

Sanderson has been excellent as a playmaker from the blue line and is up to eight assists on the season, including five power-play helpers. The 23-year-old defenseman has contributed directly to four of Ottawa's last 14 goals, as the Senators' offense is firing on all cylinders after recording seven goals in each of their past two games.

Pickering was recalled from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Tuesday.

Pickering is far from a lock to get into the lineup versus the Flyers on Tuesday, but it would be a strange decision to bring him up from the minors just to have him sit in the press box when the team already has seven blueliners on the roster. If Pickering does play, it will likely be at the expense of Matt Dumba or teenager Harrison Brunicke.