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.

Juulsen was in the lineup for a fourth straight game in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Capitals, logging two hits and two blocked shots.

Juulsen has mostly been a part-time player this season, but he currently has an advantage over Emil Andrae for a third-pairing job. With nine points in 47 outings, this has been Juulsen's best season on offense in the NHL. He's added 25 shots on net, 15 PIM, a plus-2 rating, 96 hits and 40 blocked shots.

Sanheim recorded an assist and went plus-3 in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Capitals.

Sanheim set up Travis Konecny's game-tying goal in the second period. While he's gone 17 games without a goal, Sanheim has six helpers and 31 blocked shots in that span. The veteran defenseman is up to 27 points, 71 shots on net, 119 blocked shots and a plus-3 rating across 64 appearances this season.

Drysdale scored a goal on three shots in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Capitals.

Drysdale has two goals and two assists over his last six outings. The defenseman continues to play in a top-four role, giving him plenty of chances to contribute offensively. He has matched his career high of seven goals, which he set in the 2024-25 campaign. He's at 27 points, 81 shots on net, 68 blocked shots, 31 PIM and a minus-6 rating across 61 appearances this season.

Morrow scored twice for AHL Hartford's 3-2 loss to Cleveland on Wednesday.

Morrow has been back in the AHL in four games, earning two goals and two assists. He has nine points over 18 outings with Hartford, as well as six assists through 29 appearances for the Rangers. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 23-year-old get another look in the NHL before the end of the campaign.

Lindstein notched an assist in Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders.

This was Lindstein's NHL debut, and he made an impact with a secondary helper on Jimmy Snuggerud's tally in the second period. The Blues have leaned on their top defensemen all season, so Lindstein's minutes are likely to be limited as long as he's in a bottom-four role. He had 13:39 of ice time Tuesday in his debut, and it's unclear how long he'll stick in the NHL this time around.

Broberg scored a goal on three shots and blocked two shots in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Islanders.

Broberg has a point in four straight games (one goal, three helpers). The 24-year-old defenseman is poised for a larger role to close out the campaign after the Blues dealt Justin Faulk to the Red Wings. Broberg is up to four goals, 23 points, 82 shots on net, 86 blocked shots and a plus-1 rating over 63 appearances, and he should get regular power-play time the rest of the way.