NHL Player News

Simashev was reassigned to AHL Tucson on Saturday.

MacKenzie Weegar is ready for his Utah debut, and Mikhail Sergachev is also set to return from a lower-body injury. That means there's no room for Simashev in the lineup, so he'll head to Tucson to resume getting regular playing time with the Roadrunners.

Sergachev (lower body) is good to play Saturday in Columbus.

Sergachev missed Thursday's 3-0 win over Philadelphia. He has 10 goals and 42 points in 61 outings in 2025-26. Sergachev is projected to play on the top pairing alongside MacKenzie Weegar, who is making his Utah debut after being acquired from Calgary on Wednesday.

Weegar (immigration) was added to the Mammoth's roster and will play Saturday versus the Blue Jackets.

Weegar will line up alongside Mikhail Sergachev, forming a formidable top pairing for the Mammoth. Weegar's visa paperwork was expected to take longer, but he'll end up missing just one game since he was traded Wednesday. He'll be a top-four fixture for the rest of the season, but it's not yet clear how much of a factor he'll be on Utah's power play.

Askarov will guard the home goal versus the Islanders on Saturday, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports.

Askarov will get the second half of a back-to-back after Alex Nedeljkovic was in goal for Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Blues. The Sharks have started to alternate goalies, with this being Askarov's third start in the last five games, though that may be influenced by a pair of back-to-back sets. The Islanders have lost their last two games, scoring a total of four goals.

Kozak (undisclosed) isn't available for Saturday's game against Nashville, per Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News.

Kozak is set to miss his second straight game. He's considered day-to-day, so the 23-year-old might be an option Sunday versus Tampa Bay. Kozak has two goals, four points, two PIM, 98 hits and 33 blocks in 39 appearances in 2025-26. Kozak could serve in a bottom-six capacity once he's ready to return.

O'Reilly (eye) is slated to play Saturday versus Buffalo, per Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site.

O'Reilly missed Thursday's 6-3 win over Boston because of the injury. He has 22 goals and 59 points in 61 appearances with the Predators in 2025-26. O'Reilly will return to his regular spot on the top line versus the Sabres. He should also see time on the power play and penalty kill.

Saros will guard the road goal against Buffalo on Saturday, per Brooks Bratten of the Predators' official site.

Saros is coming off a 20-save performance in Thursday's 6-3 win over Boston. He has a 22-18-6 record this campaign with a 3.18 GAA and an .892 save percentage through 47 appearances. Buffalo sits seventh in the league with 3.40 goals per game this season.

Lyon is expected to start at home against Nashville on Saturday, per Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News.

Lyon has won his past two outings while turning aside 54 of 58 shots (.931 save percentage). He has a 16-8-3 record, 2.66 GAA and .914 save percentage in 29 appearances in 2025-26. Nashville is 5-6-4 while averaging 3.27 goals per game across its past 15 outings.

Lilleberg will be out for at least two weeks due to a facial fracture, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports Saturday.

Lilleberg suffered the injury during Wednesday's practice. He has accounted for two goals, four assists, 28 shots on net, 33 blocked shots and 60 hits across 35 appearances this season.

Hanley (illness) will miss Saturday's home game against the Hurricanes due to an illness, per Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 The Fan.

Hanley was reported to be under the weather Saturday, meaning he'll miss his first game since Nov. 18. The 34-year-old blueliner has seven assists, 34 shots on goal, 38 hits and 76 blocked shots across 58 games this season. In his absence, the newly acquired Olli Maatta is set to make his debut for Calgary and should occupy Hanley's spot on the depth chart. Hanley's next chance to return is Monday's matchup against the Capitals, which marks the start of Calgary's upcoming road trip.