NHL Player News

Protas will not play Tuesday versus the Mammoth for personal reasons, Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports.

Protas will have a few extra days to attend to the matter before the Capitals' next game, which is Saturday in Boston. Hendrix Lapierre should be in the lineup, while Connor McMichael will step into a second-line spot in Protas' absence.

Werenski (illness) won't play against Nashville on Tuesday, according to Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site.

Werenski will miss his second straight game and will remain day-to-day ahead of Thursday's matchup against Florida. He has amassed 20 goals, 65 points, 195 shots on net and 68 blocked shots across 54 appearances this season.

Annunen will guard the road goal versus the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers reports.

Annunen is set for the second half of a back-to-back after Juuse Saros tended the twine in Monday's 4-2 loss to the Red Wings. Annunen's last start was a win over the Blackhawks last Thursday, in which he stopped 21 of 23 shots. The Blue Jackets are also playing for the second straight day after Monday's 5-4 overtime win over the Rangers.

Mancini was recalled from AHL Abbotsford on Tuesday.

With Tyler Myers being held out of the Canucks' lineup during potential trade talks, Mancini was likely called up to ensure that Vancouver will have six healthy defensemen ahead of Wednesday's game. The 23-year-old Mancini is still hunting for his first NHL point through 10 games this season, but he's made a solid impact with Abbotsford, posting 12 points, a plus-1 rating and 52 shots on net across 33 appearances. Expect Mancini to step into Vancouver's third defensive pairing in the team's clash against the Hurricanes on Wednesday.

Holtz (upper body) isn't expected to play against Buffalo on Tuesday, per SinBin.vegas.

Holtz will miss at least one game after being absent from the team's morning skate. He hasn't earned a point in nine NHL appearances this season while posting 10 shots on goal and 16 hits. With Holtz and Mark Stone (upper body) unavailable, Raphael Lavoie will suit up against the Sabres on Tuesday.

Brisson was assigned to AHL Hartford on Tuesday.

After posting an assist across three appearances with the Rangers, Brisson will return to the AHL for the time being. His audition at the highest level mimicked his solid play in the AHL, where he has 13 goals, 10 assists and 73 shots on net across 46 games this season. The 24-year-old forward will likely have a chance to be recalled at some point later in the season with the Rangers struggling to find consistent scoring depth.

Morrow was loaned to AHL Hartford on Tuesday.

Morrow has six assists, 24 shots on goal, 29 blocked shots and 11 hits across 29 NHL appearances this season. He also has one goal and five points in 14 minor-league outings during the 2025-26 campaign.

Parssinen was summoned from AHL Hartford on Tuesday.

Parssinen has five goals and one assist in 11 AHL appearances this season. He also has two goals, three points, 12 shots on net, nine blocked shots and 20 hits in 14 NHL outings this campaign.

Chmelar was recalled from AHL Hartford on Tuesday.

Chmelar was called up by the Rangers for the third time this season, with this promotion coming after he posted two multi-point games with the Wolf Pack since Feb. 14. Through 46 AHL appearances this season, the 22-year-old forward has eight goals, 17 assists and 80 shots on net. With Brendan Brisson being loaned to Hartford in a corresponding move, Chmelar might be presented with the opportunity to contribute right away for the Rangers in a bottom-six role.

Hintz (illness) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, per the NHL media site.

Hintz will miss his fourth straight game against Calgary on Tuesday. He is eligible to come off the IR list when he is healthy, but it's unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup. He has compiled 15 goals, 44 points, 125 shots on net and 58 hits in 52 appearances this season.