NHL Injury Report: Penguins, Ducks, Sabres & More – March 27, 2024

Welcome to the latest NHL Status Report, bringing you up-to-date on all the lineup changes and injury news across the league. Let’s dive into the key updates, including a significant return for the Pittsburgh Penguins and players battling through injuries.

Sidney Crosby Returns to the Penguins Lineup

Good news for Pittsburgh Penguins fans! Captain Sidney Crosby returned to action against the New York Islanders on Monday. The 38-year-old center was a full participant in contact drills on Sunday after missing a 6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars due to a lower-body injury. This is a major boost for the Penguins as they push for a playoff spot.

However, forward Evgeni Malkin (upper body) remains sidelined, missing his fourth consecutive game. The Penguins recalled forward Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League to bolster their forward depth.

Gudas to Play Through Injury for the Ducks

Radko Gudas of the Anaheim Ducks will play through a lower-body injury when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs. Gudas left a recent game against the Calgary Flames in the second period but is determined to suit up. He addressed the situation, stating, “You never want to watch your team play without you. I’m doing everything to play these games. Stand behind my own mistakes. I want to address it myself.”.

Forward Pavel Mintyukov will also play despite a lower-body injury, and Troy Terry is expected to play after a maintenance day.

Greenway Could Return for the Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres may see the return of forward Jordan Greenway against the Islanders on Tuesday. Greenway was a full participant in Monday’s practice and could play his first game since January 22nd. He expressed his relief, saying, “Just a relief. It’s been a long journey, so, yeah, the excitement, just happy it worked out. It has worked out up to now, and I’m feeling great.”. Greenway has been on a load management plan following multiple hernia surgeries.

Other Notable Injury Updates

• Noah Ostlund (Sabres) remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
• Aliaksei Protas (Capitals) will miss time due to an upper-body injury sustained in a collision with former teammate Nic Dowd. This could open the door for David Kampf to make his Capitals debut.
• Pierre-Luc Dubois (Capitals) did not practice Monday but is expected to play against the Flyers.
• Artyom Levshunov (Blackhawks) has a small fracture in his left hand and is out.
• Roope Hintz and Radek Faksa (Stars) are expected to return before the end of the regular season.
• Sam Steel (Wild) is out for at least a week with an undisclosed injury.

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