NHL players are returning to the Olympics for the first time since 2014, but for some, the timing is unfortunate because they\u2019re dealing with injuries. Time is getting short, with the NHL shutting down after Feb. 5 to prepare for the tournament in Milan-Cortina.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s still time for injured players on the Olympic rosters to return \u2014 and time for more issues to pop up ahead of the men\u2019s tournament, which starts on Feb. 11.<\/p>\n
This tracker includes NHL players who were on the initial set of rosters \u2014 not those injured before roster announcements, such as Aleksander Barkov \u2014 and currently are out of the lineup with a reported injury. It will be updated as further injury\/roster news is confirmed.<\/p>\n
United States<\/p>\n
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild winger: One of the leading American goal-scorers in the league this season \u2014 behind Dallas\u2019 Jason Robertson, who was left off the initial roster \u2014 Boldy is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is set to miss at least one more game (Thursday vs. Detroit). He last played on Jan. 15 against Winnipeg but should be ready for Milan, a team source told<\/a> The Athletic\u2019s Michael Russo<\/p>\n Seth Jones, Florida Panthers defenseman:\u00a0Wednesday brought some tough news for Jones, who was officially removed from the roster<\/a> and replaced by Jackson LaCombe of the Anaheim Ducks. Jones hasn\u2019t played since taking a puck to the shoulder in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1 and was recently shifted to long-term injured reserve to make room on Florida\u2019s roster for Matthew Tkachuk, who made his season debut on Jan. 19 after surgery on a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.<\/p>\n Canada<\/p>\n Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning center: On the Canadian roster to eat tough matchup minutes, Cirelli left Tampa Bay\u2019s win over San Jose on Tuesday in the third period, when a shot by teammate (and fellow Olympian) Brandon Hagel struck him in the upper body. He should return to the Lightning lineup on Friday, The Athletic\u2019s Pierre LeBrun reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bo Horvat, New York Islanders forward: On Jan. 1, a day after officially pushing his way onto the team \u2014 he was not part of Canada\u2019s 4 Nations Face-Off roster \u2014 Horvat suffered a lower-body injury. He hasn\u2019t played since but could return on Jan. 24, general manager Mathieu Darche said last week. The Islanders expect him back before the break, regardless.<\/p>\n Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings goaltender: Likely to be Canada\u2019s third goalie, behind Jordan Binnington and Logan Thompson, Kuemper left the Kings\u2019 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday with an upper-body injury after a collision in the crease. On Thursday, Kuemper said he suffered a pinched nerve in his neck but will join the Kings on their road trip, which begins Saturday in St. Louis.<\/p>\n Brad Marchand, Florida Panthers winger: At 37 years old, Marchand was on pace to score nearly 50 goals when he left the Panthers\u2019 lineup on Jan. 6 with an upper-body injury. He\u2019s missed six games and counting but has been skating with the team and, coach Paul Maurice said, should return soon.<\/p>\n Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning center:\u00a0No Canadian player is in greater danger of missing the tournament. Point, 29, needed to be helped off the ice on Jan. 12 after Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York fell onto his right leg. His status for Milan is likely to \u201ccome down to the wire,\u201d The Athletic\u2019s Chris Johnston reported<\/a> on Jan. 16, and his absence would mean an open spot on Canada\u2019s top six.<\/p>\n Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche defenseman:\u00a0Cale Makar\u2019s defensive partner is trending upward after an upper-body injury on Jan. 3, but he\u2019s unlikely to return during the Avs\u2019 two-game homestand, coach Jared Bednar said on Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sweden<\/p>\n Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild defenseman:\u00a0Brodin will miss the tournament due to a nagging lower-body injury, Russo reported<\/a>. That\u2019s a blow to Sweden\u2019s defensive group, but they do have depth at the position; expect him to be replaced by the Edmonton Oilers\u2019 Mattias Ekholm, who played for the team at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Boston Bruins\u2019 Hampus Lindholm or the Detroit Red Wings\u2019 Simon Edvinsson.<\/p>\n Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks center:\u00a0Sweden also expects to be without their 21-year-old star, coach Sam Hallam told reporters on Tuesday. He had a procedure to treat a thigh injury on Jan. 16 and was initially given a three-to-five week return timetable. Carlsson\u2019s early-season breakout was a major story for both the Ducks and the Swedish team, but his play had dipped before the procedure.<\/p>\n Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman: The cornerstone of Sweden\u2019s impressive blue line, Hedman hasn\u2019t played since an elbow injury on Dec. 9 that necessitated surgery, but he\u2019s expected to be ready for Milan.<\/p>\n Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche winger:\u00a0Avs coach Jared Bednar said on Wednesday<\/a> that Landeskog is still \u201ca ways out\u201d from returning from an upper-body injury he sustained when he crashed into the goal on Jan. 6, but Hallam told reporters that hopeful that Landeskog will return in time for the tournament.<\/p>\n William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs winger:\u00a0Sweden\u2019s most gifted offensive player has missed two games and counting with a recurrence of a groin injury<\/a> that originally took place in late December. Hallam is hopeful about Nylander\u2019s status, as well; his absence would deal another huge blow to Sweden\u2019s gold-medal hopes.<\/p>\n Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman: In the most recent potential hit to Sweden\u2019s blue-line depth, Ekman-Larsson left Toronto\u2019s Wednesday game against the Red Wings with a lower-body injury. A 2012 Olympian, the 34-year-old had played his way back onto the national team after being left off the 4 Nations Face-Off roster.<\/p>\n Finland<\/p>\n Joel Kiviranta, Colorado Avalanche forward:\u00a0A solid bottom-sixer, Kiviranta (lower body) could return on Friday against the Ducks, Bednar said<\/a>. He hasn\u2019t played since Dec, 19.<\/p>\n Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman:\u00a0Ristolainen (upper body) hasn\u2019t played since Jan. 14 and was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 17. The earliest he can return to the lineup is Jan. 26 against the Islanders.<\/p>\n Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks forward:\u00a0Teravainen left Chicago\u2019s game against Edmonton on Jan. 12 with an upper-body injury and skated on Wednesday in a non-contact jersey.<\/p>\n Czechia<\/p>\n