Nashville Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (lower body) will not return to play in 2024-25. The physical rearguard has yet to see any action in 2025 after suffering a lower-body injury, and the team has announced that Lauzon will be sidelined for 4-6 months. The 27-year-old, who set an NHL single-season record with 383 hits last season, finished the 2024-25 campaign with one assist and 127 hits over 28 games. Based on the announced timeline, Lauzon should be ready for the start of training camp next season.

Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor will miss Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off finale against Canada as a healthy scratch. Connor exits the Team USA lineup after struggling to make an impact in the first three games. He tallied one assist with one shot on goal. Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers will play instead of Connor on the fourth line with fellow Ranger Vincent Trocheck and New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey (illness) will miss Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off finale against Team USA. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Morrissey is battling an illness. The Canadians lost Shea Theodore (upper body) early in the tournament, and Morrissey's absence is another setback for the blue line. Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars will join the lineup as Morrissey's replacement, marking his second appearance in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Harley also played in Saturday's matchup against the U.S. He went scoreless in 18:17 of play, finishing with two shots on goal, three blocked shots, one hit, and a minus-one rating.

New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (upper body) could be an option for Saturday's matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. Shesterkin suffered an upper-body injury on Feb. 7 and was ruled out for 1-2 weeks. He has progressed well in his recovery and logged a second straight full practice on Thursday. The Rangers netminder has been inconsistent in 2024-25, posting an 18-19-2 record. He has picked up three shutouts while registering a 2.87 goals-against average with a .906 save percentage. Shesterkin's recent form has been particularly disappointing for the Rangers, as he is on a 1-4-0 run, with 19 goals allowed over that stretch.