NHL Status Report: Tyler Seguin, Alex Ovechkin, Cale Makar and others in preseason injury and lineup updates

Tyler Seguin is listed as a potential option to make his preseason debut for the Dallas Stars in their matchup against the Minnesota Wild on Friday at 8 p.m. ET, with the game set for broadcast on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. Seguin has been sidelined since Dec. 2 of the previous season, when he tore the ACL in his right knee during a 3-2 overtime loss at the New York Rangers. NHL.com reports that Seguin underwent surgery on Dec. 16, with the typical recovery timeline described as nine months. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said the team expects to know more after Wednesday, adding that the forward appears to be on track to play the final preseason game. NHL.com also notes that Matt Duchene and Colin Blackwell each skated with Dallas on Wednesday and could be available as well, with Duchene receiving maintenance days as a precaution despite no injury, and Blackwell having sustained a lower-body injury during practice on Saturday. Gulutzan indicated that the plan would be reviewed after morning evaluations, and that Thursday’s practice could factor into their availability decisions.

In Washington, NHL.com reports that Alex Ovechkin may not play in the Capitals’ preseason schedule because of a lower-body injury. The 41-year-old left wing practiced on Wednesday but left after roughly 15 minutes and has been day to day, not practicing for a second straight day earlier in the week. Capitals coach Spencer Carbery characterized the decision as precautionary, stating that Ovechkin tried to return to practice but did not feel right and that the team wants to be cautious rather than push him before the regular season. Carbery said he was not concerned about the injury’s seriousness, pointing to Ovechkin practicing as an indicator that it is not too serious. NHL.com states that Washington has two preseason games remaining, including a home date against the Boston Bruins on Friday and another at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday, before opening the regular season at the Carolina Hurricanes on Oct. 2.

Colorado’s Cale Makar is also described as heading toward availability as the preseason progresses. NHL.com reports that Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Makar is on track to play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET. Bednar noted that Makar missed the start of training camp because of a lower-body injury but was a full participant at practice on Tuesday. NHL.com includes a comment from Makar saying he feels really good and expects to build through the rest of the week, with a focus on how he feels as the days progress. Makar’s status is notable in the context of his offseason contract, which NHL.com states was an eight-year, $163.2 million agreement signed Aug. 28 with an average annual value of $20.4 million, beginning next season. The report also references his previous season production and playoff scoring totals.

The Los Angeles Kings’ preseason planning includes a separate non-injury availability note. NHL.com reports that Corey Perry will be away from the Kings for personal reasons for a few days, according to Kings coach Peter Laviolette, who said Perry’s absence would cover only the next few days. The status update is part of a broader preseason health picture for Los Angeles, where Mats Zuccarello remains in a noncontact jersey after injuring his shoulder in a fall prior to training camp. NHL.com states that Laviolette does not know when Zuccarello will play in a preseason game, while indicating that the team would like to see him out of the jersey but is leaning toward caution at this time of year. NHL.com also places the comments alongside a 6-3 preseason loss to the Utah Mammoth that occurred on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, NHL.com reports on goaltending and return-to-NHL action for the New York Islanders. Semyon Varlamov made his first NHL appearance since Nov. 29, 2024, in a game where the Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday. NHL.com says Varlamov, 38, is coming off partial knee replacements and stopped all 10 shots he faced after replacing Ilya Sorokin during the second period of the come-from-behind win. The report attributes comments from Varlamov describing the return as exciting and noting that he worked to get used to game speed and to focus on certain aspects of play. Islanders coach Peter DeBoer added context, stating that Varlamov gained game action earlier by playing two American Hockey League games for Bridgeport at the end of last season, but that the appearance was his first NHL-level game action following a long rehab.

NHL.com’s Status Report frames these updates as the latest lineup and injury news as training camp and preseason games are underway. Across the league, it emphasizes day-to-day changes, precautionary decisions tied to practice participation, and the timing of potential preseason debuts or returns leading into the regular season schedule.

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk