Anthony Stolarz Joins AHL on Conditioning Loan from Maple Leafs

Welcome to the NHL Status Report. Here is the latest lineup/injury news around the NHL. Toronto Maple Leafs Anthony Stolarz has been sent to Toronto of the American Hockey League on a conditioning loan, the Maple Leafs announced Tuesday. The goalie has been out with an upper-body injury since Nov. 11, when he left a 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins after the first period. Stolarz was back practicing with the Maple Leafs during their four-game road trip last week. “Just full practices and lots of different types of work and shots -- that’s important for him to get that in before he is ready to go,” coach Craig Berube said after practice Tuesday. “I don’t have a timeline on [how long he will be in the AHL).” Stolarz is 6-5-1 with a 3.51 goals-against average and .884 save percentage in 13 games this season. ... William Nylander (lower body) did not practice; Berube said the forward is rehabbing off the ice but hasn't resumed skating. ... Matthew Knies did not practice, but the forward is expected to play against the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX). Montreal Canadiens Kirby Dach (broken foot) will return for the Canadiens against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; RDS, TSN2, FDSNNO, FDSNWI). It will be the forward’s first game since he was injured Nov. 15. Dach, who was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, was on a line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield at the morning skate. He has seven points (five goals, two assists) in 15 games this season. “We just wanted to make sure we dotted all the I’s and crossed all the T’s and make sure that everything was ready to go, and we did all the preparation and got enough skates in to feel healthy and to feel good enough to play,” Dach said. … Forward Alexandre Texier (lower body) will not play and is day to day. He has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 27 games. Tampa Bay Lightning Defensemen Victor Hedman (elbow), Ryan McDonagh (lower body) and Emil Lilleberg (undisclosed) are back skating, Lightning coach Jon Cooper said before their game against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; The Spot, NBCSCA, SNP, SNW, SNO). "That's definitely a good sign," Cooper said. Hedman, their captain, has not played since Dec. 9. He has 12 assists in 18 games and is averaging 21:05 of ice time. McDonagh, who has eight points (four goals, four assists) in 18 games, has not played since Dec. 22. Lilleberg has been out since Dec. 13; he has six points (two goals, four assists) and is plus-9 in 32 games. Colorado Avalanche Valeri Nichushkin missed a 5-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Monday after the forward sustained an upper-body injury in a car accident on his way to Ball Arena in Denver. “He had some minor injuries,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said after the game. “Came to the rink, got checked out and everything seems to be OK. Just a little bit of a precautionary day, and we’ll see what tomorrow brings for him.” Nichushkin has 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 38 games this season. Colorado hosts the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET; Victory+, KCOP-13, ALT).