Sabres' Mattias Samuelsson: Ready to rock

Andersen (upper body) won't return to Wednesday's game versus the Stars, Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes' official site reports. Andersen was hurt in the first period and didn't return to start the second. Antti Raanta took over in goal and could see an uptick in playing time if Andersen is out for any length of time. Pyotr Kochetkov could also be recalled if Andersen's injury is anything more than just a minor bump. The Hurricanes' next game is Friday versus the Sharks.

Kucherov scored a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Wild. After helping to set up Steven Stamkos for the game-winner midway through the third period, Kucherov iced things with an empty-netter. The 29-year-old has found the scoresheet in four straight games and nine of the last 10, racking up six goals and 15 points over that stretch. If he can stay healthy, Kucherov is on track to reach 100 points for the first time since 2018-19.

Wilson (lower body) won't return to Tuesday's game versus the Avalanche. Wilson blocked a shot off of his right leg in the second period, which is the opposite leg from the one he had ACL surgery on last spring. He can be considered day-to-day for now, and he'll likely be evaluated further when the Capitals return home to face the Penguins on Thursday.

Toews won't play Thursday versus the Flames due to an illness. Toews' absence likely means Luke Philp draws into the lineup, while Jason Dickinson could be in line for more ice time. The Blackhawks' next game is Saturday in Edmonton, but it's unknown if Toews will be healthy enough to play in that contest.

Kane scored a goal on two shots and went minus-2 in Tuesday's 5-2 loss to the Canucks. Kane opened the scoring with a shot from just inside the blue line at 17:49 of the first period. The 34-year-old has two goals and two helpers over six contests since he returned from a lower-body injury. He's up to nine goals, 31 points, 145 shots on net and a minus-26 rating through 43 appearances.

Backstrom (illness) won't play Tuesday versus the Avalanche. Backstrom and T.J. Oshie (personal) are both unavailable, while Alex Ovechkin (lower body) is a game-time decision, which could leave the Capitals thin up front. Alexei Protas will likely take Backstrom's place in the lineup Tuesday.

Pastrnak tallied a goal and three assists in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Canadiens. Pastrnak was involved in all four of Boston's goals Tuesday, grabbing assists on their first three tallies before scoring an empty-netter to cap the victory. Pastrnak has yet to go more than one game without recording a point this season. He's second in the NHL with 37 goals and third in points with 69. Pastrnak now has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in his last six games.

Wilson (lower body) will be a game-time decision for Thursday's showdown with the Penguins, Samantha Pell of The Washington Post reports. Wilson exited in the second period of Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Avalanche and did not partake in Thursday's morning skate, but is officially a game-time call. The 28-year-old winger has two goals and three points in eight games -- alongside a paltry minus-7 rating.

Taylor (back) was traded from Boston to Kansas City on Monday in exchange for Adalberto Mondesi and a player to be named later, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. Taylor owns a 3.69 ERA and a 29.4 percent strikeout rate in 102.1 career innings of relief. The lefty missed all of last season while dealing with back issues, with two separate rehab stints getting paused due to setbacks, but the Royals evidently felt confident enough in his health to acquire him. If he's fully healthy this year, he could be a useful weapon for his new team, though he's unlikely to see many save chances.

Maddox (toe) was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice. Maddox was back on the practice field for the first time since suffering the toe injury against Dallas on Dec. 24. Because he's been sidelined for just over a month, Maddox will likely have to log at least one full practice by Friday if he wants to avoid carrying an injury designation into Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the 49ers.

Ayton (illness) was present for Wednesday's practice and was spotted taking part in work during the media-access portion of the session, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports. While it's unclear if Ayton was a full or partial participant in the session, his involvement in any capacity bodes well for...

Sills signed a reserve/future contract with the Giants on Thursday. Sills opened the 2022 season as a member of the Giants' starting wide-receiver corps, playing at least 63 percent of offensive snaps in all but one of the first four games. However, the 26-year-old logged more than two receptions just once, and he saw a significant drop in playing time before being ruled a healthy scratch six times between Weeks 10 to 16. Sills was then waived Dec. 31 and finished the season on the practice squad. He'll now work to earn his way back onto the Giants' 53-man roster ahead of the 2023 campaign.