Stay up to date with all the NHL injury news and roster updates with Ice Chips daily.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Forward Matthew Knies is still being evaluated for an upper-body injury after taking a big hit from Zach Whitecloud in Toronto’s win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday night.

“It’s not bad. I mean, I’m still being evaluated and analyzed, but I actually feel good today, which is good news,” head coach Craig Berube said, via TSN’s Mark Masters .

Knies left the 3-0 win in the second period after taking the snap in the neutral zone. Whitecloud’s shoulder made contact with Knies’ chin, knocking the Leafs winger to the ice. Knies’ teammates jumped to his defense, with Simon Benoit battling Whitecloud on the ice. Benoit received four minutes in penalties for roughing, while Whitecloud received two minutes for the same offense. The officials analyzed the hit, but did not penalize him.

“It’s a hockey hit. It’s been around forever… It’s a clean hit. It’s a tough play. It’s in a little bit of a vulnerable position. The guy was on him from behind and it’s a tough play. It is, but it’s hockey . That’s part of the game,” Berube said.

The 22-year-old has eight goals and four assists in 20 games played this season.

Uncertainty continues to surround the status of captain Auston Matthews, who was in Germany earlier this week to be treated for an upper-body injury.

Berube said Matthews, who last played Nov. 3, is on the road to recovery and may be able to skate this weekend.

“He’s actually getting better and he’s in a really good place right now,” Berube said of the star center. “So we’re very pleased with that.”

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks have sent forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki to the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL and signed Max Sasson, it was announced Thursday.

Lekkerimaki made his NHL debut last week and has played in all five games since. He has one assist while averaging 14:48 per game.

Sasson, 24, has yet to make his NHL debut and has four goals and nine points in 16 games so far this season.

The Ottawa Senators

Senators head coach Travis Green told reporters that defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker is out Thursday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Travis Hamonic will come out of the lineup while Linus Ullmark gets the start in net.

Bernard-Docker last played on Nov. 5 and has two points in nine games this season.

Ullmark is coming off a 5-2 loss to the Oilers on Tuesday night. He has a .884 save percentage and a 2.99 goals-against average in 11 games this season.

The Carolina Hurricanes

Goaltender Jacob Markstrom will have a knee procedure that will sideline him for about eight weeks, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun adds that it’s not major surgery, just a cleanup, but it will still keep him out of action for a while.

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said last week Andersen would be out “much longer” than the one-week timetable he originally offered on Oct. 31.

The injury ended a strong start to the season for Andersen, who is 3-1-0 with a .941 save percentage and a 1.49 goals-against average.

The 35-year-old netminder was limited to just 16 games last season due to blood clots, going 13-2-0 with a .932 save percentage and a 1.84 GAA. He is in the final year of his current $3.4 million cap hit contract.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Forward Nick Paul will not play Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets due to an undisclosed injury.

Head coach Jon Cooper said via Gabby Shirley of the FanDuel Sports Network Florida & Sun that Paul will be reevaluated when the team returns home on Friday.

Paul suffered the injury Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, playing 10:38 with three shots on goal in a 3-2 overtime win.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets activated before Kent Johnson off the injured reserve list, it was announced Thursday morning. He will be available to play tonight against him Tampa Bay Lightning.

Johnson has not played since Oct. 17 with a shoulder injury. He practiced with the team for the first time during the recovery process last week.

The 22-year-old has two goals and three assists in four games before going on the shelf. He scored six goals and 16 points in 42 games last season.

Edmonton Oilers

Oilers recalled before Drake Caggiula from the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, it was announced Thursday.

The 30-year-old has an assist in two games this season with the big club and has five goals and nine points in 11 games at the AHL level.

This is his second stint with Edmonton, having played three seasons with the team from 2016 to 2018.