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As usual, the week’s news has been dominated by the COVID situation and this week is no different. The NHL has been postponing games in Canada as there is reduced capacity north of the border. The Canadiens are not allowed to have any fans and that will be re-visited on January 11. As a result, the Canadiens are the only team not playing this week. In Ontario, Toronto and Ottawa have been reduced to 1,000 fans per game and they could postpone their home games until later in the season in order to get more fans at games. The Maple Leafs as an organization have decided not to have any fans in the Scotiabank Arena for the next three weeks.
Out West, the Manitoba government has decreed that only 250 fans will be allowed at games while in British Columbia and Alberta, 50 percent capacity is the regulation at this time.
In the United States, full capacity is still available in every arena although San Jose could be the first to have restrictions.
Be aware that there is still plenty of time for the NHL to postpone more games this week. Therefore, the column will be updated if need be, on Sunday evening before the start of a new week.
NOTE: There were three games postponed which is reflected below as all three New York Islanders games, against Seattle, Vancouver and Edmonton will be played at a later date.
WEEK OF JANUARY 3-9
3 Games – Anaheim, Arizona, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Colorado, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida, Minnesota, Nashville, New Jersey, New York Rangers, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Jose, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Vegas
2 Games - Carolina, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Toronto, Washington, Winnipeg
1 Game– Buffalo, Seattle, Vancouver
0 Games - Montreal, New York Islanders
Calgary, Nashville, and San Jose play three games on the road.
Anaheim, Arizona and Vegas play three games at home.
INJURIES
Max Pacioretty is out indefinitely after undergoing wrist surgery. (Click here to see the injury list.)
ANAHEIM
Games this week
vs. Philadelphia, vs. Detroit, vs. New York Rangers
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Ducks suffered a big loss on Wednesday when Cam Fowler suffered an upper-body injury, crashing into the boards after a collision with Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes...Rookie sensation Trevor Zegras was placed into COVID protocol Tuesday but with the NHL’s new policy of only a five-day quarantine, he could return this week...Sam Steel and Max Comtois also entered protocol this past week...Adam Henrique has been out of action since Dec. 3 with a lower-body injury and has yet to resume skating...Nicolas Deslauriers leads the NHL in hits with 137...Comtois has been a disappointment this season with only one assist in 14 games...Jakob Silfverberg has not been a lot better with a goal in 27 games.
ARIZONA
Games this week
vs. Winnipeg, vs. Chicago, vs. Nashville
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Coyotes scored only 56 goals in their first 29 games and then exploded for seven on Tuesday against San Jose in an 8-7 shootout loss...Janis Moser scored his first career NHL goal Tuesday and then potted his second later in the contest...It was a big night for Phil Kessel who had four assists, giving him 21 points in 30 games, including a goal and six points in his last two contests...Ryan Dzingel returned to practice Thursday after missing almost three weeks with an upper-body injury, while Liam O’Brien and Alex Galchenyuk were activated from COVID protocol...It was also a big night on Tuesday for Lawson Crouse who returned to the lineup from COVID protocol Tuesday and knocked in a pair of goals and added two assists, giving him eight goals and 15 points in 29 games.
BOSTON
Games this week
vs. New Jersey, vs. Minnesota, @ Tampa Bay
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Bruins and Tuukka Rask are rumored to have a deal in place but it won’t be signed for a few weeks due to salary cap considerations...Take him now if he is available in your pool...It has to be a stressful time for both Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark as one will not be around when Rask is ready to return...Craig Smith, Brandon Carlo and Taylor Hall are all out of COVID protocol...Patrice Bergeron was also taken out of protocol and was reunited in practice with linemates David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand...Nick Foligno has played 18 games in a Boston uniform and has yet to find the back of the net.
BUFFALO
Games this week
vs. San Jose
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Sabres actually played a couple of times this week, losing both...Rasmus Dahlin has been an offensive fantasy asset this season with six goals and 20 points in 32 games, including three goals and five points in his last five games...Last season was one to forget as he seemed lost on the ice, finishing with five goals and 23 points in 56 games...Do not forget that he is still only 21...Congratulations go out to Ethan Prow who scored in his NHL debut Wednesday...Jacob Bryson was placed on the COVID protocol list and Casey Fitzgerald was recalled in his place...Fitzgerald played Wednesday against New Jersey whose GM is Tom Fitzgerald, Casey’s dad.
CALGARY
Games this week
@ Florida, @ Tampa Bay, @ Carolina
Tired: @ Carolina (Friday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Flames play three games in four nights so look for Jacob Markstrom to play twice with Dan Vladar playing once...The Flames finally played on Thursday, for the first time since Dec. 11...It was a big night for Johnny Gaudreau, who had a pair of goals and an assist, as well as Matthew Tkachuk who had a goal and two assists...It was a win for the Flames but they sure looked rusty defensively in giving up four goals to the Kraken...Tkachuk was the only Flame player not to be put on the COVID list in the last three weeks...The one good thing about missing almost three weeks was that all the Flames injuries, both little and major, were allowed to heal or get closer to healing.
CAROLINA
Games this week
vs. Calgary, vs. Florida
Tired: vs. Florida (Saturday)
Rested: vs. Calgary (Friday)
Notes
The Hurricanes shut out the Canadiens Thursday behind the 26 save performance of Antti Raanta, who got a rare start in place of Frederik Andersen...Sebastian Aho picked up two assists Thursday in the 4-0 win, giving him six straight multi-point games...He has 15 goals and 34 points in just 27 games...It was also a big night for Jaccob Slavin who assisted on three goals while Teuvo Teravainen scored a pair...Martin Necas returned from concussion protocol Thursday after being out less than two weeks...Jordan Martinook was placed on the injured reserve list retroactive to Dec. 2 with a lower-body injury.
CHICAGO
Games this week
vs. Colorado, @ Arizona, @ Vegas
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Blackhawks are getting back some injured players as Jujhar Khaira was activated from injured reserve after he recovered from being in concussion protocol as a result of a Dec. 7 hit, courtesy of Jacob Trouba which resulted in him being stretchered off the ice...Tyler Johnson was on the ice for the first time on Tuesday after he underwent neck surgery on Dec. 3...He has a three-month recovery time so look for him to return at the beginning of March...Marc-Andre Fleury could return this week from COVID but it would be a shame if he was unable to as the Blackhawks will face the Golden Knights in Vegas for the first time since his off-season trade...He should get a loud and long standing ovation from the Vegas faithful.
COLORADO
Games this week
@ Chicago, vs. Winnipeg, vs. Toronto
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Avalanche got Mikko Rantanen back from COVID protocol on Thursday, as well as Logan O’Connor...Even better news was that Bowen Byram (head) could play on the weekend after missing a month with the injury...Nazem Kadri was released from COVID protocol on Tuesday and will be back in the lineup on Jan. 2...He is fourth in NHL scoring with 38 points...Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog should be ready to go on Jan. 2 as well...Alex Newhook has not had a point in his last three games but does have six goals and 10 points in 18 games this season.
COLUMBUS
Games this week
vs. Tampa Bay, @ New Jersey, vs. New Jersey
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Blue Jackets play the New Jersey Devils in a home-and-home series...Columbus finally got some good goaltending once again from Elvis Merzlikins Thursday as he turned aside 31 shots in a 4-3 shootout win over Nashville...It was the first time since Dec. 9 that Merzlikins had given up less than four goals in a contest and was 2-4-1 with a 4.44 GAA and a .874 save percentage in his previous seven games...Patrik Laine returned to the lineup Thursday for the first time since Nov. 3 after missing 19 games with an oblique injury, and potted his fourth of the season, giving him 11 points in 10 games...Oliver Bjorkstrand has been put into COVID protocol as of Dec. 27.
DALLAS
Games this week
vs. Florida, vs. Pittsburgh, @ St. Louis
Tired: @ St. Louis (Sunday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Stars play three games in four nights...Expect to see Jake Oettinger play twice with Braden Holtby getting the crease once...The Stars have been hit with COVID in the last week and currently have 11 players on the list, including Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson, although both should be available this week, barring any setbacks...The outbreak forced all four games this past week to be canceled but the hope is that they will be ready for Florida on Thursday...Luke Glendening, Jamie Benn and Ryan Suter were placed in protocol Tuesday with Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell joining them two days earlier.
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DETROIT
Games this week
vs. San Jose, @ Anaheim, @ Los Angeles
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Red Wings have only Nick Leddy in COVID protocol after Lucas Raymond, Adam Erne and Jordan Oesterle were removed from the list Thursday...Raymond was back with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi on the top line at practice...When Jakub Vrana underwent shoulder surgery before the start of the season, it was thought that he would miss at least four months...Well, we are already at three months and there is no timetable for his return at this time...Simon Edvinsson sure looked good for Sweden at the World Junior Championship but the tourney’s cancellation deprived many of seeing the defenseman the rest of the week...There were 11 players in COVID protocol who came off the list this week.
EDMONTON
Games this week
@ New York Rangers, @ Toronto, vs. New York Islanders
Tired: None
Rested: @ New York Rangers (Monday)
Notes
The Oilers finally got goaltender Mike Smith back in net on Wednesday after he missed over two months with a lower-body injury...He did not have a great game in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis but that should have been expected...The Oilers got Jesse Puljujarvi and Darnell Nurse back on the ice Thursday from COVID protocol...Zach Hyman returned to the lineup on Wednesday after missing 18 days with an upper-body injury...Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had a point Wednesday and are co-leaders in the scoring race with 50 points, two better than Alex Ovechkin...Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Duncan Keith were also back in the Edmonton lineup Wednesday.
FLORIDA
Games this week
vs. Calgary, @ Dallas, @ Carolina
Tired: None
Rested: @ Carolina (Saturday)
Notes
The Panthers exploded against their cross-state rivals on Thursday, pumping nine goals past the Lightning’s third and fourth string goaltenders...It was a good night for rookie Spencer Knight who turned aside 39-of-42 shots in the 9-3 win...Knight was sent to the minors earlier in the month for a game and while he gave up five goals on 27 shots for Charlotte, he was recalled and played well Thursday...Jonathan Huberdeau had a goal and five points in the blowout victory, giving him 38 points in 31 games...Sam Bennett missed the game with a non-COVID illness...Aleksander Barkov returned to action Wednesday after missing 12 of the previous 13 games with a knee and upper-body injury and had a goal and an assist Thursday after being shut down on Wednesday.
LOS ANGELES
Games this week
vs. Nashville, vs. Detroit
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Kings got back in action this week, splitting a pair of games...Drew Doughty saw his three-game points streak end on Thursday in a 2-1 shootout win over Vancouver...Cal Petersen returned to the roster Thursday from COVID protocol with Garret Sparks returning to the minors after picking up a win in his only start for Los Angeles against Washington...It was his first NHL start since the 2018-19 season when he played for the Maple Leafs...Second-overall pick in the 2020 Draft, Quinton Byfield, recovered from COVID and was sent to the AHL...Byfield recently returned to action after suffering a fractured ankle and has played four games with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, with nary a point...Still, keep him in your fantasy thoughts in dynasty leagues.
MINNESOTA
Games this week
@ Ottawa, @ Boston, vs. Washington
Tired: None
Rested: vs. Washington (Saturday)
Notes
The Wild will not have the services of Jared Spurgeon (lower body) and Joel Eriksson Ek (upper body) for at least a couple of weeks, according to GM Bill Guerin...Guerin gave contract extensions to head coach Dean Evason and his entire coaching staff this week and deservedly so as Evason is 62-29-7 since taking over behind the bench on Feb. 14, 2020 including a 19-9-2 record this season...The Wild are hopeful that Jonas Brodin will be out of COVID protocol in time to play in the New Year’s Day Winter Classic Saturday as he went into protocol on Dec. 28...The good news is that he has been asymptomatic.
MONTREAL
Games this week
None
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Canadiens have had all their games postponed this week as they were supposed to be at home for three contests...With no fans allowed at this time by the Quebec government, the NHL decided that with games being played at a later date, the situation would improve enough to allow paying fans back into the Bell Centre...The Canadiens did play on Thursday but did not have Jonathan Drouin available due to a non-COVID illness...Brendan Gallagher is day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered in the second period against Carolina Thursday...Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau are in protocol for COVID and that forced Montreal to use Sam Montembeault in net Thursday...He was fine in giving up four goals on 38 shots in a shutout loss to the Hurricanes.
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NASHVILLE
Games this week
@ Vegas, @ Los Angeles, @ Arizona
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Predators played a couple of games this past week, and went 0-1-1, losing 5-3 to Washington and 4-3 in a shootout to the Blue Jackets...Matt Duchene returned to action after missing almost three weeks with an upper-body injury. He has a pair of assists Thursday and has 27 points in 28 games...Cody Glass was returned to the minors this week...Roman Josi missed both games as he is in COVID protocol, along with Colton Sissons and Tom Novak...The good news was that a slew of Predators returned from COVID protocol, including Mikael Granlund and Ryan Johansen...Juuse Saros is 15-9-1 this season with a 2.29 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
NEW JERSEY
Games this week
@ Boston, vs. Columbus, @ Columbus
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
Jack Hughes is starting to look like the star that was thought when he was drafted first overall in 2019 as he has six goals and 11 points in 14 games this season, after his goal and two assists Wednesday in a win over Buffalo...If you can get him in a trade in your fantasy pool, do so...There is also plenty to like about his brother Luke...The defenseman was selected fourth overall in 2021 and is spending the season at the University of Michigan where he has seven goals and 18 points in 20 games, fourth best among blueliners in the nation...Like most teams, plenty of Devils left COVID protocol this week as they are getting healthier...Mackenzie Blackwood returned from a neck injury Wednesday and stopped 19 shots in a 4-3 win over the Sabres.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Games this week
@ Seattle, @ Vancouver, @ Edmonton
Tired: @ Vancouver (Wednesday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Islanders are 2-0-1 in their last three games but are still in the basement of the Metropolitan Division and 15 points out of a playoff spot...Noah Dobson had a goal and an assist Thursday in a 4-1 win over Buffalo while Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists...Kyle Palmieri is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury suffered on Dec. 16...While plenty of Islanders left COVID protocol, leading goal scorer Brock Nelson was put on the list Dec. 28...The Islanders had no prospects at the World Junior Championship that was cancelled this week...Aatu Raty is their top prospect and would have played but had a positive COVID test, knocking him out of the tourney.
NEW YORK RANGERS
Games this week
vs. Edmonton, @ Vegas, @ Anaheim
Tired: vs. Edmonton (Monday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Rangers recalled Keith Kinkaid from the minors to back up Igor Shesterkin in net as Alexandar Georgiev was placed in COVID protocol...Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist Wednesday, his third straight multi-point game. He has eight goals and 27 points in 31 games this season...Artemi Panarin returned to action Wednesday after being out two weeks with a lower-body injury and also had one of each, giving him 10 goals and 35 points in 30 games...Chris Kreider scored his 19th of the season Wednesday, the best on the Rangers and fourth-best in the NHL, trailing only Leon Draisaitl, Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews, the cream of the crop in the NHL
OTTAWA
Games this week
vs. Minnesota, @ Seattle, @ Vancouver
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Senators recalled netminder Matt Murray from the minors after he went 1-1-0 with a 2.55 GAA and a .918 save percentage...That is far better than the 0-5-0 mark he had with the Senators earlier in the year with a 3.26 GAA and a .890 save percentage...He will share the net with Filip Gustavsson while Anton Forsberg is still in COVID protocol...The Senators signed their first-round pick in 2021 (10th overall), Tyler Boucher to an entry-level contract...Boucher has left Boston University and will play for the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s where he will play a tougher game, more suited to his power forward status...Josh Norris and Tyler Ennis entered COVID protocol Friday.
PHILADELPHIA
Games this week
@ Anaheim, vs. Pittsburgh, vs. San Jose
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Flyers used Felix Sandstrom in net Thursday as he made his NHL debut with Carter Hart in COVID protocol and Martin Jones playing the night before...Sandstrom was solid in taking the 3-2 overtime loss, as he turned aside 43 shots...Sean Couturier is week-to-week with an upper-body injury that he had tried to play through...Claude Giroux had an assist Wednesday to move into second place all-time in Flyers scoring with 884 points, passing Bill Barber but still trailing Bobby Clarke’s 1,210 points...James van Riemsdyk scored a pair in the Flyers win over Seattle Wednesday to give him seven goals on the season.
PITTSBURGH
Games this week
vs. St. Louis, @ Philadelphia, @ Dallas
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Penguins play three games in four nights so expect to see Tristan Jarry (if healthy) in net twice with Casey DeSmith playing once...Jarry was placed in COVID protocol Monday and barring any setbacks, could return this week...Jake Guentzel has been practicing as has Bryan Rust and both will be game-time decisions on Jan. 2...Guentzel has been out of action since Dec. 6 with an upper-body injury while Rust has been sidelined since Nov. 24 with a lower-body injury...Both will see time on the top line with Sidney Crosby upon their returns...Evgeni Malkin could see action this week as he tries to return from off-season knee surgery that has kept him out of the lineup all season...Jason Zucker is week-to-week with a lower-body injury. He has only four goals and 11 points this season.
SAN JOSE
Games this week
@ Detroit, @ Buffalo, @ Philadelphia
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Sharks first game back after the Christmas (and COVID) break, was a wild one as they defeated the lowly Arizona Coyotes 8-7 in a shootout...James Reimer gave up all seven goals on 46 shots but came back two nights later and turned aside 23 shots in a 3-2 overtime win over the Flyers. He is 11-5-1 with a 2.26 GAA and a .928 save percentage including the disastrous win over the Yotes...Timo Meier continues to have an outstanding season with 13 goals and 31 points in 27 games, although he was benched Thursday during overtime...The Sharks have to decide what to do with pending UFA Tomas Hertl who leads the team with 16 goals. Hertl has an eight-game points streak and has eight goals and four helpers in the streak.
SEATTLE
Games this week
vs. New York Islanders, vs. Ottawa
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
Mark Giordano faced his ex-Calgary teammates for the first time Thursday and was outstanding with a goal and two assists to give him four goals and 11 points this season...Jared McCann had a goal and an assist in the same game and leads the Kraken with 13 goals in 27 games...Brandon Tanev is out for the season after suffering an ACL injury on Dec. 18...Vince Dunn, Ryan Donato and Mason Appleton are in COVID protocol...Jaden Schwartz is day-to-day with an upper-body injury...One of the strengths of the Kraken was supposed to be their goaltending tandem of Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger but both have GAA’s well above the three mark as Grubauer is 3.27 and Driedger is at 3.49.
ST. LOUIS
Games this week
@ Pittsburgh, vs. Washington, vs. Dallas
Tired: None
Rested: vs. Dallas (Sunday)
Notes
The Blues beat the Oilers Wednesday for their first game in 10 days...It was another outstanding game for Vladimir Tarasenko who had a goal and two assists to give him 13 goals and 31 points in 32 games...He is back! Pavel Buchnevich missed Wednesday’s tilt with a non-COVID illness but was back at practice Thursday...Jordan Kyrou also had a goal and two assists Wednesday and has 28 points in 28 games...The Blues picked up William Bitten from Minnesota in exchange for Nolan Stevens in a trade of minor leaguers...Brayden Schenn is still on the shelf with an upper-body injury...Oskar Sundqvist is out of COVID protocol but was unable to play Wednesday.
TAMPA BAY
Games this week
@ Columbus, vs. Calgary, vs. Boston
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Lightning lost both Andrei Vasilevskiy and Brian Elliott to COVID and it showed on Thursday in a 9-3 loss to Florida...That’s 13 goals allowed this week in two games...The Lightning need Vasilevskiy back and healthy...It was not a great night for Victor Hedman who was a minus-six...Darren Raddysh, brother of Taylor, made his NHL debut Thursday and was a minus-one...Sean Day made his NHL debut Tuesday...When he was a junior, it was thought he was the next great defenseman as he was granted special status in the CHL to play as a 15-year-old but his stock dropped drastically in the next three years, and he eventually went 81st overall, as a third-round pick to the Rangers.
TORONTO
Games this week
vs. Edmonton, @ Colorado
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Maple Leafs have been hit hard with COVID as 14 players have been in protocol...There was little help coming from the Marlies, their AHL affiliate as 24 players were in AHL protocol at the same time...Rasmus Sandin is ready to return after being in COVID protocol as well as suffering a knee injury on Dec. 5...Petr Mrazek was on the ice Thursday after leaving protocol...The Leafs sent goaltender Joseph Woll back to the Marlies after Jack Campbell was taken off COVID protocol...Jason Spezza also returned after missing four games due to a suspension...He should be good to go on Jan. 1 as that is expected to be the Maple Leafs first game in 18 days.
VANCOUVER
Games this week
vs. New York Islanders, vs. Ottawa
Tired: None
Rested: vs. New York Islanders (Wednesday)
Notes
There is no hotter team in the NHL at this time than the Vancouver Canucks who finally dropped their first decision under new coach Bruce Boudreau, a 2-1 shootout loss on Thursday...Still, Vancouver is 7-0-1 with Boudreau behind the bench and all of a sudden there is hope in the British Columbia city for a playoff spot...Matthew Highmore had been out for two months with an undisclosed ailment and was activated Thursday, seeing 13:01 of action with a couple of shots on goal...The Canucks have been getting strong goaltending from both Thatcher Demko and Jaroslav Halak who have a 2.57 and a 2.59 goals-against-average respectively...Brock Boeser is in COVID protocol.
VEGAS
Games this week
vs. Nashville, vs. New York Rangers, vs. Chicago
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Golden Knights lost Max Pacioretty for an indefinite time period after he underwent wrist surgery on Thursday...Pacioretty had already missed 17 games earlier in the season with a foot injury and was outstanding in his return as he had 12 goals and 21 points in only 16 games this season...Mark Stone is day-to-day with an upper-body injury suffered before the break, forcing him to miss Tuesday’s game against the Kings...Jonathan Marchessault had a pair of goals and an assist in the win over Los Angeles, giving him 16 goals and 24 points in 28 games...Reilly Smith is quietly having a very nice season with 11 goals and 26 points in 33 games but he could be the victim of the salary cap as the Golden Knights will eventually have to cut payroll when Jack Eichel returns to play.
WASHINGTON
Games this week
@ St. Louis, @ Minnesota
Tired: @ Minnesota (Saturday)
Rested: None
Notes
The Capitals picked up a 5-3 win over Nashville Wednesday with defenseman John Carlson the big offensive force with a goal and four points...He has seven goals and 30 points in 32 games thus far...Tom Wilson returned to the lineup after missing 19 days with an upper-body injury...T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov returned to the Washington lineup Wednesday after being on COVID protocol and each had a point...Nicklas Backstrom returned to action on Wednesday after missing a couple of weeks in protocol...He has only played in two games this season as he recovered from a nagging hip injury and has an assist in each game.
WINNIPEG
Games this week
@ Arizona, @ Colorado
Tired: None
Rested: None
Notes
The Jets have only Andrew Copp remaining in COVID protocol but he could be back in the lineup Jan. 2...Brenden Dillon has only a goal and seven points in 30 games but is on a three-game points streak...Evgeny Svechnikov has missed one game with an undisclosed injury and could be out of the lineup again on Jan. 2 as he practiced in a non-contact jersey Thursday...Neal Pionk returned to practice Tuesday after missing a couple of practices following the Christmas break due to a travel issue...The Jets recalled Ville Heinola from the minors and placed him on their taxi squad.
