Montreal may be on the verge of getting Oliver Kapanen back just in time for its home opener.
The injured Canadiens center has already sat out the team’s first two games of the 2026-27 regular season, but The Athletic’s Arpon Basu reported that it would “be surprising” if Kapanen is still out when Montreal hosts the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow. Kapanen has been able to practice without limitation in each of the last two sessions, a strong sign that his lower-body issue is moving in the right direction.
The 23-year-old was expected to open the year as Montreal’s second-line center, the same spot he held for much of the 2025-26 season. He earned that job in part by clicking so well with young sensation Ivan Demidov, and the results followed: 22 goals and 37 points in his rookie year. With Kapanen unavailable, Alex Newhook has slid into the No. 2 center role between Demidov and 2022 No. 1 pick Juraj Slafkovsky.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division, Florida was without Aaron Ekblad in yesterday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks because of an undisclosed injury. Ekblad had appeared in the Panthers’ previous two games and was averaging just under 21 minutes of ice time per night. He usually anchors a top-four spot alongside Gustav Forsling, and with Ekblad sidelined, Dmitry Kulikov moved up to fill that role next to Forsling while Uvis Balinskis stepped into Kulikov’s old spot on the left side of Florida’s third pair.
Boston also has a potential defensive shuffle brewing. Mason Lohrei, once one of the Bruins’ most highly regarded defensive prospects, has had a stop-and-start NHL run since debuting, but his game has taken a step forward this season.
Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic wrote that Lohrei is “a candidate” to skate beside No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy when McAvoy returns from his league-mandated suspension. Lohrei turns 26 in January and posted seven goals and 26 points in 73 games last season.
In Other News...
Panthers Waste Strong Night In A Loss That Will Frustrate Fans
A strong territorial performance still left Florida empty-handed Monday night, as the Panthers fell 3-2 to the Ducks in overtime despite doing plenty of the driving at even strength. They outshot Anaheim and controlled much of the flow, but the night kept slipping away in the margins, where special teams tilted the outcome and turned a solid road effort into a frustrating loss.
Brad Marchand gave Florida the lift it needed with his first goal of the season to pull the Panthers level late in regulation, setting up a chance to finish the comeback. Instead, the power play never delivered for Florida, going 0-for-4, while Anaheim cashed in repeatedly with the extra skater and eventually found the finish it needed to put the Panthers in a familiar kind of sting. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Face A Costly Barkov Question They Cant Ignore
Aleksander Barkovs injury has put the Panthers in an all-too-familiar midseason holding pattern, with the captain expected to miss some time while an MRI is set to help clarify the full extent of the issue. Any absence for Barkov changes the look of Floridas center depth and forces the front office to at least consider how much strain it can absorb before needing outside help.
NHL Networks Elliotte Friedman added a new layer to the conversation by floating Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin as a potential name if Barkovs situation drags on, but the idea comes with a significant hurdle. Detroit is not interested in a rebuild and would want a player who can help right away in return, which makes any serious pursuit a complicated match for Florida if it ever gets that far. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Suddenly Face An Early Blue Line Test
The Panthers blue line is already being asked to adjust early in the season, with Aaron Ekblad set to miss Sundays game against the Anaheim Ducks because of an undisclosed injury. Florida will get Gustav Forsling back after he sat out the previous game against the San Jose Sharks, which at least gives the defense group one familiar piece back as the schedule keeps moving.
Paul Maurice also confirmed Brad Marchand will make his 2026-27 season debut, adding another notable layer to the days roster news. Between the turnover on defense and the addition of a player many around the team have been waiting to see in game action, the Panthers have a little more sorting out to do than they did a night ago. [Read more 🡒]