Washington Capitals right wing Ryan Leonard (shoulder) will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks. He will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 20-year-old rookie suffered a shoulder injury last week in a contest against the Anaheim Ducks. Leonard is fourth in scoring among first-year players with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 29 outings. Sonny Milano has replaced Leonard in the lineup. Milano has tallied six points (four goals, two assists) in 18 appearances this season and should not draw fantasy attention. He typically logs very little ice time, averaging less than 10 minutes per game for the season.

Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello (upper body) was placed on Injured Reserve on Thursday. He was hurt in Monday's win over the Seattle Kraken and won't be available for a few games at least. Zuccarello has made only 15 appearances this season, registering two goals and 10 assists. On Thursday against the Dallas Stars, Vladimir Tarasenko is set to skate in Zuccarello's spot on the first line, giving him extra fantasy value. Minnesota also placed defenseman Jacob Middleton (upper body) on Injured Reserve on Thursday. In corresponding moves, forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel and defenseman Matt Kiersted were recalled from the minors.

New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier (personal) won't be in the lineup on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has taken a leave of absence to attend to a personal matter. The Swiss star may miss multiple games, as New Jersey has a back-to-back scheduled for the weekend. Meier has been the third-highest scoring Devil this season, posting 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 30 games. He is tied with Jesper Bratt for the most power-play points on the team (9). Paul Cotter will join the top-six group for Thursday's game. Cotter has not been a useful fantasy option in 2025-26, notching only seven points (three goals, four assists) in 30 appearances.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (lower body) will make his first appearance since Nov. 11 in Thursday's matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. He has been out for 12 games due to a lower-body injury. Unfortunately, it has been another injury-disrupted campaign for Demko, who has made only 10 starts so far in 2025-26. He enters Thursday's clash with a 5-4-0 record, a 2.80 goals-against average, and a .903 save percentage. It is likely to be a busy night for Demko, as the Sabres average 3.00 goals and 29.0 shots per game.