Good news for poolers waiting on reinforcements: two key players are back tonight, and two more are close behind.
Morrissey returns in Winnipeg
Josh Morrissey returns to the Jets lineup Tuesday night against the 
New Jersey Devils. The star defenceman has not played since Oct. 7 because of a wrist injury and missed 13 games. He has 3 assists in 4 games this season.
The Jets played more than a month without their blue-line anchor. His return also settles the power play, where Morrissey is a top asset.
Zuccarello back in Los Angeles
The Kings activated Mats Zuccarello from injured reserve. The forward returns tonight against Nashville after an upper-body injury. He has played 6 games this season, with one assist and a plus 1 rating.
Zuccarello skated on the fourth line at practice, with Scott Laughton and Joel Armia. He has not yet found a top offensive role in Los Angeles.
Fiala follows later this week
Kevin Fiala has not played yet this season. The Kings winger is recovering from a broken leg suffered at the Olympics, followed by another operation in September. He skated with Quinton Byfield and Corey Perry at practice, and his return is expected later this week, possibly Saturday.
Fiala is a proven scorer: he had 35 goals and 60 points in 2024-25. Poolers who kept him on their injured list should see light at the end of the tunnel.
McLeod back Wednesday
Ryan McLeod returns to the 
Sabres lineup Wednesday, when Buffalo hosts the Lightning. The forward has 3 points in 15 games this season. He is a depth player, useful mostly in very deep pools.
Tanev also back in Toronto
Chris Tanev also returns tonight in Toronto against the Avalanche, after missing Sunday's game against the Devils for load management. He offers little in most pools, except in formats that count hits and blocked shots.
What it means for poolers
Morrissey is the return that matters most: he is a safe blue-line value again starting tonight. Fiala is the name to watch for the weekend, he could be a useful scorer again as soon as he returns. Zuccarello and McLeod are only worth adding in deep pools, and Tanev keeps his value in formats with defensive categories.
Sources
The details above come from RDS, the NHL status report, LA Hockey Insider, David Pagnotta on X and the NHL projected lineups, plus the NHL API player pages.
