Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.

Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens forwards Brendan Gallagher and Paul Byron practiced in non-contact  jerseys on Wednesday morning, according to TSN's John Lu. Head coach Dominique Ducharme he's neither play will play Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks but have a chance to play this weekend.

Byron, 32, has not played this season due to offseason hip surgery. He scored five goals and added 11 assists in 46 regular season games during the 2020-21 season. 

Gallagher, 29, has not played since Dec. 30 due to a lower-body injury. The veteran forward has recorded four goals and six assists in 25 games this season.

Goaltender Carey Price continues to make progress as he rehabs a knee injury. However a date for his return has yet to be determined.

Forwards Joel Armia and Cole Caufield (COVID protocol) will continue to train in Wisconsin and must wait until Jan. 28 before they are able to return to Canada. Ducharme says it's possible Armia and Caufield could be available this weekend but is not sure if they will play right after becoming eligible on Friday.

Forward Christian Dvorak (therapy day) is not practicing on Wednesday.

Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault took part in full practice on Wednesday despite dealing with a wrist injury. During his post-practice availability, Montembeault says he hopes to play this week and feels like his wrist is progressing.

Forward Jonathan Drouin sustained an upper-body injury and will be out indefinitely, the team announced. He continues to be evaluated by the team's medical staff. 

Defenceman Joel Edmundson (back) continues to work off-ice but there is no timeline for his return. 

Habs lines on Wednesday:

Lehkonen - Suzuki - Toffoli 
Dauphin - Poehling - Hoffman
Pitlick - Evans - Anderson
Pezzetta - Vejdemo - Paquette
(Gallagher, Byron — non-contact)

Chiarot - Savard
Kulak - Petry
Romanov - Wideman
Niku - Clague

Montembeault
McNiven

Toronto Maple Leafs

Head coach Sheldon Keefe says defenceman Jake Muzzin will miss a third straight game with a concussion and will undergo tests to determine his status going forward.

Vancouver Canucks

Head coach Bruce Boudreau says that goaltender Thatcher Demko is still in the league's COVID-19 protocol and won't make the initial part of the team's upcoming road trip. Demko did skate this morning with players that have already had COVID.

New Jersey Devils

Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton (broken Jaw) joined the team for practice in a non-contact jersey.

Defenceman Ty Smith (upper-body injury) joined the team for practice while Nico Hischier and P.K. Subban were absent from practice for maintenance days.

Both players will travel with the Devils on the teams upcoming three-game road trip.  

Nashville Predators

The Predators have re-assigned forward Cole Smith and defenceman Matt Tennyson to the taxi squad.

Boston Bruins

Forward Anton Blidh will return to the Bruins' lineup on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche. The 26-year-old missed the past two games with an upper-body injury. He has two goals and six assists in 20 games this season.