IceHockeyMan – Hockey News & Tactical Analysis

NHL Status Report: McAvoy facing surgery decision, Neighbours and Benn nearing returns

Date: November 18, 2025 – Author: IHM News

A busy Monday around the League brought a wave of medical updates, ranging from a potential surgery for Boston Bruins No. 1 defenseman Charlie McAvoy to encouraging news on Jake Neighbours in St. Louis and captain Jamie Benn in Dallas. Depth pieces are moving in and out of lineups, long-term injured reserve lists are being reshaped and several contenders are waiting on star forwards like Auston Matthews and Jeff Skinner. Here is the latest IHM status check on some of the NHL’s most important situations.

Boston Bruins: McAvoy’s status still unclear

Charlie McAvoy met with doctors again on Monday after taking a puck to the face midway through the second period of Boston’s 3-2 road win against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. Coach Marco Sturm said there is still a possibility the defenseman will require surgery and confirmed there is no clear timeline for his return. McAvoy was ruled out for Monday’s home game against the Washington Capitals, leaving a major hole on Boston’s top pair and first power-play unit.

The Bruins also reshuffled their forward group. Viktor Arvidsson (undisclosed) and Casey Mittelstadt (lower body) were placed on injured reserve, prompting recalls of Matej Blumel and Riley Tufte from Providence of the American Hockey League. On the back end, Jordan Harris (ankle surgery) was moved to long-term injured reserve after missing action since Oct. 21, and forward John Beecher was placed on waivers with the intention of joining Providence.

Dallas Stars: Benn closing in on season debut

The Stars also made several cap-related moves. Forwards Matt Duchene (undisclosed) and Adam Erne (lower body) were placed on long-term injured reserve, retroactive to Oct. 18 and Nov. 11 respectively. On defense, Thomas Harley is considered week to week with a lower-body injury after missing Saturday’s 5-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Harley had logged 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 18 games and was one of Dallas’ primary puck-moving options before getting hurt.

Jamie Benn could make his first appearance of the season this week when the Stars host the New York Islanders on Tuesday. The captain has been sidelined with a punctured lung but has resumed skating and is inching closer to full contact clearance. Dallas is being cautious but likes the way Benn has responded to increased workload in recent practices.

St. Louis Blues: Neighbours ahead of schedule

Jake Neighbours will join the Blues on their upcoming five-game road trip, which begins Tuesday at the Toronto Maple Leafs. The winger injured his right leg during a 6-4 loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 25 and originally was expected to miss at least five weeks. Coach Jim Montgomery now believes Neighbours is tracking slightly ahead of that schedule, noting that the forward could return at some point during the trip, just not in the opener.

Before the injury, Neighbours was one of St. Louis’ most efficient finishers with seven points (six goals, one assist) in eight games. His net-front presence on the power play and ability to win board battles at five-on-five have been difficult to replace, so any acceleration in his timeline is a major boost for the Blues’ top-six plans.

New Jersey Devils: blue line and wings getting healthier

The Devils received positive news on multiple fronts Monday. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forwards Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown all practiced and will travel for New Jersey’s three-game road trip that opens Tuesday at the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hamilton has been out with a lower-body issue since a 4-3 overtime win against Montreal on Nov. 6, removing a major weapon from the point on the power play.

Dadonov has not played since fracturing his hand in the season opener at Carolina on Oct. 9, while Brown has been sidelined by an upper-body injury picked up in a loss at the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 30. Coach Sheldon Keefe said all three looked strong in practice and feel ready enough to travel, giving New Jersey a chance to restore its preferred forward rotation in the near future.

Montreal Canadiens: Dach out with broken foot

The Canadiens will be without Kirby Dach for four to six weeks because of a broken foot suffered in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Bruins. Dach recorded one shot in 14:43 of ice time before leaving the game, and the injury adds to a difficult run of health issues for the forward, who has been limited to 132 games since the start of the 2022-23 season.

Dach had seven points (five goals, two assists) in 15 games and was giving Montreal valuable scoring depth behind the top line. To help cover the loss, the Canadiens recalled forward Joshua Roy from Laval of the AHL, where he has been one of their most productive young forwards.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Matthews still not skating

The Maple Leafs will be without two regulars on the blue line when they face the Blues on Tuesday. Defenseman Brandon Carlo (lower body) and forward Nicolas Roy (upper body) were both ruled out and Carlo was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 13. Toronto recalled center Jacob Quillan from its AHL affiliate to provide extra depth down the middle.

The bigger concern remains Auston Matthews. Coach Craig Berube confirmed the star center, who is on injured reserve with a lower-body issue, has yet to resume skating. Matthews was initially expected to miss up to a week, but the lack of on-ice work suggests his return could drift beyond that early estimate, leaving Toronto to spread his minutes and power-play touches across the top six.

Chicago Blackhawks: Brossoit back on the ice

There was a key step forward in goal for Chicago, where Laurent Brossoit skated for the first time this season prior to practice Monday. Coach Jeff Blashill said Brossoit will initially work with goaltending coach Jimmy Waite and selected shooters before transitioning into full team sessions. The veteran underwent offseason hip surgery, his third procedure since signing a two-year contract with the Blackhawks in July 2024, and has not played since appearing in the 2024 Western Conference First Round for the Winnipeg Jets.

Up front, Jason Dickinson (upper body) practiced but was ruled out for Tuesday’s home game against the Calgary Flames. Tyler Bertuzzi, who Blashill described as “banged up,” did not skate but has not been ruled out. Captain Nick Foligno was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Nov. 15, after injuring his left hand while blocking a Jake McCabe shot in Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

San Jose Sharks: Skinner and Misa sidelined

In San Jose, forward Jeff Skinner is projected to miss roughly two weeks with a lower-body injury suffered in a 2-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday. Coach Ryan Warsofsky said Skinner’s timeline is relatively encouraging, but the Sharks will miss his finishing skill on the wing in the short term.

Rookie forward Michael Misa, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, is considered week to week with his own lower-body injury sustained during the morning skate before a game against the Seattle Kraken on Nov. 5. Warsofsky expects Misa’s recovery to take longer than Skinner’s. San Jose’s next test comes Tuesday at home against the Utah Mammoth, where lineup decisions will depend heavily on how both forwards progress.

Coach Mark comment

This status report shows how thin the margins are in the modern NHL. When core pieces like McAvoy, Dach or Matthews are missing, structure and depth have to carry the load. Teams that manage their minutes well and keep special-teams detail high during these stretches usually come out of injury waves in better shape than their rivals.

Questions & Answers | IHM Performance Metrics

How big of a loss is Charlie McAvoy for the Bruins’ defensive metrics?

McAvoy is Boston’s primary matchup defender and offensive driver from the back end, logging heavy minutes in all situations. Without him, the Bruins will likely see a drop in controlled exits, blue-line retrievals and power-play puck movement, forcing second-pair defensemen into tougher usage.

What does Jake Neighbours’ return mean for the Blues’ top six?

Neighbours brings direct-line skating and inside-lane pressure that fits St. Louis’ identity. When he is back, the Blues can reunite their preferred top-six structure, which should help stabilize power-play entries and five-on-five chance generation from the slot.

Can the Stars manage without Thomas Harley if Benn returns first?

Benn’s return would add leadership and net-front scoring, but Harley’s absence removes a key transition piece. Dallas can still function at a high level if Miro Heiskanen and the remaining defense core handle extra puck-moving duties, yet Harley’s mobility will be missed on controlled breakouts.

How do the Sharks cope offensively while Jeff Skinner and Michael Misa are out?

San Jose will have to lean on committee scoring and more aggressive use of their top power-play unit. Without Skinner’s finishing and Misa’s energy, the Sharks may try to slow games down, protect the middle of the ice and look for counter-attack chances instead of trading rushes.

CTA: For more daily injury updates, performance trends and tactical breakdowns, visit the NHL News section on IceHockeyMan.com.