Dallas Stars' forward Roope Hintz is sidelined for the second straight game due to an upper-body injury. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild welcomed back defenseman Brock Faber after a four-game absence caused by an upper-body injury. Wild's forward Jakub Lauko has also returned from a lower-body injury.

In other injury news, New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen resumed play after missing two games due to illness, while Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild missed a match because of illness as well.

On the injury front, Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov was transferred from IR to LTIR and isn't on the road trip, but he is eligible to return soon. Wild head coach John Hynes noted Kaprizov's recovery has taken longer than expected but is on track.

The St. Louis Blues have traded defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph to the Pittsburgh Penguins, parting him from his brother Mathieu Joseph. This trade was executed just before the NHL's holiday roster freeze, allowing the Blues to create salary cap space.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph, who began his NHL career with the Penguins, has struggled this season with limited ice time and a minus-seven rating. The trade comes after the Blues acquired Mathieu Joseph, uniting the brothers temporarily.

The NHL trade market is heating up as teams rush to finalize deals before the holiday roster freeze. Notable trades include the New York Rangers sending Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken and the Pittsburgh Penguins acquiring defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph from the St. Louis Blues.

The Penguins, currently on a roll with a 7-2-1 record in their last ten games, are looking to bolster their depth as they face injuries on defense. Players like Drew O'Connor, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Matt Grzelcyk could be on the move as the Penguins explore trade options.

Aleksei Kolosov has turned his NHL career around after a rocky start, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a third consecutive win with a 3-2 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues.

Travis Konecny's assist to Matvei Michkov sealed the win just 26 seconds into overtime. Kolosov's performance was pivotal, despite a couple of late-game miscues. The Flyers have now won four of their last five games, showcasing a strong team effort.

Frederik Andersen of the Carolina Hurricanes is set to undergo knee surgery today, sidelining him for 8-12 weeks. The procedure is described as minor, focusing on cleanup.

Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets have activated Kent Johnson from the injured reserve. The Edmonton Oilers are facing challenges as Darnell Nurse skated but did not participate fully, while Zach Hyman and Viktor Arvidsson missed a recent game.

In other updates, Kevin Hayes and Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins participated in practice, and Pierre-Olivier Joseph returned to the St. Louis Blues after injury. Nick Paul of the Tampa Bay Lightning missed a game and will be re-evaluated. The Toronto Maple Leafs are optimistic about Auston Matthews' return, as he recovers from an upper-body injury.

Alex Pietrangelo of the Vegas Golden Knights is day-to-day with an upper-body issue, and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is expected to miss 4-6 weeks due to a fractured fibula.