NHL Hockey Player News

Bjorkstrand will draw right back into the lineup after sitting out Tuesday's game against the Wild. Scott Sabourin will sit in his place.

Dobes has become the most reliable netminder for the Canadiens over the past few weeks and will return to the crease on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his last six games (4-2-0), the 24-year-old Czech goalie has dazzled with a solid 2.20 GAA and .926 SV%. The Canadiens enter Thursday's contest as slight -112 home favourites against a Blue Jackets team that is 5-1-0 in their last six games.

Veleno will slot into the lineup on Thursday in place of Alexandre Texier. Veleno has two goals and two assists in 51 games this season.

Texier will take a seat on Thursday in favour of Joe Veleno. Texier has appeared in 46 games this season, tallying eight goals and 12 assists.

Vasilevskiy did not need to be spectacular in Tampa Bay's previous outing, saving 21 of 24 shots (.875 SV%) in a 6-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. The 31-year-old goalie has not been his dominant self lately, going 6-5-0 with a pedestrian 3.02 GAA and .886 SV% in 11 games (6-5-0) since the end of February. Tampa Bay, in a race for the top seed in the Atlantic Division, enters Thursday's contest as significant -296 home favourites against an offensively challenged Seattle Kraken team that has scored two or fewer goals in five of its last eight games (2-5-1).

With Cam Talbot battling an undisclosed injury, the Red Wings have opted to recall Postava from the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL). Postava has been excellent in his first AHL season, posting a 1.86 GAA and .932 SV% in 21 games (13-6-0), but his recall is somewhat surprising given that Grand Rapids' starting goalie, Sebastian Cossa, is largely considered to be the Red Wings' goalie-of-the-future.

Emil Andrae will draw back into Philadelphia's lineup on Thursday, sending Juulsen to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 28-year-old Juulsen is averaging 13:44 time-on-ice and has 10 points (1G / 9A) in 50 games this season.

With the Flyers battling to stay in playoff contention, they will need a big game out of Ersson on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 26-year-old Swedish goalie was victorious in his most recent outing, saving 22 of 25 shots (.880 SV%) in a 4-3 shootout win over the Los Angeles Kings. He has played well in limited action since returning from the Olympic break, posting a 1.74 GAA and .920 SV% in four appearances (3-0-0). The Flyers enter Thursday's contest as -147 home favourites.

With Conor Timmins (lower body) returning from a prolonged absence, Metsa will be the odd man out of the lineup and loaned to Rochester (AHL). The 27-year-old Metsa has been effective in his first NHL season as a bottom-pair defenseman, recording six points (2G / 4A) and a +20 plus/minus in 38 games.

Eklund was a first-round pick of the Islanders in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft and will be poised to make his professional North American debut with the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL). The 19-year-old forward scored 24 points (6G / 18A) this season in 43 games with Djurgardens IF (SweHL).

Knight was solid in his previous outing, saving 30 of 33 shots (.909 SV%), but came up short in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators. That said, the 24-year-old Knight, who has been serviceable all season in Chicago, has been reliable since returning from the Olympic break, posting a 2.71 GAA and .913 SV%, but unfortunately, it has not translated into a winning record: 2-3-3 in eight games. The Blackhawks enter Thursday's contest as +145 road underdogs against a Philadelphia Flyers team that has points in six of its last seven games (5-1-1).

For the third time in the last seven games, the Ducks will turn to Husso to tend the twine when they face the Calgary Flames on Thursday. The 31-year-old Finnish goalie allowed five goals on 29 shots (.828 SV%) in his most recent outing, but salvaged a 6-5 overtime victory over the Buffalo Sabres. He has a 2.81 GAA and .918 SV% in four games this month (2-2-0). The Ducks enter Thursday's contest as -128 road favourites against a Flames team that has been surprisingly competent since losing several key players at the trade deadline, going 6-4-0.

Thompson has had a heavy workload lately as Washington desperately battles to stay in playoff contention, and he will return to the crease on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth. The 29-year-old goalie has been outstanding lately, but he finds himself amid a two-game losing skid (0-1-1). That said, he has a stellar 2.09 GAA and .924 SV% in his last 12 games (6-4-2). The Capitals enter Thursday's contest as +122 road underdogs against a Mammoth team that is 1-2-0 in their last three games.

Dries has gone without a point in five games with the Red Wings this season and will return to Grand Rapids (AHL), where he has spent most of the 2025-26 campaign. The 31-year-old forward has 27 points (20G / 17) in 48 games with Grand Rapids this season.

The Golden Knights are hanging on to third place in the Pacific Division, but have lost four of their last five (1-4-0) and hope to return to the win column Thursday, turning to Hill to tend the twine against the Edmonton Oilers. The 29-year-old Hill allowed three goals on 20 shots (.850 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He has a 2.35 GAA and .888 SV% in his last nine games (4-5-0). The Golden Knights enter Thursday's contest as -132 home favourites against an Oilers team that defeated them 4-2 earlier this month.

With Arseny Gritsyuk (undisclosed) out week-to-week, Hameenaho will enter the Devil's lineup on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. The 21-year-old Hameenaho, a first-year NHLer, is averaging 12:22 time-on-ice and has six points (2G / 4A) in 22 games this season.

Curtis Douglas will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Hoglander to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Hoglander is averaging 11:34 time-on-ice and has three points (1G / 2A) in 28 games this season.

Nils Hoglander will draw back into Vancouver's lineup on Thursday, resulting in Douglas being a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Dougal is averaging 9:00 time-on-ice and has a -4 plus/minus in five games with the Canucks.

The Canucks continue to rest at the bottom of the NHL, boasting a league-worst -80 goal differential, but the team has gotten some decent performances from Lankinen lately, despite the poor play around him. The 30-year-old Finnish goalie has allowed two or fewer goals in three of his last six games (1-4-1), posting a 3.01 GAA and .892 SV%. The Canucks enter Thursday's contest as +154 home underdogs against a Los Angeles Kings team riding a four-game losing streak (0-3-1).

Askarov has not played in over two weeks, tending to a lower-body injury, but he will return to the crease on Thursday, hoping to stabilize a shaky crease for the Sharks. The Sharks have lost five straight games without Askarov, allowing four or more goals in each contest. That said, the 23-year-old Askarov has been far from a stabilizing force in recent outings, posting a 3.99 GAA and .869 SV% in seven games (2-4-1) since the beginning of February. The Sharks enter Thursday's contest as +118 road underdogs against a St. Louis Blues team that has outscored their opposition 6-1 during a two-game winning streak.