Kesselring has not played the last seven games due to a lower-body injury and has resumed practicing the past several days. He was activated off of Injured Reserve on Thursday, but will miss at least one more game. The 25-year-old defenseman is averaging 15:14 time-on-ice and has zero points in 16 games.
Norris was injured in Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers and will not play on Thursday. It's unclear when Norris suffered the injury, but he did not take another shift after assisting on Rasmus Dahlin's goal at the 13:51 mark of the second period. Injuries have been a concern for Norris in recent seasons, but he remains productive when healthy. He has 17 points (6G / 11A) in 19 games this season.
Head Coach Bruce Cassidy indicated earlier in the week that Hill could potentially start on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, which could still be the case after Hill was activated from Injured Reserve on Thursday afternoon. The 29-year-old Hill has not played since October 20th. He has a 2.55 GAA and .909 SV% in 117 combined games with the Golden Knights (68-32-10) over the past few seasons.
Saad has not played since suffering an undisclosed injury on January 8th and has retroactively been placed on Injured Reserve. The 33-year-old forward is averaging 13:53 time-on-ice and has seven points (2G / 5A) in 39 games this season.
Denver Barkey will draw back into Philadelphia's lineup on Thursday, sending Deslauriers back to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 34-year-old Deslauriers has played 18 games this season and remains in search of his first point.
Nicolas Deslauriers will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Barkey to re-enter the lineup against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 20-year-old Barkey is in his first NHL season and has three points (1G / 2A) in 11 games.
Ersson has struggled this season and lost the trust of the Flyers' coaching staff, but with Dan Vladar (undisclosed) sidelined, he could have an opportunity to earn some more playing time, starting with Thursday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 26-year-old Ersson has lost seven of his last eight outings (1-5-2), posting an abysmal 3.63 GAA and .840 SV%. The Flyers enter Thursday's contest as +149 road underdogs against the Penguins.
Helenius was drafted 14th overall by Buffalo in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old Finnish forward is in his second professional season, but is still awaiting his NHL debut. He's had a solid season in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, scoring 30 points (9G / 21A) in 34 games.
Laczynski has five points (3G / 2A) in 46 career NHL games, but has spent the entirety of the 2025-26 season in the AHL. The 28-year-old forward has an impressive 35 points (13G / 22A) in 32 games with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) this season.
Melanson has recorded four points (1G / 3A) in a career-high 15 games with Seattle this season, but will return to a familiar place in the AHL. The 22-year-old forward has 14 points (7G / 7A) in 23 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL) this season.
Robertson suffered a lower-body injury early in Monday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, exiting the contest after just two shifts. The 24-year-old has 22 points (10G / 12A) in 43 games this season and will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Colton has been productive in primarily a bottom-six role for Colorado this season, scoring 20 points (5G / 15A) in 45 games. It's unclear what Colton's status will be when the Avalanche return to action on Friday against the Nashville Predators.
Thomas is battling a lower-body injury, did not play on Tuesday, and will miss at least several more games after being placed on Injured Reserve. The 26-year-old Thomas is coming off a two-point performance (1G / 1A) and has 33 points (11G / 22A) in 42 games this season. Thomas has already missed five games this season and 12 in 2024-25, as injuries have become a recurring concern for the talented forward.
Heiskanen was a late scratch in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, tending to a personal matter, and will remain out of the lineup on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth. The 26-year-old Finnish defenseman is having an excellent season for Dallas, scoring 36 points (7G / 29A) through 46 games. As long as Heiskanen remains out of the lineup, expect an increase in deployment for Thomas Harley, who has been quarterbacking the team's top powerplay unit.
Lambos was drafted 26th-overall by Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and made his NHL debut earlier this season, playing one game. The 23-year-old Lambos has eight points (3G / 5A) in 34 games with Iowa (AHL) this season.
Erne has been in and out of the lineup in the last two weeks, and will re-enter on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth. The 30-year-ol Erne is averaging 9:28 time-on-ice and has four points (3G / 1A) in 19 games this season.
Oettinger was terrific in his most recent outing, saving 24 of 25 shots (.960 SV%), which the Stars hope is the beginning of an upward trend for their goalie, who posted an ugly 3.32 GAA and .879 SV% in his previous eight games (2-4-2). The 27-year-old Oettinger has a 2.70 GAA and .902 SV% in 29 games this season (17-8-4). The Stars enter the action on Thursday as slight -100 road underdogs against a Utah Mammoth team coming off an impressive 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, improving to 4-0-1 in their last five games.
Sorokin had been outstanding heading into the Islanders' previous game, allowing three or fewer goals in 18 of 19 games (12-6-1), posting a solid 2.04 GA and .932 SV%, but faltered from that on Tuesday, allowing five goals for the first time this season (.773 SV%) in a 5-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The 30-year-old Sorokin hopes to get back on track on Thursday, as the Islanders enter the action as +139 road underdogs against an Edmonton Oilers team that has points in five straight games (3-0-2).
Broberg exited Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights early in the first period because of a concussion and has not played since. Blues Head Coach Jim Montgomery said Broberg's progress has been encouraging and he could return to the lineup as soon as Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Sorokin had been outstanding heading into the Islanders' previous game, allowing three or fewer goals in 18 of 19 games (12-6-1), posting a solid 2.04 GA and .932 SV%, but faltered from that on Tuesday, allowing five goals for the first time this season (.773 SV%) in a 5-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The 30-year-old Sorokin hopes to get back on track on Thursday, as the Islanders enter the action as +139 road underdogs against an Edmonton Oilers team that has points in five straight games (3-0-2).
