DeSimone was a healthy scratch for the last five games for the Calgary Flames and was placed on waivers on Wednesday. The 29-year-old defenseman has five points (1G / 4A), 19 shots, 12 hits, and 21 blocks in 23 games this season.
Hayden played two games with Seattle over the past two weeks, being held off the scoresheet while averaging under seven minutes on the ice. Hayden has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, scoring four goals with six assists (10 points) in 33 games.
Cody Glass will draw into the lineup in favour of Tomasino, who has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games while recording a -1 plus/minus and three shots on goal. Thursday's game against the Minnesota Wild marks the second time in three contests that Tomasino has been a healthy scratch.
Philip Tomasino will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Glass to make his return to the lineup. Glass has been held without a point in five straight games while recording a -5 plus/minus.
Saros will start his sixth straight game on Thursday as the Predators attempt to end a two-game losing skid. Despite only winning two of his last five outings (2-3-0), Saros has played well, allowing three or fewer goals in each contest, boasting an impressive .932 SV%. The Predators are slight +102 road underdogs against a Minnesota Wild club riding a three-game winning streak.
After starting four straight, Tarasov served as the backup to Elvis Merzlikins in the last three contests but will return to the crease on Thursday night in Calgary. Tarasov has lost his last three games (0-2-1), allowing four or more goals in each, posting an abysmal .840 SV%. The Blue Jackets have been outscored 8-2 in their last two games (0-2-0) and are +168 road underdogs against the Flames.
Werenski has been out of the lineup since December 27th, missing 10 straight games, but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Calgary Flames. He has been a solid contributor for the Blue Jackets on the blueline this season, scoring 19 points, all assists, in his last 23 games before his injury. Expect Werenski to regain his position as the quarterback on the Blue Jackets' top powerplay unit. David Jiricek was reassigned to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL in a corresponding move.
Pickard has been limited to only one game in the last nine for the Oilers but will return to the crease on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The lack of play hasn't been an indictment on Pickard's play but rather a testament to Stuart Skinner's, as Pickard has been stellar when called upon, allowing three or fewer goals in his last three games (3-0-0), posting a serviceable .904 SV%. The Oilers, winners of 14 straight, are gargantuan -601 home favourites against a Blackhawks club defeated 6-2 by the Seattle Kraken last night.
Jiriceck has spent most of the season with the Blue Jackets, appearing in 36 games and tallying nine points (1G / 8A). The No.6 pick from 2022 will return to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, where he has three assists in three games.
Mukhamadullin was the 20th overall pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft before being traded to the San Jose Sharks as part of the Timo Meier deal last season. In 39 games with the San Jose Baracuda, Mukhamadullin has 26 points (5G / 21A).
Kylington played two games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) as part of a conditioning stint after not playing a single professional game since the 2021-22 season. That year, Kylington scored 31 points (9G / 22A) in 73 games with the Flames. He is expected to suit up on the third defensive pairing with Jordan Oesterle.
Pickard has been limited to only one game in the last nine for the Oilers but will return to the crease on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The lack of play hasn't been an indictment on Pickard's play but rather a testament to Stuart Skinner's, as Pickard has been stellar when called upon, allowing three or fewer goals in his last three games (3-0-0), posting a serviceable .904 SV%. The Oilers, winners of 14 straight, are gargantuan -601 home favourites against a Blackhawks club defeated 6-2 by the Seattle Kraken last night.
Markstrom will start for the second straight game on Thursday when the Flames host the Columbus Blue Jackets. Markstrom struggled in his return from a lower-body injury on Tuesday, allowing four goals, three unanswered, on 26 shots (.846 SV%) in a heart-breaking last-minute 4-3 regulation loss to the St. Louis Blues. The Flames, losers of three straight, are -179 home favourites against a Blue Jackets team that has been outscored 8-2 in their last two games (0-2-0).
Hanley has played each of the 10 games that Miro Heiskanen has been out of the lineup with a lower-body injury but will be a healthy scratch on Thursday as Heiskanen makes his return. Hanley recorded two points (0G / 2A) in that stretch.
Heiskanen will return to the lineup from a 10-game absence due to a lower-body injury, playing his first game since January 4th. After a slow start to the season with only seven points in his first 13 games (1G / 6A), Heiskanen was starting to come into his own, scoring 20 points (3G / 17A) in his last 24 games. Heiskanen should re-take his role on the top powerplay unit, occupied by Thomas Harley in his absence.
Oettinger will start for the second straight game on Thursday in a favourable matchup against the low-scoring Anaheim Ducks, as the Stars are sizeable -326 home favourites. Oettinger has showcased a mixed bag of results all season, a trend that has continued since returning from a three-week absence due to a lower-body injury, allowing four or more goals in five games (3-2-0), posting a serviceable .910 SV%.
Kane has missed the last four games due to a lower-body injury but returned to practice on Wednesday. Earlier this week, Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde suggested that Kane could return before the All-Star break. Kane has been a major contributor in the Red Wings offence, scoring 16 points (7G / 9A) and tallying 63 shots in 19 games.
Husso has not played since December 18th, when he suffered a lower-body injury, and, as a result, has been loaned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL for a conditioning stint before returning to the Red Wings. Husso, sporting a 3.53 GAA and .893 SV% through 18 games (9-5-2-), will likely serve as the backup to Alex Lyon upon his return.
Gustavsson will start his fifth straight game on Thursday and look to extend his winning streak to four. The 25-year-old Gustavsson has allowed three or fewer goals in three straight (3-0-0), posting a serviceable .919 SV%. Minnesota, -112 home favourites, face off against division rivals, the Nashville Predators, who have lost two straight, being outscored 7-3.
