NHL Hockey Player News

Reimer has backed up for the Red Wings' previous two games but will look to extend his personal three-game win streak as he takes the crease on Thursday vs. Carolina. The 36-year-old veteran has emerged as potentially Detroit's best option between the crease lately due to his 9-7-2 record, 2.98 GAA and .907 SV%. He will head to Carolina to take on the Hurricanes, who have won six of their last eight games and are fourth in the NHL in shots per game (33.1).

Balisnkis appeared in 22 games for Florida before being reassigned to Charlotte (AHL) on Wednesday and had a goal and two assists with six PIMs during his first season with the team. The 27-year-old defenseman will return to Charlotte, where he excelled offensively earlier in the season with three goals, 21 points, 27 PIMs and a +3 plus/minus through 35 games played.

Sundqvist was expected to miss Thursday's contest due to injury but will now be out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season as he undergoes surgery on his right knee for a torn ACL. The 30-year-old veteran enjoyed an average first season in St. Louis as far as personal production, with his six goals, 21 points, 68 SOG and 32 PIMs in 71 games played before the injury. He will be re-evaluated in six months.

Bains has earned his second call-up of the season to Vancouver after scoring 14 goals, and 49 points in 53 games with Abbotsford (AHL) this season. The 23-year-old undrafted left-winger appeared in five games already with the Canucks, but had failed to pick up a point while averaging 12:57 TOI with six SOG and a -3 plus/minus.

In a surprise move on Wednesday, the Vancouver Canucks have placed Thatcher Demko on LTIR retroactive to March 9th for some cap relief. The 28-year-old is first eligible to return on April 6th, so he has the potential to return before the playoffs begin on April 20th. He was one of the league's top goaltenders when he went down with injury, noticeable by his 34-13-2 record, 2.47 GAA, .917 SV% and five shutouts.

Marner has missed the Maple Leafs' previous eight games due to an ankle injury and will be forced to miss at least their next two games as he eyes a return possibly next week. The 26-year-old will likely fall just short of 100 points for a third straight season as he was at 25 goals, and 76 points in 62 games before the ailment.

Rielly missed his first game of the season due to injury on Tuesday due to a lower-body injury and is at risk of not playing again Thursday vs. Washington as he is questionable to dress. The 30-year-old All-Star defenseman has enjoyed a very strong year leading the Maple Leafs' point, with seven goals, 51 points, 165 SOG, 27 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 65 games played.

Despite Ilya Samsonov announcing he feels healthy to return on Thursday, Joseph Woll will get his third straight start on Thursday as he attempts to put an end to a two-game losing streak. The 25-year-old has enjoyed an up-and-down season filled with injuries but still has a respectable 10-9-1 record, 2.96 GAA and .908 SV% this season. He will take on the surging Washington Capitals at home, who find themselves in the final wildcard playoff spot after winning six of their last seven games.

The extent of Oskar Sundqvist's lower-body injury is not yet known but head coach Drew Bannister has confirmed that the forward will be out on Thursday vs. Calgary. The 30-year-old veteran has been having an average season as far as personal production in his first year in St. Louis, with his six goals, 21 points, 68 SOG and 32 PIMs in 71 games played before the injury.

Varlamov will take over the Islanders' crease for the second time in three games as he takes on the Panthers in Florida on Thursday. The 35-year-old backup netminder has done admirably when called upon this season, with his 8-7-4 record, 2.86 GAA and .910 SV%. He will head to Florida to take on the recently struggling Panthers, who have surprisingly lost five of their last six games but are still second in the NHL in shots per game (33.4).

Samsonov was unable to finish Saturday's game vs. Edmonton and did not dress on Tuesday after bruising his calf in a victory over the Oilers. The 27-year-old has stated he is good to go on Thursday when Toronto takes on Washington. He has endured the definition of an up-and-down season in 2023-24, with his 19-6-7 record, 3.12 GAA and .889 SV%.

Lauko has dressed for the previous four games for the Bruins' but finds himself the odd man out of Boston's lineup on Wednesday as he is replaced by James van Riemsdyk. The 23-year-old Lauko averages only 9:45 TOI per game in his complimentary role but has two goals, eight points, and 32 PIMs in 53 games played this season.

van Riemsdyk was a healthy scratch for the Bruins' previous game but he will draw back into the lineup for Jakub Lauko on Wednesday vs. Tampa Bay. The 34-year-old has enjoyed a strong first season in 2023-24 with the Bruins, with his 11 goals, 38 points, 137 SOG, 18 PIMs and +10 plus/minus minus in 65 games played.

Boston's goaltender carousel is expected to continue on Wednesday as Linus Ullmark looks to pick up Boston's fifth win in their last eight games. The 30-year-old reigning Vezina Trophy winner has enjoyed another strong 2023-24, with his 19-8-7 record, 2.66 GAA and .914 SV%. He will host the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, who have won seven of their last eight games and have the top powerplay in the NHL (29.0%).

Vasilevskiy will occupy Tampa's crease for the 11th time in the last 12 games after the rare night off in the Lightning's previous game vs. Anaheim. The 29-year-old is up to an impressive 45 games played despite missing a large chunk of the season due to a back injury and has a 26-16-2 record, 2.94 GAA and .897 SV% to show for it. He will host the Boston Bruins on Wednesday, who are one win from clinching a playoff birth and have won four of their last six games.

Quinn has been out since January 27th due to a lower-body injury but will return on Wednesday vs. Ottawa. The 22-year-old has had his season decimated by injuries but has still produced when healthy with his five goals, 12 points, 37 SOG and six PIMs in 17 games before his latest injury.

Rousek unfortunately was the victim of a freak injury in Buffalo's practice on Tuesday as he took a stick high and is expected to be day-to-day and miss Wednesday vs. Ottawa. The 24-year-old rookie is still looking for his first goal of the 2023-24 season but has two assists, four SOG, and a +1 plus/minus through nine games this season.

de Haan will unfortunately be the odd-man out of Tampa Bay's lineup on Wednesday vs. Boston as Victor Hedman returns from a lower-body injury and one-game absence. The 32-year-old de Haan has found himself in the Lightning lineup on most nights and has performed solid with his modest three goals, eight points, 56 SOG and 20 PIMs through 57 games played.