With Matthew Highmore injured, Ottawa has recalled Smejkal from Belleville (AHL). Smejkal played nine game with Ottawa earlier this season but has spent most of his time with Belleville, tallying 19 points (8G / 11A) in 39 games.
The Bruins have lost five of their last seven, with their two wins coming with Swayman between the pipes. Swayman was outstanding in his last outing, saving 32 of 33 shots (.970 SV%) in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and will tend the twine in a rematch on Thursday night. The Bruins enter action as -141 home favourites.
Forbort has missed the last two games and will miss a third on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an undisclosed ailment. Forbort last played in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the New York Islanders, recording two shots and two hits in 19:27 time-on-ice.
The Rangers have been off since Monday and do not play again until Saturday, so Trouba is hopeful that will be enough time to recover from his upper-body ailment that has him considered day-to-day. In his last three games, Trouba has two points (0G / 2A), nine shots, and eight hits.
The Penguins snapped a three-game losing skid in their last outing and will likely turn to Jarry between the pipes again on Thursday night. Jarry has allowed three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-2-0) but saved 33 of 36 shots (.917 SV%) in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Penguins enter action as -160 home favourites against a Washington Capitals club that was defeated 5-2 by the Arizona Coyotes in their last match.
Pavel was a late call-up for the Avalanche on Wednesday due to several trades opening up temporary roster spots and played 5:13 time-on-ice in a 7-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Pavel is an undrafted forward out of the Czech Republic who made his NHL debut with the Avalanche earlier this season. Pavel has seven points (3G / 4A) in 48 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) this season.
Foudy was a late call-up for the Avalanche on Wednesday due to several trades opening up temporary roster spots and scored a goal in a 7-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings while playing 10:54 time-on-ice. Foudy was the 75th overall pick of the Avalanche in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 12 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL), Foudy has six points (2G / 4A) this season.
Tarasov served as the Blue Jackets' backup in their last outing, a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he will likely return to the crease on Thursday night. The 24-year-old Tarasov was impressive in his last contest, saving 37 of 40 shots (.925 SV%) in a 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Tarasov and the Blue Jackets are +228 home underdogs on Thursday against another challenging foe, the Edmonton Oilers.
Tampa Bay will likely turn to Vasilevskiy between the pipes for a fourth straight game on Thursday night. The Vezina-winning netminder hasn't played to expectations this season and has allowed three or more goals in seven of his last eight starts (3-4-1) but saved 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) in his last outing, a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning are -148 home favourites against a Calgary Flames squad that has recently traded two of their opening-night top-four defenders, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin.
The Oilers signed Gagner at the end of October, but he had been a healthy scratch most of the last month and was placed on waivers on Wednesday. The 34-year-old Gagner registered 10 points (5G / 5A) and 48 shots in 27 games this season.
Holloway has struggled to assert himself offensively in the NHL, tallying only four points (3G / 1A) in 32 games with the Oilers this season. With the impending trade deadline approaching, his reassignment to the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) suggests the Oilers could be trying to alleviate cap space ahead to make an acquisition.
Miromanov was acquired by Calgary earlier on Wednesday as part of the Noah Hanifin deal and has signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension with the Flames. The 26-year-old Russian defensemen had only appeared in four games with Vegas in 2023-24 after missing most of the season due to an undisclosed injury, failing to pick up a point while collecting six SOG and a -2 plus/minus.
Wagner had to leave the ice mid-way through the 2nd period Wednesday after an upper-body injury and did not return. The 32-year-old veteran was playing an extended role Wednesday as the Avalanche's third-line centre after trades thinned out the lineup. He has an assist, nine SOG, and five PIMs in nine games played this season while averaging a minuscule 8:23 TOI/GP.
The Flames gave up Noah Hanifin to get Miromanov, a conditional 2025 first-round pick and a conditional third-round pick from the Golden Knights. Calgary retained 50 percent of Hanifin's contract. Miromanov, who will be an RFA at the end of the season, has played in just four NHL games this season, but has seven points (2G / 5A) in 29 career NHL games (all with Vegas).
Georgiev had the night off on Monday and has served as the backup in three of the last six, but will return to the crease on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. The 28-year-old Georgiev was unsuccessful in his last outing, allowing four goals on 34 shots (.882 SV%) in a 5-1 loss to the Nashville Predators and has allowed four goals in two of his last three (1-2-0). The Avalanche were defeated 2-1 in overtime by the Red Wings two weeks ago but enter action as -193 home favourites on Wednesday night.
Vince Dunn exited the third period of Monday's game against the Flames after suffering the hit from Pospisil and is yet to return to the lineup, dealing with what the team has deemed to be an upper-body injury. Pospisil has six goals and nine assists in 45 games this season and will be eligible to return to the Flames' lineup for next Tuesday's game against the Avalanche.
The timing is a bit bizarre considering Moverare was just placed on waivers earlier today. Moverare has played 10 games with the Kings this season, being held off the scoresheet, but has spent most of the 2023-24 Campaign with the Ontario Reign (AHL), posting 18 points (2G / 16A) in 34 contests.
Sogaard will make a second consecutive start for the Senators when they travel to Anaheim to take on the Ducks on Wednesday. Sogaard was unfortunate to pick up the loss his last time out, stopping 36 of the 39 shots he faced as the Senators fell to the Flyers by a score of 4-2. He owns an underwhelming .857 SV% across five appearances with the Senators this season, but luckily for Sogaard, he's got a great chance of getting back in the win column on Wednesday. The Senators are -200 favourites against a depleted Ducks' team.
The Golden Knights gave up a conditional 2025 first-round pick, a conditional third-round pick, a 2024 fifth-round pick and Daniil Miromanov to acquire Hanifin. The Flames retained 50 percent of Hanifin's contract and the Flyers retained 25 percent as a third-party broker. At 25 percent, Hanifin will carry a $1.2375M AAV cap-hit. The 27-year-old defenseman heads to Vegas with 11 goals and 24 assists (35 points) in 61 games this season.
