NHL Hockey Player News

With Mackenzie Blackwood out of the lineup due to illness, the Sharks will turn to Kahkonen on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings. Despite failing to record a victory, Kahkonen has played very well in his last two outings, allowing only four goals on 62 combined shots (.935 SV%). That said, the Sharks are significant +294 road underdogs against the Kings, who will turn back to David Rittich, who limited the Sharks to one goal in a 4-1 loss last week.

Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to miss Wednesday vs. Los Angeles due to illness so Magnus Chrona has been recalled from the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) to backup. The 23-year-old has appeared once in relief this season for San Jose during a previous call up, posting a .765 SV% and 7.87 GAA in a rough but short appearance.

MacDonald scored a goal in his last game but exited with a lower-body injury after playing only 7:03 time-on-ice. In 17 games this season, MacDonald has seven points (6G / 1A) and 14 hits while averaging 11:54 time-on-ice.

On Saturday, Ross Johnston replaced McGinn in the lineup, who will be out again on Monday to attend to the birth of his child. McGinn has one goal and one assist in 15 games this season.

Wedgewood will likely start for the fifth straight game on Wednesday as he continues to be a mainstay between the pipes for the Stars with Jake Oettinger still week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Wedgewood has been unspectacular this season but reliable in nearly every appearance, posting a 9-1-2 record with a 3.08 GAA and .903 SV%. Specifically since taking over for Oettinger, Wedgewood has been solid, posting a .900 SV% in five appearances (4-0-1). The Stars are -170 road favourites against a St. Louis Blues team that defeated Wedgewood and the Stars 4-3 in overtime less than two weeks ago.

Gibson has not played since exiting a 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in the second period on December 17th but will return to the crease on Wednesday. In his last five games (2-3-0), Gibson has allowed 14 total goals, posting a .907 SV%. Gibson was in the crease on November 5th, saving 30 of 32 shots (.938 SV%) in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, their first regulation loss of the season. The Ducks are sizeable +206 home underdogs against a Golden Knights club that has lost three straight contests.

Gavrikov was considered week-to-week when he was placed on the injured reserve on December 15th but will return to the lineup on Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks. The 28-year-old defenseman was having one of the strongest offensive seasons of his seven-year career, with three goals, six assists, 29 SOG, six PIMs and a +8 plus/minus in 25 games before his injury.

Mrazek did not play in the Blackhawks' last game, a 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues, but will return to the crease on Wednesday for his fourth straight in their last five games. Mrazek only has one win in his last five appearances for the bottom-dwelling Blackhawks (1-3-0), posting a .888 SV% in the process. The Blackhawks are significant +195 home underdogs against the Winnipeg Jets, who have points in five straight games (4-0-1).

On the front end of a back-to-back, the Kings will likely turn to David Rittich for the second time in the last four games. In his Kings debut last week, Rittich saved 15 of 16 shots (.938 SV%) against the San Jose Sharks and will look to repeat his performance in a rematch against the Sharks on Wednesday. The Kings have won three of their last four (3-1-0) and are huge -344 home favourites against a Sharks team that has lost five straight (0-5-0), scoring only nine goals in that span.

Saros allowed two goals in the last 15 seconds in the Predators' last game before the Christmas break, a heart-breaking 3-2 regulation loss to the Dallas Stars. That said, Saros has played well over the last month and will return to the crease on Wednesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. Saros has won 11 of his last 14 games (11-3-0), allowing two goals or fewer in nine, posting an impressive .923 SV%. The Predators are +124 home underdogs against the Hurricanes, who have lost four of their last five (1-1-3).

J.J. Moser will not play on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury, allowing Valimaki to re-enter the lineup. Valimaki last played on December 19th, recording two penalty minutes, two shots, and one hit in 20:56 time-on-ice.

Vejmelka will start for the third time in the last five games and look to improve on his best run of play this season when he takes the crease on Wednesday. Over his last three appearances (3-0-0), Vejmelka has saved 73 of 75 shots (.973 SV%) and has demanded action with his solid play after seemingly losing the starting gig to Connor Ingram earlier this month. The Coyotes are +149 home underdogs on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, who has won two straight, including a 4-1 win over the Coyotes on Saturday.

Juuso Valimaki is expected to draw back into the Coyotes lineup on Wednesday as Moser will be out with an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old Moser has 15 points (3G / 12A) while averaging 19:38 time-on-ice through 33 games this season.

Veleno played 14:07 time-on-ice on Saturday but suffered an undisclosed injury at some point that will keep him out of the lineup on Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild. The 23-year-old centerman has four points (1G / 3A), a -10 plus/minus, and 15 shots in his last eight games.

Petry played only 11:53 in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils before exiting with an undisclosed injury. He played 13 consecutive games for the Red Wings, recording four points (1G / 3A), 15 shots, and a +2 plus/minus rating.

Michael Hutchinson manned the crease in a 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, but the Red Wings will turn back to Reimer, who should be a mainstay between the pipes as long as Ville Husso and Alex Lyon are out of the lineup without injuries. Reimer allowed six goals on 43 shots (.860 SV%) in his last game but was able to record his first victory in his last nine outings. The Red Wings are +123 road underdogs against a Minnesota Wild club that has won three straight contests.

Jarry has only started one of the last five games for the Penguins, an atrocious 10-save performance (.714 SV%) in a 7-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 16th, but will return to the crease on Wednesday evening. Omitting his most recent performance, Jarry has played well, allowing three or fewer goals in eight straight games (3-3-2), posting a .927 SV%. The Penguins are slight +101 road underdogs against a New York Islanders team that has points in three straight (2-0-1).

Ruzcika has been a regular in the Flames lineup for most of the season but will replaced by Walker Duehr on Wednesday. The Slovak-born Ruzicka has nine points (3G / 6A) in 29 games this season but has only one point in his last eight contests (0G / 1A).

Adam Ruzicka is expected to be a healthy scratch as Duehr will re-enter the Flames lineup on Wednesday. Duehr has four points (1G / 3A) and 21 hits while averaging 8:11 time-on-ice through 15 games this season.