NHL Hockey Player News

Merela played 14 of 17 games for the Lightning this season, averaging 10:35 time-on-ice ice, registering 16 shots on goal, and failing to record a point. The Finnish forward played predominantly on the fourth line with Luke Glendenning and Austin Watson.

Rousek will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Zach Benson (lower-body) to return to the lineup for the first time since October 29th. Rousek made his season debut after Benson was initially injured and will likely not be a regular in the lineup now that Benson is healthy. He recorded zero points, one shot on goal, and a -2 plus/minus in five games.

Rookie Zach Benson has not played since October 29th but will be a welcome addition to a Sabres lineup that will be without Tage Thompson (upper-body) for the foreseeable future. Through six games this season, Benson has two points (0G / 2A), averaging 13:17 time-on-ice, and will likely see increased offensive deployment as the Sabres search for additional scoring depth.

Stastney is expected to play his ninth career NHL game, his first of the season, on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Predators' fifth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has four points (1G / 3A) in 10 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this season.

The Coyotes have recalled Jan Jenik from Tuscon (AHL) as a forward replacement for Hayton, who will miss 4-6 weeks. Hayton scored a goal for the Coyotes despite exiting the game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:57 time-on-ice. The Coyotes finished the game down two forwards as Matias Maccelli also exited the game but was more fortunate than Hayton with his post-game prognosis, as he is not expected to miss much (if any) time. Hayton had four points (2G / 2A) in his last five games after being held without a single point in his first 11.

Jenik was called up from the Tuscon Roadrunners of the AHL on Friday morning after news broke that Barret Hayton would miss four to six weeks with an upper-body injury. Jenik was the 65th overall pick of the Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and has scored 28 points (9G / 19A) in 39 games over the last two seasons with the Roadrunners.

Maccelli exited Thursday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 6:04 time-on-ice but seems to have avoided a serious injury. The talented Finnish winger has been having a solid season with the Coyotes, totalling 11 points (2G / 9A) in 16 games while primarily playing Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse on the Coyotes' second line.

In Brown's four games before his injury, he was averaging 2.25 shots per game, a vast improvement over the 0.80 he was averaging in the five games prior, and perhaps a sign that he is re-finding his game. Brown, who has yet to record a point through nine games this season, skated at practice alongside Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at practice on Friday.

Brossoit is coming off his first victory of the season, a 20-save performance (.870 SV%) in a 6-3 shellacking of the Nashville Predators on November 9th. As expected, Connor Hellebuyck has been a workhorse for the Jets this season, limiting Brossoit to only three starts thus far, a trend that should continue for the remainder of the season. The Jets, who have won four of their last five (4-1-0) heading into Friday, have a favourable matchup on Saturday against an Arizona Coyotes team that will be without top-six forward Baret Hayton for the next four to six weeks.

Hughes last played on November 3rd when he fell awkwardly into the boards but appears ready to return to action on Saturday after being a full participant at practice on Friday. This would mark approximately two weeks since Hughes last played, the low end of his initial two-to-four-week timeline. Before his injury, Hughes led the league with 20 points (5G / 15A) in 10 games and is expected to retake his place on the Devils' top line and top powerplay unit.

Hellebuyck will start for the Jets on Friday, the front end of a back-to-back, likely serving as the backup to Laurent Brossoit on Saturday. As expected, Hellebuyck has been a workhorse for the Jets thus far, starting 12 of 15 games, but his performance has been somewhat out of character. Despite a strong 7-4-1 record, Hellebuyck is sporting a career-low GAA (2.99) and SV% (.892) but seems to be inching his way back on track, posting a .906 SV% in his last three contests (2-1-0). The Jets, who have won four of their last five (4-1-0), have a favourable matchup on Friday as -178 home favourites against a Buffalo Sabres team that has been outscored 9-2 in their last two games (0-2-0) and will be without elite goal-scorer Tage Thompson.

Schmidt has played 11 straight games for the Jets, tallying only one point (0G / 1A), seven hits, and five shots and will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres. The Jets dressed seven defencemen in their last contest but will opt for the more traditional six-defenceman formation as Logan Stanley, who entered the lineup in their previous game, will remain dressed in favour of Schmidt.

Hellebuyck is the likely starter for the Jets on Friday, the front end of a back-to-back, likely serving as the backup to Laurent Brossoit on Saturday. As expected, Hellebuyck has been a workhorse for the Jets thus far, starting 12 of 15 games, but his performance has been somewhat out of character. Despite a strong 7-4-1 record, Hellebuyck is sporting a career-low GAA (2.99) and SV% (.892) but seems to be inching his way back on track, posting a .906 SV% in his last three contests (2-1-0). The Jets, who have won four of their last five (4-1-0), have a favourable matchup on Friday as -178 home favourites against a Buffalo Sabres team that has been outscored 9-2 in their last two games (0-2-0) and will be without elite goal-scorer Tage Thompson.

Petry recorded a -3 plus/minus on Thursday, playing only 14:08 in the Red Wings 5-4 overtime loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators and will be a healthy scratch for the team's matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday. The 35-year-old has six points (0G / 6A) in 11 games this season and will be replaced by Justin Holl on the back end.

Holl did not skate for the Red Wings in yesterday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators but is expected to be back in the lineup against his former team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, on Friday. Holl spent the first six seasons of his career with the Maple Leafs before signing with the Red Wings this past offseason. In 12 games, Holl has three points (0G / 3A), averaging 16:21 time-on-ice, over four minutes less than his average over the previous three seasons with the Maple Leafs.

Mantha is expected to return to the lineup after last playing on November 8th, when he scored two goals, playing 12:58 against the Florida Panthers. In 10 games this season, Mantha has been held without a point in eight, totalling four points (2G / 2A). In addition to his lack of production, Mantha is averaging only 12:43 time-on-ice per game, nearly two minutes less than last season, his lowest total since his rookie campaign with the Detroit Red Wings in 2015-16.

Van Riemsdyk has been out of the lineup since November 4th with a lower-body injury. He has one point (0G / 1A) in 10 games, averaging 17:35 time-on-ice, primarily skating alongside Rasmus Sandin before his injury.

Xhekaj played only 10:19 before exiting the game with an upper-body injury and is now considered day-to-day after not practicing Friday. He has three points (1G / 2A) in 17 games this season along with 41 hits and 47 penalty minutes. Xhekaj's status will be re-evaluated on Friday.