Kaskimaki was a third-round pick, 73rd overall, of the Blues in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old Finnish forward has seven points (2G / 5A) in six games with the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) this season. He made his NHL debut last season, scoring zero points and recording a -6 plus/minus in five games.
Backlund has two points (1G / 1A) and 24 shots in eight games, but was absent from practice on Tuesday. It's unclear what his status if for Thursday's game against the Minnesota Wild but he is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Seattle is off to a solid 5-3-1 start this season and has received encouraging goaltending from Grubauer, who has never lived up to being the team's number-one goalie. That said, Grubauer will hope to bounce back after a season-worst performance in which he allowed four goals on 35 shots (.886 SV%) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 34-year-old German goalie has a 2.71 GAA and .910 SV% in five games (2-1-1). The Kraken enter Tuesday's contest as +102 home underdogs against a Detroit Red Wings team on a two-game winning streak.
Pavel Zacha (upper body) will return from a one-game absence, resulting in Kuraly being a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old Kuraly is averaging 12:45 time-on-ice and has zero points in four games.
Zacha did not play in Boston's previous game due to an upper-body injury, but will return on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars. The 29-year-old Czech forward was held without a point in his first four games of the season, but has five points (2G / 3A) in four games since. Sean Kuraly will be a healthy scratch to make room for Zacha.
Jeremy Swayman had a miserable 2024-25 season after signing a massive eight-year contract extension, posting an ugly 3.11 GAA and .892 SV% in 58 games (22-29-7). The organization had concerns about the contract, but he followed it up with a solid 2025-26 season, posting a 2.71 GAA and .907 SV% in 55 games (31-18-4). Now, the 27-year-old goalie seems to be continuing his upward trajectory, opening the season with an outstanding 1.85 GAA and .934 SV% in seven games (6-1-0). The Bruins enter Tuesday's action as +146 road underdogs against a Dallas Stars team with points in five of their last six games (4-1-1).
Impressive early-season performances from Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson made Connor Hellebuyck's (suspension) absence an afterthought, but recent struggles are keeping Winnipeg's crease uncertain. Skinner is coming off a season-worst performance, allowing four goals on 28 shots (.857 SV%) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The 27-year-old goalie has a 2.76 GAA and .906 SV% in five games (3-0-2). The Jets enter Tuesday's contest as +128 road underdogs against a St. Louis Blues team that has lost five of their last seven (2-4-1).
Danforth is battling an upper-body injury and his status is uncertain for Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 33-year-old Danforth has spent most of his career in the AHL, but has seen more regular NHL action in recent seasons. He has 64 points (31G / 33A) in 187 career games.
Carrick has been in and out of the lineup this season and his status is uncertain for Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 34-year-old Carrick is averaging 7:23 time-on-ice and has a -3 plus/minus in four games this season.
Nikita Zadorov will re-enter Boston's lineup on Tuesday, sending Aspirot to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 27-year-old Aspirot is averaging 16:58 time-on-ice and has zero points in four games this season.
Jonathan Aspirot will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Zadorov to re-enter the lineup. The 31-year-old defenseman is averaging 19:52 time-on-ice, recording three assists, 31 hits, and 29 penalty minutes in eight games this season.
Jones played a career-high 28 games with the Minnesota Wild last season, scoring three points (1G / 2A), but has spent most of his career in the AHL. The 27-year-old forward has nine points (7G / 2A) this season in seven games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL).
Impressive early-season performances from Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson made Connor Hellebuyck's (suspension) absence an afterthought, but recent struggles are keeping Winnipeg's crease uncertain. Skinner is coming off a season-worst performance, allowing four goals on 28 shots (.857 SV%) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. The 27-year-old goalie has a 2.76 GAA and .906 SV% in five games (3-0-2). The Jets enter Tuesday's contest as +128 road underdogs against a St. Louis Blues team that has lost five of their last seven (2-4-1).
Hofer delivered a dazzling 25-save shutout in the Blues' season opener, validating Head Coach Jim Montgomery's decision to bench veteran Jordan Binnington, but Hofer has struggled since. The 26-year-old Hofer is coming off a season-worst performance, allowing five goals on 39 shots (.872 SV%) in a 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Blues. He has a 2.43 GAA and .906 SV% in five games (2-2-1). The Blues enter Tuesday's contest as -142 home favourites against a Winnipeg Jets team that has lost three of their last four (1-2-1).
Gudas played 12:27 time-on-ice in last Monday's 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, but was battling an undisclosed injury and has not played since. The hard-hitting defenseman is averaging 13:08 time-on-ice, recording zero points and 13 hits in six games. He will return to Florida's lineup on Wednesday in Ottawa.
Nick Blankenburg will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Rifai to re-enter the lineup. The 28-year-old Rifai made his season debut last week, his fourth-career NHL game, and played 9:04 time-on-ice.
Marshall Rifai will draw into Toronto's lineup on Tuesday, sending Blankenburg to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 28-year-old Blankenburg has one goal and is averaging 13:25 time-on-ice in five games this season.
Markstrom is off to a decent start in his second stint with the Florida Panthers, posting a 2.21 GAA and .897 SV% in six games (3-1-1), but will likely miss several games as he returns from injury. Expect Akira Schmid to see most of the action during Markstrom's absence, but Head Coach Paul Maurice said he expects recently recalled Cooper Black to see some action as well.
Zuccarello battled a shoulder injury for most of training camp and returned to the sidelines shortly after the season started with an undisclosed ailment. The 39-year-old forward has one assist in three games with the Kings and will return to the lineup on Tuesday. Zuccarello is expected to assume his spot on the top powerplay unit.
Esa Lindell (lower body) will likely miss a couple of games, allowing Capobianco to enter the lineup. The 29-year-old Capobianco appeared in one games this season, but was used sparingly as a seventh defenseman, playing just 2:59 time-on-ice. He had five points (2G / 3A) in 33 games last season.
