Hedman was forced to leave Tuesday's game after playing just 6:37 TOI. While he hasn't been officially ruled out, it seems unlikely that Hedman will be available for Wednesday's game in New Jersey. Expect Jan Rutta to draw in for Hedman.
Gunnarsson has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury but will play Wednesday vs. the Wild. Gunnarsson, who has one assist in five games, will replace Robert Bortuzzo and skate on the third pair with Vince Dunn.
Blais missed Sunday's game in Detroit but is set to play tonight vs. the Wild. Blais will get a huge opportunity tonight as he lines up on the first line with Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz, replacing Vladimir Tarasenko. Blais has three goals and two assists (five points) in 10 games this season. The 23-year-old provides even more value in banger leagues, averaging 2.6 hits per game.
Nutivaara missed the last two games with a lower-body injury but will play Wednesday vs. the Oilers. He has two goals while playing 16:13 ATOI in his first eight games this season but should see a bump in ice-time as he replaces Ryan Murray on the second-pair.
Smith was yanked after allowing three goals on 13 shots in the Oilers loss to the Panthers on Sunday. Smith has not won a game since October 12th, going 0-3-1 despite posting a 2.33 GAA, .920 SV% and one shutout (in a 1-0 shootout loss). The Oilers goaltenders need more goal-support and Smith could get it tonight against a Blue Jackets team allowing the sixth-most goals per game (3.55).
Binnington gave up four goals on 33 shots in the Blues win in Detroit on Sunday. It wasn't Binnington's best outing but it was enough to win for the third time in four games. The 26-year-old has yet to lose in regulation on home ice this season, going 3-0-2 with a 2.15 GAA and .926 SV% in his first five starts at Enterprise Center. He is a must-start against a Wild team that played last night and come in ranked 28th in the NHL in scoring (2.42 GF/gm).
McElhinney allowed three goals on 40 shots in the Lightning's overtime loss to the Predators on Saturday. With Andrei Vasilevskiy going last night in New York, McElhinney is expected to face the Devils on Wednesday. He has started the season at 0-1-2 with a 3.29 GAA and .915 SV% in his first three games with the Lightning and tonight he faces a Devils team that is the fifth-lowest scoring team in the NHL (2.44 GF/gm).
Koivula has two assists in six games with Bridgeport this season. With Matt Martin and Tom Kuhnhackl out long-term, Koivula is expected to make his NHL debut on Friday.
Kuhnhackl was already expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks with an undisclosed injury so his movement to IR is simply a formality to open up a roster spot to bring up reinforcements.
Martin suffered a lower-body injury in Ottawa last Friday and the Islanders immediately announced that he will miss at least one month. So moving him to IR simply opens up a roster spot for the Islanders to call-up Otto Koivula from Bridgeport (AHL).
Binnington gave up four goals on 33 shots in the Blues win in Detroit on Sunday. It wasn't Binnington's best outing but it was enough to win for the third time in four games. The 26-year-old has yet to lose in regulation on home ice this season, going 3-0-2 with a 2.15 GAA and .926 SV% in his first five starts at Enterprise Center. He is a must-start against a Wild team that played last night and come in ranked 28th in the NHL in scoring (2.42 GF/gm).
Korpisalo allowed six goals on 45 shots in the Blue Jackets loss in Philadelphia on Saturday. The loss snapped a brief two-game winning streak for Korpisalo, who will make his fifth straight start on Wednesday. He enters play at 3-2-1 with a 2.80 GAA and .894 SV% on home ice this season and faces an Edmonton team that has lost four fo their last five while averaging just 1.40 goals per game.
Schneider allowed six goals on 34 shots in the Devils loss to the Panthers on October 14th. The Devils have had a weird schedule as of late and MacKenzie Blackwood has started the last three games, so Schneider will make his first start in over two weeks. He is 0-3-0 with a 4.08 GAA and .876 SV% in four starts this season, so stay far away against the Lightning--even though they played last night and could be without three regulars.
Sbisa was claimed off of waivers from the Ducks and will fill-in for Patrik Laine and dress as a seventh defenseman on Tuesday. Sbisa had one assist in nine games with the Islanders in his most recent NHL campaign (2018-19).
Laine suffered a lower-body injury in practice on Monday and will come out of the lineup on Tuesday. Oddly enough, Luca Sbisa, who he got tangled up with, will take his spot in the lineup as a No.7 defenseman.
Rinne stopped all 26 shots that he faced in the Predators shutout win over the Wild last Thursday. Juuse Saros gave him the night off on Saturday, so look for Rinne to start tonight vs. the Blackhawks. He is 5-0-1 with a 1.98 GAA, .929 SV% and one shutout on home-ice this season and was 3-1-0 with a 2.27 GAA and .926 SV% vs. Chicago last year.
It is the first time in Staal's 13-year NHL career that Staal will serve as a healthy scratch. Ryan Lindgren was called up for Hartford and will dress in Staal's place.
Cirelli was listed as a game-time decision and is not on the ice for warmups. Carter Verhaeghe will replace him in the Lightning's lineup.
Point was listed as a game-time decision but looks like he is good-to-go vs. the Rangers. Point has just one assist in his last three games but six points (3G / 3A) in seven games this season.
