Jake Christiansen will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Zamula to re-enter the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres. The 26-year-old Zamula is averaging 13:00 time-on-ice and has two assists in 18 games with the Blue Jackets this season.
Egor Zamula will re-enter the Blue Jackets' lineup on Thursday, sending Christiansen to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Christiansen is averaging 10:11 time-on-ice and has two assists in 38 games this season.
Greaves was excellent in the Blue Jackets' previous game, saving 34 of 37 shots (.919 SV%) in a come-from-behind 4-3 shootout win over the Detroit Red Wings to keep their playoff hopes alive. The 25-year-old Greaves has been excellent in his first NHL season, but has battled some adversity in recent weeks, losing five of his last seven games (2-4-1) despite posting an impressive 2.41 GAA and .915 SV%. The Blue Jackets enter Thursday's contest as slight +105 road underdogs against a Buffalo Sabres team coming off a 5-3 win over the New York Rangers last night.
Dobes has been excellent in recent weeks and has likely made his case to be the team's go-to option to start the postseason. The 24-year-old Czech goalie saved 30 of 33 shots (.909 SV%) in Montreal's previous game, a 4-3 shootout win over the Florida Panthers. Over the last month, Dobes has allowed three or fewer goals in 11 consecutive games (9-2-0), posting an outstanding 1.97 GAA and .936 SV%. The Canadiens enter Thursday's contest as slight +107 home underdogs against a Tampa Bay Lightning team that likely needs to win to keep their hopes of finishing atop the Atlantic Division alive.
Joe Veleno will re-enter Montreal's lineup on Thursday, sending Bolduc to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old Bolduc has 28 points (11G / 17A) in 76 games this season, but has been nearly invisible offensively in recent weeks, being held off the scoresheet in 14 of his last 15 games.
Zack Bolduc will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Veleno to re-enter Montreal's lineup. The 26-year-old Veleno is averaging 12:07 time-on-ice, recording just four points (2G / 2A) and a -12 plus/minus in 58 games.
With the surprising return of Thomas Chabot (forearm), Crotty will be the odd man out of Ottawa's lineup as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Crotty recently made his season debut with Ottawa, averaging 14:47 time-on-ice and tallying one assist in four games.
Losing five of their last six games (1-4-1), the Red Wings have likely squandered their chance at returning to the postseason, but they will keep their slim hopes alive with Gibson tending the twine on Thursday in a pivotal meeting with the Philadelphia Flyers. Gibson saved 32 of 35 shots (.914 SV%) on Tuesday, but allowed the game-tying goal in the final seconds of an eventual 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Overall, the 32-year-old Gibson has had a solid inaugural season with the Red Wings, but has struggled in recent outings, posting a 3.63 GAA and .878 SV% in his last five appearances (1-3-1). The Red Wings enter Thursday's contest as -117 home favourites against a Flyers team that has outscored their opposition 11-3 in their last three games (3-0-0).
DeAngelo has not played in over two weeks due to a lower-body injury, but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old DeAngelo has 33 points (5G / 28A) in 72 games this season.
Gustafsson Nyberg is an undrafted 22-year-old defenseman that recently made his professional debut, tallying one assist in two games with the Iowa Wild (AHL). He has three seasons of collegiate hockey under his belt, including an 11-point (0G / 11A) campaign in 2025-26 with the University of Connecticut.
Currently sitting in the second Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, the Senators control their own fate and will attempt to inch closer to securing a ticket to the postseason on Thursday, with Ullmark tending the twine against the Florida Panthers. The 32-year-old Swedish goalie had an abysmal showing in a game last week against the Panthers, exiting late in the first period after allowing five goals on 16 shots (.688 SV%) in an eventual 6-3 loss. That said, he has rebounded in four games since (3-1-0), posting a 2.50 GAA and .903 SV%. The Senators enter Thursday's contest as sizeable -284 home favourites against an injury-depleted Panthers team on a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).
Alscher was drafted by Florida in the third-round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft Draft, but he has yet to make his NHL debut. The 22-year-old Czech defenseman has 11 points (3G / 8A) this season in 51 games with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL).
Only two weeks into his initial four-to-eight week recovery timeline after undergoing surgery, Chabot will make a surprising return to Ottawa's lineup on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. With Ottawa's playoff hopes on the line, they will up their chances of securing a spot in the postseason with the 29-year-old Chabot, who has 31 points (7G / 24A) in 55 games this season.
With Luke Hughes out for the final four games of the season, Cholowski will re-enter the lineup. The 28-year-old Cholowski has not played a game for the Devils since mid December. He has one assist in 15 games this season.
Losing five of their last six games (1-4-1), the Red Wings have likely squandered their chance at returning to the postseason, but they will keep their slim hopes alive with Gibson tending the twine on Thursday in a pivotal meeting with the Philadelphia Flyers. Gibson saved 32 of 35 shots (.914 SV%) on Tuesday, but allowed the game-tying goal in the final seconds of an eventual 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Overall, the 32-year-old Gibson has had a solid inaugural season with the Red Wings, but has struggled in recent outings, posting a 3.63 GAA and .878 SV% in his last five appearances (1-3-1). The Red Wings enter Thursday's contest as -117 home favourites against a Flyers team that has outscored their opposition 11-3 in their last three games (3-0-0).
The Islanders, amid a four-game losing streak, have not played since Saturday. Currently on the outside of the playoff picture with only four games remaining, the team will need near-perfection from Sorokin if they have any intention of making the postseason. The 30-year-old Sorokin has been one of the most reliable goalies in the NHL this season, leading the way with seven shutouts, but has picked an inopportune time to be struggling. In his last four games (0-4-0), Sorokin has an ugly 5.01 GAA and .852 SV%. The Islanders, in their first game with new head coach Pete DeBoer, enter Thursday's contest as sizeable -261 home favourites against a Toronto Maple Leafs team that lost 4-0 to the Washington Capitals last night.
Hughes missed 10 games earlier this season due to an injury, and will miss the final four as he prepares to undergo a procedure and get a head start on his off-season recovery. After scoring 47 points and and 44 points in his first two seasons, the 22-year-old Hughes didn't take the offensive leap that some were predicting, ending the 2025-26 campaign with 35 points (6G / 29A) in 68 games.
