Brendan Brisson is expected to draw into the lineup on Thursday if Olofsson (lower body) is unable to suit up. The 29-year-old Olofsson has started his tenure with the Golden Knights in a positive way, scoring three goals in his first four games.
With Victor Olofsson expected to miss Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning due to a lower-body injury, Brisson will draw back into the lineup. The 22-year-old Brisson was held off the scoresheet in his only game this season. He had eight points (2G / 6A) in 15 games last season.
Seattle started Grubauer in their first game of the season and have alternated goalies in each game since. They will likely return to Grubauer between the pipes in their fifth game of the 2024-25 campaign on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. Seattle is 2-2-0 to start the season, with both of their wins coming when Grubauer was the backup to Joey Daccord. Despite his winless record (0-2-0), Grubauer has not received ample goal support this season, as evident by his respectable 2.59 GAA. Seattle enters action on Thursday as a -129 home favorite against the Flyers.
Sorokin made his season debut for the Islanders on Monday after serving as the backup to Semyon Varlamov in their first two games and put forth an excellent performance, saving 32 of 34 shots (.941 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, the Islanders first win of the 2024-25 season. Sorokin underwent offseason back surgery after the weakest season of his career in 2023-24, posting a pedestrian 3.01 GAA and .908 SV% in 56 games (25-19-12), but looks poised to return to the form that made him a Vezina-trophy runner-up in 2022-23.
Rookie Samuel Honzek is battling an upper-body injury and will be out of the Flames' lineup on a week-to-week basis. The 19-year-old Slovak was the 16th overall pick of the Flames in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. In four games this season, Honzek has zero points, six shots, and four hits while averaging 12:47 time-on-ice.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.
Through three games this season, the Sharks have alternated between Vanecek and Mackenzie Blackwood between the pipes, a trend that will continue on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks when Vanecek occupies the crease. Despite a 2-0 losing effort, Vanecek was terrific in his only start this season, saving 28 of 29 shots (.966 SV%) against the Anaheim Ducks. The Sharks enter action on Thursday as +163 road underdogs against a Blackhawks club that has only scored nine times in their first four games (1-2-1).
Martinez is battling a lower-body ailment and will not play on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. The veteran 37-year-old defenseman is averaging 21:02 time-on-ice through four games this season and has tallied one assist, 15 blocks, and one hit.
Fresh off of their first victory of the season, snapping a three-game losing skid, the Oilers will switch to Pickard between the pipes on Thursday evening against the Nashville Predators. The Predators are off to a rough start, one of only two teams yet to record a point in the standings (0-3-0), and as such, the Oilers enter gameplay as -126 road favorites. The 32-year-old Pickard has struggled in two appearances this season (0-1-0), posting a 4.17 GAA and .778 SV% but was excellent as the Oilers backup netminder last season, posting a 2.45 GAA and .909 SV% in 23 outings (12-7-1).
After a stellar start to the 2024-25 season, posting a 1.63 GAA and .948 SV% in three games (3-0-0), impending RFA Jake Oettinger has signed a massive eight-year, $66 million contract extension. The extension mirrors the recent extension signed by fellow American netminder Jeremy Swayman with the Boston Bruins two weeks ago. Oettinger was the Stars' 26th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and has cemented himself as their starting goalie for the last three seasons. The 26-year-old Oettinger has a 2.49 GAA, .914 SV%, and 11 shutouts in 196 career appearances (116-48-23).
The Rangers have yet to lose in regulation (2-0-1) and will turn to Quick in net on Thursday, the veteran netminder's first start of the 2024-25 campaign. The 38-year-old Quick had a solid 2023-24 season with the Rangers last season as Igor Shesterkin's backup after several consecutive poor seasons, posting a 2.62 GAA and .911 SV% in 27 contests (18-6-2). The Rangers enter the action on Thursday as -145 road favorites against the Detroit Red Wings.
Nick Leddy is battling a lower-body injury and will not play on Thursday, allowing Joseph to re-enter the lineup. In his only game this season, Joseph recorded a -1 plus/minus in 12:39 time-on-ice.
Leddy suffered a lower-body injury and could be out of the Blues' lineup on Thursday against the New York Islanders. The 33-year-old Leddy has zero points and a -3 plus/minus through four games this season. Pierre-Olivier Joseph will draw into the lineup as Leddy's replacement.
The Rangers have yet to lose in regulation (2-0-1) and will turn to Quick in net on Thursday, the veteran netminder's first start of the 2024-25 campaign. The 38-year-old Quick had a solid 2023-24 season with the Rangers last season as Igor Shesterkin's backup after several consecutive poor seasons, posting a 2.62 GAA and .911 SV% in 27 contests (18-6-2). The Rangers enter the action on Thursday as -145 road favorites against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Blues have lost two straight, being outscored 8-4, and will turn to Hofer between the pipes for the second time this season. The 24-year-old Hofer salvaged a 5-4 victory in his only outing this season but allowing four goals on 29 shots (.862 SV%). That said, the young netminder had a solid 2023-24 campaign, posting a 2.65 GAA and .913 SV% in 30 appearances (15-12-1). The Blues enter action on Thursday as +127 home underdogs against a New York Islanders club with a 1-1-1 record.
Philip Tomasino will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch on Tuesday. Parssinen made his season debut on Tuesday and recorded an assist but had an ugly -3 plus/minus in only 5:54 time-on-ice.
Juuso Parssinen will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Tomasino to re-enter the Predators' lineup after a one-game absence. The 23-year-old Tomasino has been held of the scoresheet in two games this season, registering five shots on goal and averaging 11:24 time-on-ice.
The Devils will likely turn to Markstrom in between the pipes on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. The 34-year-old Markstrom has had an up-and-down start to his tenure with the Devils, posting a 2.79 GAA and .904 SV% in four games (2-2-0), despite allowing three or more goals in each of his last three contests (1-2-0). The Devils enter the action on Thursday as -132 road favorites against a Senators club that scored eight goals in their previous game, a whirlwind 8-7 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
The Stars have an afternoon contest against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday and are likely opting to keep Jake Oettinger fresh for that matchup, resulting in DeSmith occupying the crease on Thursday against the Washington Capitals. DeSmith was excellent in his only start of the season, saving all 25 shots he faced in a 2-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken. The undefeated Dallas Stars (4-0-0), one of only three remaining teams without a loss, enters Thursday's matchup as a -153 road favorite against the Capitals.
Lukas Reichel will make his season debut on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks, sending Athanasiou to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 30-year-old Athanasiou has been held off the scoresheet in three games this season, averaging 9:47 time-on-ice and recording a -1 plus/minus rating.
