Smith registered a -1 plus/minus in 12:13 time-on-ice in the Blackhawks' season opener on Tuesday but will be a healthy scratch on Friday in favor of Andreas Athanasiou. Smith was signed by the Blackhawks in the offseason after playing 75 games with the Dallas Stars in the 2023-24 campaign, scoring 20 points (11G / 9A).
Craig Smith will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Athanasiou to make his season debut. The 30-year-old Athanasiou had a 2023-24 campaign that was plagued with injuries, limiting him to only nine points (2G / 7A) in 28 games.
Allan made his NHL debut on Tuesday, playing 10:26 time-on-ice, but will draw out of the lineup on Friday in favor of Wyatt Kaiser. The 21-year-old Allan was the 32 overall pick of the Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
Nolan Allan will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Kaiser to make his season debut. The 22-year-old Kaiser played 32 games with the Blackhawks last season, tallying seven points (0G / 7A), 46 blocks, and 22 hits.
Petr Mrazek struggled in the Blackhawks season-opening 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club, allowing four goals on 26 shots (.846 SV%). As such, the Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom for their second game of the the season, a tilt against the Winnipeg Jets, who steamrolled to a 6-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Soderblom appeared in 32 games last season (5-22-2), posting a pedestrian 3.92 GAA and .879 SV%.
Ville Husso started the first game of the season for the Red Wings, a forgettable performance, allowing four goals on 14 shots (.714 SV%), in a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Talbot entered the contest in relief, saving 12 of 14 shots (.857 SV%), and will get to showcase his talents as the starting netminder on Saturday against the Nashville Predators. The 37-year-old Talbot had a strong 2023-24 campaign with the Los Angeles Kings, posting a 2.50 GAA, .913 SV%, and three shutouts in 54 appearances (27-20-6).
Petry suffered an upper-body injury at some point during the Red Wings' 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, playing only 9:34 time-on-ice. The Red Wings have recalled Justin Holl from the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) to draw into the lineup as Holl's replacement.
Patrick Roy favored Varlamov last season after taking over the Islanders' head coaching duties and appears to be doing so again, likely turning to Varlamov for consecutive games to start the season. The 36-year-old Varlamov was great last season, posting a 2.60 GAA and .918 SV% in 28 games (14-8-4), but struggled in the Islanders season opener on Thursday, allowing five goals on 26 shots (.808 SV%) in 5-4 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club.
Hunt was the 65th overall pick of Minnesota in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old defenseman made his NHL debut last season, playing 12 games, but spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, tallying 29 points (3G / 26A) in 51 games for the Iowa Wild.
Wallstedt was sent down to the Iowa Wild (AHL) on Thursday for salary cap implications but is expected to fight for playing time in Minnesota this season. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in Iowa (AHL), posting a solid 2.70 GAA and .910 SV% in 45 games (22-19-4).
Rooney exited Wednesday's game against the Vancouver Canucks with only 1:03 time-on-ice after being on the receiving end of a hard hit by J.T. Miller. Last season, Rooney played 33 games with the Flames, tallying four points (3G / 1A), 29 blocks, and 65 hits. The Flames have recalled Justin Kirkland from the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) in the interim.
With Kevin Rooney (concussion) placed on Injured Reserve, Kirkland gets the opportunity to make his Flames debut. The 28-year-old Kirkland spent most of last season in the AHL, tallying 30 points (8G / 22A) in 43 games with the Tucson Roadrunners.
Poitras was battling an injury towards the end of training camp and missed the first two games of the season. The 20-year-old Poitras was having a strong rookie campaign last season before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in February. He had 15 points (5G / 10A0 in 33 games. He skated in full on Friday and has a strong possibility to make his debut vs. Los Angeles.
After parting ways with Darcy Kuemper in the offseason, Lindgren has taken over the reins, with Logan Thompson, of the crease for the Washington Capitals. The 30-year-old Lindgren will start the season opener for the Capitals against a New Jersey Devils squad already playing their fourth game of the season. Lindgren had stretches of inconsistency last season but was mostly impressive, posting a 2.67 GAA, .911 SV%, and six shutouts in 50 games (25-16-7). Kuemper had only appeared in 60 total games before last season and is likely to have a heavier workload once again.
Last season's Vezina trophy winner picked up where he left off, saving all 30 shots he faced for a shutout in a dominant 6-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The 31-year-old Hellebuyck has led the league in appearances amongst goalies in four of the last seven seasons and is expected to be amongst the leaders again this season. Hellebuyck will likely return to the crease on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jets enter action as sizeable -266 home favorites against a Blackhawks team that was defeated 5-2 in their season-opening matchup against the Utah Hockey Club.
It's unclear when or how Petry suffered the injury, but he was unable to join his teammates for the third period. We can expect to receive an update on the injury prior to the Red Wings' game against the Predators on Saturday.
Barkov suffered the injury late in the third period of Thursday's game after falling feet first into the boards and appeared to be unable to put any weight on his right leg while being helped off the ice. We can expect to get an update on the injury prior to Florida's game in Buffalo on Saturday.
Seeler is battling a lower-body injury and is considered day-to-day. The 31-year-old Seeler has spent the last three seasons with the Flyers, tallying 30 points (6G / 24A), 433 blocks, and 333 hits in 191 combined games. The Flyers could look to recall Emil Andrae from Lehigh Valley (AHL) ahead of Friday's game.
Saros has not participated in the last two practices for the Predators due to a lower-body injury, resulting in the club calling up Matt Murray from the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). Despite the call-up, Saros' injury does not appear to be overly concerning, and he was questionable for the season opener on Thursday against the Dallas Stars up until puck drop. Saros finished fifth in Vezina-trophy voting last season with a 2.86 GAA and 906 SV% in 64 appearances (35-24-5).
With starting netminder Juuse Saros temporarily sidelined due to a lower-body injury, Wedgewood will make his Predators debut in a matchup against his former club, the Dallas Stars. Wedgewood was a steadying force as the backup goalie for the Stars for three seasons, posting a reliable 2.83 GAA and .907 SV% in 61 appearances (28-16-11). The vastly improved Predators enter action as +109 home underdogs against a Dallas Stars club they are expected to battle with for supremacy in the Central Division this season.
