NHL Hockey Player News

Podkolzin appeared in 19 games during the regular season and had just two assists but is expected to make his playoff debut in Game 5 as he replaces Sam Lafferty. The 22-year-old right-winger has 35 points (18G/17A) in 137 career games played before making his playoff debut in Game 5.

Lafferty has been held scoreless through the first 10 games of the playoffs and is expected to be replaced by Vasily Podkolzin in Vancouver's lineup for Game 5 vs. Edmonton. The 29-year-old Lafferty was a mainstay in Vancouver's lineup during the regular season, with 13 goals and 24 points in 79 games played.

Hoglander has been a healthy scratch for Vancouver's previous two games but is expected to draw back into the lineup for Ilya Mikheyev on Thursday for Game 5. The 23-year-old has vastly underperformed in the playoffs after scoring 24 goals in the regular season, with one assist, four SOG, two PIMs and a -2 plus/minus in eight games played.

Juulsen appears to be a healthy scratch for Game 5 as Carson Soucy returns from a one-game suspension. The 27-year-old has appeared in two playoff games prior to his scratch on Thursday, with zero points, four PIMs and one SOG while averaging only 12:54 TOI/GP.

Di Giuseppe has been a healthy scratch for Vancouver's previous two games but is expected to draw back into the lineup for Game 5 as he replaces Linus Karlsson. The 30-year-old has struggled through his eight games played so far in the playoffs, with one assist, two SOG, and two PIMs while averaging 10:11 TOI/GP.

Karlsson dressed in the Canucks' previous two playoff games but is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 5 on Thursday vs. Edmonton as he is replaced by Phil Di Giuseppe. The 24-year-old averaged only 9:54 TOI in his two playoff games played and failed to pick up a point with two PIMs.

With Devon Toews (illness) returning from injury for Game 5, Caleb Jones will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has appeared in three games for the Avalanche in the playoffs but has yet to pick up a point to go along with his six PIMs and +1 plus/minus.

Faksa has not played in Dallas' previous three playoff games but will draw back into the lineup as he replaces the injured Roope Hintz (upper body) on Wednesday vs. Colorado. The 30-year-old has appeared in four of Dallas' 11 games so far and has a goal, and five SOG in four games played while averaging 10:42 TOI/GP.

Juulsen will play in his second game of the postseason, replacing Carson Soucy, who is serving his one-game suspension. Expect Juulsen to come out of the lineup for Game 5 with Soucy eligible to play.

Forbort appeared in the first three games of Boston's second-round series but will head to the press box on Sunday for Game 4 as Parker Wotherspoon returns to the lineup. The 32-year-old has failed to produce offensively in his three playoff games played, with no points, and one SOG while averaging 17:49 TOI/GP.

Wotherspoon was a healthy scratch for Game 3 but will draw back into Boston's lineup for Game 4 on Sunday vs. Florida. The 26-year-old has appeared in seven games so far in the playoffs and has an assist, eight SOG and four PIMs while averaging 16:54 TOI.

Hoglander has struggled so far in his first career playoff action and is expected to be a healthy scratch for Game 3 on Sunday in Edmonton. The 23-year-old scored 24 goals during the regular season but has only one assist, four SOG, two PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through eight playoff games so far.

With Phil Di Giuseppe missing Game 3 due to personal reasons, Linus Karlsson is expected to make his playoff debut on Sunday in Edmonton. The 24-year-old only played in four games for the Canucks during the regular season but appeared in 60 games for Abbotsford (AHL) and had 23 goals and 60 points.

Di Giuseppe was not present at Vancouver's morning skate and will miss Game 3 on Sunday due to personal reasons. The 30-year-old has struggled thus far in the playoffs, with only one assist, two SOG, and two PIMs in eight games played.