Luneau was Anaheim's 2022 second-round pick (53rd overall) and is set to make his NHL debut Thursday vs. Dallas as he replaces Jamie Drysdale in the Ducks' lineup. The 19-year-old defensemen was not originally returned to Gatineau (QMJHL) as expected to start this season, where he had 20 goals, 63 assists, 31 PIMs and a +49 plus/minus through 65 games in 2022-23.
Mrazek is off to a great start for the Blackhawks, who have been better than expected defensively to start the season, allowing an average of only 2.25 goals per game in their first four contests (2-2-0). The Blackhawks have opted to split starts between their two netminders to start the season, but in Mrazek's two games (1-1-0), he has a 2.54 GAA and .935 SV%. Mrazek will be in for arguably his most difficult matchup as the Blackhawks are +303 road underdogs against the Colorado Avalanche. Last season, Mrazek was 1-1-0 against the Avalanche with a 3.50 GAA and .897 SV% and, despite his strong start to the season, does not have a favourable matchup Thursday evening.
Karlsson had been forced to miss Anaheim's first two games of the season due to a lower-body injury but will make his debut Thursday vs. Dallas. The 18-year-old forward was the second overall pick in the 2023 draft after watching his stock skyrocket throughout the season. He had 10 goals, 15 assists, six PIMs and a -5 plus/minus in 44 games with Orebro HK (SHL) in 2022-23.
This is a promising sign as Carlsson looks poised to make his NHL debut imminently. Carlsson was the second overall pick for the Ducks in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft after scoring 25 points (10G / 15A) as an 18-year-old in the Swedish Hockey League. The talented young center will likely slide into a top-6 role when he is deemed fit to play.
Husso will make his return to the Red Wings crease on Tuesday after witnessing backup James Reimer make a 23-save shutout in their last contest. In his first two games this season (1-1-0), Husso has shown mixed results, recording a 3.57 GAA and .863 SV%. The Red Wings will hope that competition between him and Reimer can inspire him to elevate his game to last year's early season form that saw him record a .922 SV% and three shutouts in his first 13 games (8-2-3). The Red Wings are +110 home underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has outscored opponents 11-6 in their first three games (2-1-0).
Granlund suffered a lower-body injury in the Sharks' season opener on Thursday and landed on IR on Saturday. The move to IR opened up a roster spot for the Sharks to recall Jacob Peterson, who will make his season debut Saturday vs. the Avalanche.
Mrazek stopped 39 of 41 shots in the Blackhawks' come-from-behind win over the Penguins on opening night. It was a dazzling start to the season for Mrazek, who will face a ton of rubber behind a young Blackhawks team this season. Tonight he'll face a Montreal team that scored five goals in a 6-5 opening night loss in their season opener.
Mrazek stopped 39 of 41 shots in the Blackhawks' come-from-behind win over the Penguins on opening night. It was a dazzling start to the season for Mrazek, who will face a ton of rubber behind a young Blackhawks team this season. Tonight he'll face a Montreal team that scored five goals in a 6-5 opening night loss in their season opener.
Granlund played 15:36 in the Sharks' season-opener but has since been placed on IR, meaning he will miss at least the next three games. Granlund is coming off a 79-game campaign that saw him net 41 points (10G / 31A) in time split between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins. No corresponding moves have been made just yet but it is possible that rookie Thomas Bordeleau could shift up to Granlund's position as the second-line center. Bordeleau has seven points (0G / 7A) in 17 career NHL games.
Husso is the confirmed starter on Saturday and will look to improve on his season-opening performance, in which he allowed three goals on 26 shots in a 4-3 loss to the high-flying New Jersey Devils. The competition won't get much easier for Husso as he and the Red Wings will face off against last year's eighth-best offence (3.41 goals/GM). In his four games against the Lightning last season (2-2-0), Husso played adequately, recording a 3.02 GAA and .909 SV%.
Husso is entering his fourth NHL season after posting a 26-22-7 record, .896 SV%, and 3.11 GAA with Detroit in 2022-23 and will be the Red Wings' opening night starter vs. New Jersey. The 28-year-old is entering his second season in Detroit after signing a three-year, $14.5 million deal in the 2021-22 offseason. He draws the tough first task of New Jersey, who finished 2022-23 fifth in both goals for (289) and shots per game (34.4).
Johnston was placed on waivers by the Islanders on Monday and claimed by Anaheim on Tuesday. The 29-year-old bruising left-winger carries an annual cap hit of $1.1 million and is expected to be an intimidating presence in the Ducks bottom-six. He had two assists, 37 PIMs, two SOG, and a -1 plus/minus in 16 games played with the Islanders in 2022-23. He leaves New York after seven seasons, nine goals, 15 assists, and 283 PIMs through 134 career games played.
Mrazek was 10-22-3 with a .894 SV% and 3.66 GAA in 39 games played with Chicago in 2022-23 and will start the Blackhawks' season opener Tuesday vs. Pittsburgh. The Penguins finished middle of the pack and in goals for across the entire NHL last season placing 16th with 261 GF while also closing out the campaign fifth in shots per game (34.4).
Killorn will have to wait a little longer to make his Anaheim Ducks debut as he is expected to miss at least a month on the injured reserve with a fractured finger. The 11-year veteran is coming off a career-best 64-point campaign (27G / 37A) with the Tampa Bay Lightning and was signed by the Ducks to add some much-needed goal-scoring to the league's 31st-ranked offence (2.51 GPG). Until he makes his full recovery, expect Frank Vatrano to have an elevated role to start the season.
Zellweger will have to wait to make his NHL debut as he will begin the 2023-24 campaign with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. He spent last season in the WHL, splitting time between the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers, where he scored a combined 70 points (32G / 48A) across 55 games.
Harkins had three goals, two assists, 18 SOG, 12 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 22 games with Winnipeg in 2022-23 but has been claimed off waivers Monday by Winnipeg after being placed on them by Pittsburgh. The 26-year-old centre played four NHL seasons in Winnipeg, scoring 13 goals and picking up 27 points across 154 NHL games played. He spent the majority of 2022-23 with Manitoba's AHL team picking up 25 goals and 50 points in 44 games but will hope to crack the Penguins' main unit to start the season.
Killorn signed a four-year, $25 million contract with the Ducks in the offseason and was expected to be a pivotal part of their top six this season but will now miss the next 4-6 weeks as he deals with a fractured finger from Wednesday's preseason bout. The 34-year-old left-winger is coming off a career season with 27 goals, 37 assists, 45 PIMs, and 143 SOG in an 82-game campaign with Tampa Bay in 2022-23.
The Anaheim Ducks announced Thursday that Mason McTavish will miss the start of training camp as he is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. The 20-year-old Sophomore Centre is coming off a 17-goal, 26-assist, 161 SOG, 44 PIMs, and -19 plus/minus rookie season in 2022-23. He is expected to be back with the team soon and a major part of the Ducks' lineup in 2023-24.
