Kirkland has spent most of his eight-year professional career in the AHL, making his NHL debut last season with the Anaheim Ducks, being held without a point in seven contests. Kirkland has 13 points (1G / 12A) this season in 12 games with the Tuscon Roadrunners (AHL).
It's the fifth time this season the Canucks have made Kuzmenko a healthy scratch, who has fallen a long way from his 39-goal season a year ago. He has eight goals and 11 assists in 32 games this season.
Vladar will get the surprise nod in Nashville on Thursday, making his first appearance since Jacob Markstrom returned from a finger injury on December 18th. Vladar was solid his last time out, stopping 31 of the 33 shots he faced enroute to a 4-2 victory over the Lightning. This presumably sets Vladar up to start a pair of games this weekend as the Flames are set to play a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. He draws a difficult matchup on Thursday with the Flames being slight underdogs at +105 in Nashville.
After playing four straight games, Hanley was a healthy scratch for the last three but will re-enter the lineup on Thursday in favour of Nils Lundkvist. In 13 games this season, Hanley has one point (0G / 1A) and 12 hits while averaging 12:16 time-on-ice.
Barrie has missed four games, last playing on December 23rd, but returned to practice for the Predators on Thursday. Before the Christmas break, Barrie had played five straight games for the Predators, scoring one point (1G / 0A), a -2 plus/minus, and averaged slightly over 17 minutes per night.
Okhotyuk will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Kyle Burroughs to draw back into the lineup for the Sharks. Okhotyuk has played 16 straight games for the Sharks, scoring two points (0G / 2A) and registering 44 hits.
Andersson did not practice on Friday due to an illness but might not miss any game action as the Flames do not play until Sunday. Andersson only has two points (1G / 1A) in his last seven games but is averaging 25:08 time-on-ice and 2.6 shots per game.
Hanley played in the last four games for the Stars, his longest stretch of the season, but will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Nils Lundkvist to re-enter the lineup. In 13 games this season, Hanley is averaging 12:16 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A) and 12 hits.
Barrie was a healthy scratch on Wednesday, replaced by Dante Fabbro, and is now day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Before the Christmas break, Barrie had played five straight games for the Predators, scoring one point (1G / 0A), a -2 plus/minus, and averaged slightly over 17 minutes per night.
Adam Ruzicka is expected to be a healthy scratch as Duehr will re-enter the Flames lineup on Wednesday. Duehr has four points (1G / 3A) and 21 hits while averaging 8:11 time-on-ice through 15 games this season.
Barrie will be a healthy scratch as Dante Fabbro will draw back into the Predators' lineup. Barrie had played five straight games for the Predators, scoring one point (1G / 0A), a -2 plus/minus, and averaged slightly over 17 minutes per night.
Jake Bean will return to the lineup on Wednesday in favour of Andrew Peeke, who will be a healthy scratch. Bean has three points (1G / 2A), 42 shots, and 46 blocks while averaging 15:26 time-on-ice through 32 games this season and is expected to skate alongside Erik Gudbranson on the Blue Jackets' fourth defensive pair.
The Coyotes announced the move right before puck drop for Saturday's game in Colorado. Kirkland is yet to register a point in seven NHL games this season.
Bean is expected to be the odd-man out on Columbus' blue-line on Saturday with Damon Severson set to return from an oblique injury. Bean has one goal and two assists in 32 games this season.
Tinordi has not played since December 5th, missing seven games due to a concussion, but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Montreal Canadiens. Before his injury, Tinordi had one point (0G / 1A), 21 blocks, and 32 hits in 12 games this season. Wyatt Kaiser and Filip Roos will both be healthy scratches on the blue line for the Blackhawks.
After being a healthy scratch at the end of November, Kuzmenko played 10 consecutive games but will again be a healthy scratch on Tuesday against the Nashville Predators. In those 10 games, Kuzmenko has three points (3G / 0A) and is averaging only 13:53 time-on-ice, a significant drop from the 15:24 he was averaging in the 19 games leading up to then.
Hanley has semi-regularly been in the Stars lineup lately and will draw back in on Monday in favour of Nils Lundkvist. Through nine games this season, Hanley has one point (0G / 1A), eight hits, and seven blocks while averaging 12:44 time-on-ice.
