Davies was the Panthers' sixth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and has signed his first contract with the club, a three-year entry-level deal. The 19-year-old has been tearing up the American Hockey League this season, scoring 31 points (19G / 12A) in 22 games with the Portland Winterhawks.
Bobrovsky will take the crease Wednesday after backing up two of the Panthers' last three games and will look to build off his personal two-game winning streak after a 21 save (.955 SV%) victory in his last start. The 35-year-old has been the model of consistency this season, with his 11-6-1 record, 2.41 GAA and .912 SV%. He will take on the Dallas Stars, who are in a bit of a funk having lost four of their last six but are still seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.39).
Gadjovich was a healthy scratch for the Panthers' previous game but will draw into the lineup Wednesday vs. Dallas on the fourth line. The 25-year-old left-winger has yet to score this season but has an assist, eight SOG, 41 PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in seven games played.
Balinskis has spent most of the season with the Panthers but is returning from a one-game stint with the Charlotte Checkers, where he scored one point (1G / 0A). In 15 games with the Panthers, the Latvian defender has two points (1G / 1A), six penalty minutes, and a +1 plus/minus rating.
Bjornfot did not see any action in his most recent call up to Los Angeles having only appeared for the team on October 11th and has been reassigned to Ontario (AHL) Friday. The 22-year-old defensemen heads back to the minors, where he has yet to pick up a point in three games during his previous AHL stint this season.
Nosek has been out since November 18th and will not return to the Devils' lineup for an indefinete amount of time after he re-aggravated his right foot injury and had to get surgery. The 31-year-old did not pick up a point in any of his six games prior to his injury and will hope to return sooner rather than later after this latest set back.
Balinskis had a goal, an assist, 16 SOG, six PIMs and a +1 plus/minus in 15 games played so far in 2023-24 but has been loaned back to Charlotte (AHL) on Friday. The 27-year-old defensemen will head to the Checkers for the first time in his career after making his NHL and North American debut this season.
Schmidt will be a healthy scratch on Saturday, allowing Declan Chisholm to make his season debut. The 32-year-old Schmidt is averaging only 16:51 time-on-ice through 20 games this season, significantly less than the 19:16 he has averaged over his career. He has one point (0G / 1A), a -4 plus/minus, 23 blocks, and nine hits.
Bobrovsky is coming off a light, 20-save performance against the Ottawa Senators on Monday, in which he recorded his second shutout of the season in a commanding 5-0 victory. Bobrovsky will return to the crease on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens, a team he has been terrific against throughout his career, posting a 2.48 GAA and .921 SV% in 24 games (15-7-1). The Panthers are sizeable -244 road favourites against the Canadiens, who played last night in a 4-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets and rank sixth-worst in the league offensively (2.77 GF / GP).
Kulikov has six points (0G / 6A) in 19 games and was a healthy scratch in the last two games for the Panthers but will return to the lineup on Monday in favour of Uvis Balinskis. Kulikov and Balinskis will likely continue to rotate in and out of the lineup now that Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour have returned from injuries.
Balinskis has two points (1G / 1A) in 15 games this season and will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Dmitry Kulikov to return to the Panthers' lineup. Balinskis has been a healthy scratch in four of the last five games for the Panthers, a trend that will likely continue now that Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour have returned from injuries.
Bobrovsky played very well on Friday but received no goal support, saving 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%) in a 3-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets and will get the chance to bounce back into the win column on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. Bobrovsky has lost three of his last four (1-3-0) but has played some of his best hockey of the season in terms of consistency, allowing three goals or fewer in each of those games and posting a .910 SV%. The Panthers are -125 road favourites against a Senators team that could again be without goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who has been between the pipes for five of the Senators' eight wins this season.
Driedger did not appear in any games for the Kraken as he backed up Joey Daccord during Philipp Grubauer's injury absence and will head back to Coachella Valley (AHL) Saturday. The 29-year-old returns to the Firebirds, where he has a 6-4-0 record, 2.20 GAA and .915 SV%.
Bobrovsky will start for the third consecutive game on Friday when the Panthers take on the Winnipeg Jets. Despite a strong 9-5-1 record, Bobrovsky only has seven quality starts in 15 games (.467), a rate that rivals career lows and is significantly beneath his .571 quality start rate over his career. The Panthers are -132 home favourites, but as previously mentioned, Bobrovsky's performance is a coin-flip, especially against a Jets team that has won four straight, outscoring their opposition 17-9.
Dmitry Kulikov will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season, allowing Balinskis to return to the Panthers lineup. Balinskis has two points (1G / 1A) and 15 shots on goal while averaging 13:59 time-on-ice, playing predominantly on the Panthers' third defensive pair.
Kulikov will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Uvis Balinskis to draw back into the lineup. Kulikov has played all 19 games for the Panthers this season, tallying six points (0G / 6A), 26 blocks, and 27 hits while averaging 18:43 time-on-ice.
After missing two games with a knee injury, Barkov was a full participant at practice and should return to the lineup on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Barkov is expected to return to his familiar place on the Panthers' top line with Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues. Before his injury, Barkov was lighting it up with 11 points (5G / 6A) in his last 10 games.
