NHL Hockey Player News

The Hurricanes have leaned on Kochetkov for four of their last five games, but they will turn to Bussi on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Bussi emerged from nowhere as a 27-year-old rookie in the 2025-26 season, leading the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup, but he hasn't recaptured that brilliance in 2026-27. He has a 2.98 GAA and .882 SV in five games (2-2-1). The Hurricanes enter Thursday's contest as -117 road favourites against a 7-1-1 Oilers team.

Compher has not played since October 4th, missing seven games with an undisclosed injury, but should return to the lineup on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. He scored 28 points (11G / 17A) in 82 games last season.

Tarasov has played well for the Red Wings in limited action this season, but will head to the sidelines with an undisclosed injury. The 27-year-old Russian goalie has a 1.40 GAA and .940 SV% in four appearances (1-0-2). The Red Wings recalled Michal Postava from Grand Rapids (AHL) in a corresponding move.

Lorenz made his NHL debut earlier this season and has one assist in five games. The 22-year-old scored 35 points (17G / 18A) in 43 games last year, his fourth and final season playing collegiate hockey for the University of Denver.

Lambos was the 26th overall pick of Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old defenseman play one game with Minnesota last season, his NHL debut, but spent most of the season in Iowa (AHL), where he scored 19 points (8G / 11A) in 70 games.

Bourque has missed the past four game with an upper-body injury, but was back at practice on Wednesday and will play on Thursday against Boston. The 24-year-old Bourque was playing a meaningful middle-six role for the Predators before his injury, scoring one assist in four games.

Tristan Luneau will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Jensen to re-enter the lineup. The 36-year-ond Jensen scored a goal and played 18:12 time-on-ice in his only game this season.

Nick Jensen will join Anaheim's lineup on Thursday, sending Luneau to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. Luneau surprisingly signed a 6-year, $43,200,000 contract with the Anaheim Ducks after just 14 NHL games. He is averaging 21:10 time on ice, has two assists in nine games and will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season.

Black is an undrafted goalie who has spent the past few seasons in the AHL, but with Jacob Markstrom (upper body) on IR, he will be called into the Panthers' crease on Thursday for his first career game. The 25-year-old had solid numbers last season with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), posting a 2.47 GAA and .903 SV% in 42 games (25-13-4). The Panthers enter Thursday's contest as +102 road underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has allowed 21 goals in their last four games (0-4-0).

Jared Spurgeon (upper body) and Olli Maatta will re-enter Minnesota's lineup on Thursday, sending Matt Kiersted and David Spacek to the press box as healthy scratches. The 23-year-old Spacek is averaging 13:02 time-on-ice, recording zero points and a -1 plus/minus in six games.

Jared Spurgeon (upper body) and Olli Maatta will re-enter Minnesota's lineup on Thursday, sending Matt Kiersted and David Spacek to the press box as healthy scratches. The 28-year-old Kiersted is averaging 11:51 time-on-ice and has a +2 plus/minus in three games.

David Spacek will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Maata to re-enter the lineup from an upper-body injury. The 32-year-old Maata is averaging 21:24 time-on-ice and has two assists in six games.

Spurgeon has missed the past few games for Minnesota, but will return to the lineup on Thursday, bolstering an injury-depleted blueline. The 36-year-old defenseman has five points (1G / 4A) in six games. Matt Kiersted will be a healthy scratch to accommodate Spurgeon's return.

Impressive early-season performances from Stuart Skinner and Clay Stevenson made Connor Hellebuyck's (suspension) absence an afterthought, but recent struggles are keeping Winnipeg's crease uncertain. That said, even in a 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues in his previous game, Skinner played well, stopping 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%). The 27-year-old Canadian goalie has a 2.65 GAA and .910 SV% in six games (3-1-2). The Jets enter Thursday's game as +174 road underdogs against a Dallas Stars team with points in six of its last seven games (5-1-1).

Mangiapane suffered a lower-body injury in Chicago's season-opening game and has not played since. The 30-year-old forward was traded to Chicago last season after struggling with the Edmonton Oilers. He ended the 2025-26 season with 16 points (8G / 8A) in 62 games combined between the Blackhawks and Oilers.

Wallstedt has been busy with Filip Gustavsson (hip) sidelined and will return to the crease for the 10th time in Minnesota's first 11 games. The 23-year-old Swedish goalie has given Head Coach John Hynes no reason to deviate, posting a solid 2.20 GAA and .915 SV% in nine games (6-1-2). That said, he is coming off his weakest performance of the season, allowing four goals on 32 shots (.875 SV%) in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers. Minnesota enters Thursday's contest as significant -202 road favourites against a Calgary Flames team coming off an impressive 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.

Byram hasn't fully adjusted to Chicago's playing style, with just one assist in six games, which has likely been a result of not being able to stay in the lineup. The 25-year-old defenseman has missed three of the team's first nine games, but he appears to be nearing a return to the lineup.

Carolina announced Wednesday that star forward Seth Jarvis has been activated from the injured non-roster list. The 24-year-old only missed 11 of the Hurricanes games due to his offseason shoulder surgery. He will add a massive spark to an already rolling Hurricanes' offence after putting up 32 goals, 66 points and 224 SOG in 71 GP last season.

Brayden Yager will draw into Winnipeg's lineup on Thursday for his season debut, resulting in Koepke being a healthy scratch. The 28-year-old Koepke is averaging 9:44 time-on-ice and has one goal in seven games this season.

Yager was drafted 14th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to make a full-time jump to the NHL. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut last season, playing three games with the Jets and scoring zero points. He has nine points (5G / 4A) in six games this season with Manitoba (AHL).