NHL Hockey Player News

Saros will make his league-leading 28th start of the season when the Predators host the Hurricanes on Monday. Saros struggled his last time out, surrendering five goals on just 20 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Penguins. Despite owning a respectable .907 SV% on the year, Nashville's franchise netminder leads the NHL in both regulation and overtime losses with 14 and six, respectively. Saros and the Preds enter action on Monday as slight underdogs at +106 on the money line.

The Sabres are amid an NHL-worst 13-game losing skid (0-10-3) and will be desperate for a victory before the holiday break. After starting the season with a solid .914 SV% in 15 appearances (8-5-1), Luukkonen has regressed significantly, posting an ugly .850 SV% in his last eight (0-6-2). The Sabres enter Monday's contest as +133 road underdogs against a New York Islanders club that defeated them 3-0 on November 30th.

McIlrath will fill in for Hendrix Lapierre, who is out with an undisclosed injury. It is set to be McIlrath's first NHL game since November 3rd. The 32-year-old blue-liner has no goals and two assists in ten games this season.

With just over two hours until puck drop, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet announced his superstar defenceman was in danger of missing Monday's game against the Sharks. Tocchet also added that the injury just occurred in the Canucks game against the Senators on Saturday, and that Hughes will likely want to play through it, which suggests it's unlikely to be a long-term injury. We most likely won't have confirmation on Hughes' status until shortly before puck drop on Monday.

Fabbro exited Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning early in the second period after a knee-on-knee collision with Conor Geekie and has not played since. The 26-year-old defenseman is averaging 19:19 time-on-ice and has seven points (3G / 4A) in 24 games this season.

Despite battling a lower-body injury, Werenski still played a whopping 27:32 time-on-ice in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. The 27-year-old Werenski has been incredible this season, pacing for career bests in all offensive categories, scoring 32 points (11G / 21A) and averaging a career-high 26:26 in 34 games.

Lapierre was a surprise scratch, with his absence not being announced prior to warmups. Lapierre is yet to score a goal in 26 games this season.

This was a small update after it was announced earlier in the day that Geekie would have to miss Monday's game in Florida. Geekie has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 31 games this season.

Severson was a surprise scratch on Monday, with his absence not being announced prior to warmups. Severson did take part in the team's morning skate and stayed on for extra work, which suggests he may be a healthy scratch. Denton Mateychuk will draw into the lineup and make his NHL debut in place of Severson.

Lundmark was a second-round pick, 51st overall, of the Winnipeg Jets in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The 24-year-old defenseman has yet to play an NHL game. He has six points (2G / 4A) in 22 games with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) this season.

The Capitals will turn to Lindgren between the pipes on Monday night against the Boston Bruins. Lindgren saved 24 of 25 shots (.960 SV%) in his most recent outing. The 31-year-old netminder has a 2.59 GAA and .903 SV% in 16 games this season (10-6-0). The Capitals enter Monday's contest as +114 road underdogs against a Bruins club with points in four straight (3-0-1).

Geekie only played 9:53 time-on-ice on Sunday and will not play on Monday due to an undisclosed injury. He has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 31 games this season.

In the tail end of a back-to-back set against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay will turn to Johansson on Monday. The 29-year-old Johansson has a 3.84 GAA and a .882 SV% in six appearances (3-1-1). Tampa Bay enters Monday's contest as +134 road underdogs against a Florida club that defeated them 4-2 yesterday.

The Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom between the pipes on Monday against the Boston Bruins. The 25-year-old netminder was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 26 of 27 shots (.963 SV%) in a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. He has a 2.56 GAA and a .913 SV% in 13 games (5-7-1). The Blackhawks enter Monday's contest as +189 road underdogs against the Wild.

The Capitals will turn to Lindgren between the pipes on Monday night against the Boston Bruins. Lindgren saved 24 of 25 shots (.960 SV%) in his most recent outing. The 31-year-old netminder has a 2.59 GAA and .903 SV% in 16 games this season (10-6-0). The Capitals enter Monday's contest as +114 road underdogs against a Bruins club with points in four straight (3-0-1).

Fleury exited Monday's 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second period after only 14:47 time-on-ice. An update likely won't be provided until after the holiday break.

The Panthers won the first end of a back-to-back set against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday and will turn to Bobrovsky on Monday. The 36-year-old Bobrovsky has a 2.79 GAA and .896 SV% in 23 games this season (16-6-1) but has looked more like his usual self lately, allowing a single goal in four of his last six (5-1-0), posting a solid .913 SV%. The Panthers enter Monday's contest as -146 home favorites against the Lightning.

Carlsson was limited to only 11:41 time-on-ice before exiting Sunday's 5-4 win over Utah HC with an undisclosed injury. The second-year forward has 12 points (7G / 5A) in 26 games this season and has only one point (1G / 0A) in his last seven.