Harkins played 7:07 time-on-ice in Sunday's crushing 6-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers but was a game-time decision on Tuesday and did not play. The 26-year-old Harkins has four points (0G / 4A) in 42 games this season.
Acciari returned to the lineup two weeks ago after a multi-week absence due to an injury, and after playing six games, was on the sidelines in the Penguins' last contest. The Penguins' bottom-six forward has one assist, six shots, and nine hits in his last six games.
Pickard has been excellent in a backup role since joining the Oilers in November and will likely return to the crease for the second time in the last three games. In his last outing, Pickard saved 22 of 23 shots (.957 SV%), having his shutout bid snapped in the third period in a 6-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Oilers enter action as -261 road favourites on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Gadjovich has impressed in his first season with the Panthers, playing in a bottom-six role, and has been rewarded with a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension. The 25-year-old Gadjovich has four points (2G / 2A) in 33 games this season.
Forsling has been the picture of consistency for the Panthers the last several seasons and has been rewarded with an eight-year, $46 million contract extension. The 27-year-old defender has 30 points (9G / 21A) in 61 games this season, averaging nearly 0.5 points per game, as he has the last two seasons.
With Thomas Chabot injured, Ottawa has recalled Guenette from Belleville (AHL). Guenette played two games with Ottawa earlier this season but has spent most of his time with Belleville, scoring 29 points (5G / 24A) in 49 games.
With Matthew Highmore injured, Ottawa has recalled Smejkal from Belleville (AHL). Smejkal played nine game with Ottawa earlier this season but has spent most of his time with Belleville, tallying 19 points (8G / 11A) in 39 games.
The Bruins have lost five of their last seven, with their two wins coming with Swayman between the pipes. Swayman was outstanding in his last outing, saving 32 of 33 shots (.970 SV%) in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and will tend the twine in a rematch on Thursday night. The Bruins enter action as -141 home favourites.
Forbort has missed the last two games and will miss a third on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an undisclosed ailment. Forbort last played in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the New York Islanders, recording two shots and two hits in 19:27 time-on-ice.
The Rangers have been off since Monday and do not play again until Saturday, so Trouba is hopeful that will be enough time to recover from his upper-body ailment that has him considered day-to-day. In his last three games, Trouba has two points (0G / 2A), nine shots, and eight hits.
The Penguins snapped a three-game losing skid in their last outing and will likely turn to Jarry between the pipes again on Thursday night. Jarry has allowed three or more goals in four of his last five games (3-2-0) but saved 33 of 36 shots (.917 SV%) in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Penguins enter action as -160 home favourites against a Washington Capitals club that was defeated 5-2 by the Arizona Coyotes in their last match.
Pavel was a late call-up for the Avalanche on Wednesday due to several trades opening up temporary roster spots and played 5:13 time-on-ice in a 7-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Pavel is an undrafted forward out of the Czech Republic who made his NHL debut with the Avalanche earlier this season. Pavel has seven points (3G / 4A) in 48 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) this season.
Foudy was a late call-up for the Avalanche on Wednesday due to several trades opening up temporary roster spots and scored a goal in a 7-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings while playing 10:54 time-on-ice. Foudy was the 75th overall pick of the Avalanche in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. In 12 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL), Foudy has six points (2G / 4A) this season.
Tarasov served as the Blue Jackets' backup in their last outing, a 5-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he will likely return to the crease on Thursday night. The 24-year-old Tarasov was impressive in his last contest, saving 37 of 40 shots (.925 SV%) in a 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Tarasov and the Blue Jackets are +228 home underdogs on Thursday against another challenging foe, the Edmonton Oilers.
Tampa Bay will likely turn to Vasilevskiy between the pipes for a fourth straight game on Thursday night. The Vezina-winning netminder hasn't played to expectations this season and has allowed three or more goals in seven of his last eight starts (3-4-1) but saved 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) in his last outing, a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning are -148 home favourites against a Calgary Flames squad that has recently traded two of their opening-night top-four defenders, Chris Tanev and Noah Hanifin.
The Oilers signed Gagner at the end of October, but he had been a healthy scratch most of the last month and was placed on waivers on Wednesday. The 34-year-old Gagner registered 10 points (5G / 5A) and 48 shots in 27 games this season.
Holloway has struggled to assert himself offensively in the NHL, tallying only four points (3G / 1A) in 32 games with the Oilers this season. With the impending trade deadline approaching, his reassignment to the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) suggests the Oilers could be trying to alleviate cap space ahead to make an acquisition.
Miromanov was acquired by Calgary earlier on Wednesday as part of the Noah Hanifin deal and has signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract extension with the Flames. The 26-year-old Russian defensemen had only appeared in four games with Vegas in 2023-24 after missing most of the season due to an undisclosed injury, failing to pick up a point while collecting six SOG and a -2 plus/minus.
Wagner had to leave the ice mid-way through the 2nd period Wednesday after an upper-body injury and did not return. The 32-year-old veteran was playing an extended role Wednesday as the Avalanche's third-line centre after trades thinned out the lineup. He has an assist, nine SOG, and five PIMs in nine games played this season while averaging a minuscule 8:23 TOI/GP.
The Flames gave up Noah Hanifin to get Miromanov, a conditional 2025 first-round pick and a conditional third-round pick from the Golden Knights. Calgary retained 50 percent of Hanifin's contract. Miromanov, who will be an RFA at the end of the season, has played in just four NHL games this season, but has seven points (2G / 5A) in 29 career NHL games (all with Vegas).
