NHL Hockey Player News

Jokiharju will sit on Thursday as the Sabres will opt to dress Ryan Johnson in his place. Jokiharju has two goals and seven assists in 30 games this season.

Kochetkov has almost exclusively been the starter for the Hurricanes the last several weeks and will start for the fifth time in the last six games on Thursday. His competition between the pipes has been underwhelming but Kochetkov has earned the increased workload under his merit, allowing only six combined goals over his last four games (3-0-1), posting a dazzling .946 SV%. The Hurricanes, coming off a convincing 6-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights, are -140 road favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has won three of their last four (3-1-0).

Greenway has only played two of the last 14 games for the Sabres due to an upper-body injury dating back to November 24th. The 6'6 power forward was a full participant at practice on Wednesday and will return to the lineup on Thursday. He has seven points (2G / 5A), averaging 16:24 time-on-ice while playing predominantly with Casey Mittelstadt and Zach Benson this season.

Skinner has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury but was a full participant at practice on Wednesday and will return to the lineup on Thursday. Skinner has 22 points (12G / 10A) in 30 games this season and is averaging 17:46 time-on-ice, the most since his inaugural season with the Sabres in 2018-19. The Sabres are 1-2-0 in his absence, including a 9-4 blowout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Vasilevskiy had his shutout bid spoiled with just over four minutes remaining in Tuesday's 6-1 victory of the St. Louis Blues and will return to the crease for his sixth straight start on Thursday. The 29-year-old netminder has been slightly inconsistent since returning for off-season back surgery but has shown more good than bad lately, posting an impressive .925 SV% across his last seven games (5-2-0). Tampa Bay is a -113 home favourite on Thursday against a Vegas Golden Knights team that has lost two of three (1-2-0), allowing 4.7 goals per game.

Samsonov has lost two straight contests and, as a result, served as the backup to Martin Jones in the last two games for the Maple Leafs. That said, Samsonov will return to the crease on Thursday in an attempt to get back into the win column. Samsonov has been extremely inconsistent all season, highlighted by his last two appearances (0-0-2), in which he allowed 10 goals combined and sported an ugly .844 SV%. The Maple Leafs are coming off their first regulation loss in nearly a month and are -135 road favourites against a Buffalo Sabres team that was handily defeated 9-4 on Tuesday.

Lindgren will take over the Capitals’ crease for the first time in three games Thursday and look to extend Washington’s winning streak to three as they head to Columbus. The 30-year-old veteran has surprisingly been the better of the Capitals’ two goaltenders with his 6-3-2 record, 2.45 GAA and .925 SV%. He will head to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets, who are fresh off their highest scoring game of the season as they beat Buffalo 9-4 their last time out.

Lucchini had nine goals, 20 points, six PIMs and a -6 plus/minus in 24 games with Iowa (AHL) and has been recalled to Minnesota for the first time this season on emergency conditions. The 28-year-old left-winger last appeared in the NHL for his one and only season in 2022-23 and had a goal, 14 SOG, and a -2 plus/minus in 11 games played.

Valimaki was second among Coyotes' defensemen in TOI last game with 20:56 but will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. San Jose as Sean Durzi returns from a three-game absence. The 25-year-old Valimaki has yet to score this season but has six assists, 17 SOG, six PIMs and a +2 plus/minus in 25 games played.

Durzi will return to the Coyotes lineup after missing five straight and six of the last seven games recovering from a lingering lower-body injury. After a strong start to the season, scoring 12 points (5G / 7A) in 16 games, Durzi has only scored one point (0G / 1A) in his last nine.

Vejmelka entered the crease in relief of Connor Ingram on Tuesday and saved all 16 shots he faced en route to an eventual 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators. Vejmelka has saved 44 consecutive shots across his last two appearances (2-0-0) and will return to the crease for the Coyotes on Thursday in San Jose. The Coyotes have won three straight, outscoring their opposition 7-3 and are -146 home favourites against the Sharks, who have only scored three goals over their last three games (0-3-0), including being shut out 1-0 by the Coyotes less than a week ago.

Hofer will start for the first time since December 8th, a five-game stretch, on Thursday after Jordan Binnington allowed five goals in an eventual 6-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Blue's last game. Hofer saved nine of 10 shots (.900 SV%) entering the game in relief on Thursday and has failed to record a save percentage above .900 in each of his last four outings (0-3-0). The Blues are +187 road underdogs against the Florida Panthers, who have been held to one or fewer goals in three of their last four outings (1-3-0).

Gibson was away from the team on Monday to attend the birth of his child but has returned to the Ducks and will serve as the backup to Lukas Dostal against the Calgary Flames on Thursday. In his last outing, Gibson allowed one goal on 19 shots before leaving due to dehydration on Sunday against the New Jersey Devils.

Drysdale has not played since October 15th due to a lower-body injury but could return to the lineup on Thursday against the Calgary Flames. Drysdale has struggled to stay healthy during his young NHL career, but the 21-year-old has 42 points (7G / 35A) in 115 career games and has the offensive pedigree that could make him a staple on the powerplay for the Ducks.

McTavish has missed the last seven games for the Ducks but appears likely to return to action on Thursday against the Calgary Flames. Before his injury, McTavish was held without a point in four straight games, recording a -7 plus/minus and six shots on goal.

Dostal will start for the third time in the last four games for the Ducks and look for his second consecutive victory. After a midseason stretch with limited action, posting a .787 SV% in three games (0-3-0), Dostal has played significantly better lately, posting a .915 SV% across his last four appearances (1-2-0). The Ducks are sizeable +176 home underdogs on Thursday against the Calgary Flames, who have collected at least a point in four straight games (2-0-2).

Rutta did not play on Tuesday due to an illness and will be a game-time decision on Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes. He has five points (0G / 5A) in 26 games while averaging 18:56 time-on-ice.

Addison did not play on Tuesday, missing his first game since joining the Sharks earlier this year due to a lower-body injury, and will be a game-time decision on Thursday. In 19 games with the Sharks, Addison has six points (1G / 5A), averaging 18:03 time-on-ice, including significant powerplay deployment.