NHL Hockey Player News

Balinskis had been in the Panthers' lineup for the last two games after recalled from the minors earlier in the week but will be a healthy scratch Thursday at Vancouver as Dmitry Kulikov takes his place. The 27-year-old defensemen is in his first NHL season and first North American season after spending his early career in the Czechia league and the KHL. He has a goal and an assists to go along with six PIMs in 17 games played with Florida in 2023-24.

Kulikov will re-enter the Panthers' lineup for the first time since December 8th as Uvis Balinskis will be a healthy scratch. Kulikov has eight points (0G / 8A) in 25 games this season and will likely skate on the third defensive pair next to Oliver Ekman-Larsson.

Murray has been recalled from the Rochester Americans of the AHL as Jeff Skinner has been placed on the injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The 25-year-old Murray has seven points (2G / 5A) and a -7 plus/minus rating in 12 games with Rochester this season.

Soderblom will likely start on Thursday and hope to rebound after allowing four goals on 27 shots (.852 SV%) in a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals in his last start. The Blackhawks have struggled in all facets this season, but Soderblom has easily been the weaker of two goalies, recording only two of the team's nine wins and posting an ugly 3.66 GAA and .882 SV%. Soderblom and the Blackhawks will see one of their better matchups this season on Thursday but are still +207 road underdogs against the Seattle Kraken, who rank fourth-worst in the league offensively (2.57 GF / GP) and have lost eight of their last nine games (1-6-2).

Skinner exited the Sabres' previous contest with an upper-body injury after playing 7:57 time-on-ice. He will miss at least one week as he has been placed on the injured reserve. 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 season.

Grubauer has not played since December 9th when he exited the game with a lower-body injury, and remains out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis. Chris Driedger was recalled from the AHL, but Joey Daccord has filled in, starting each game, and performing admirably in the process, including a 24-save shutout in Seattle's last game, a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers.

Merzlikins has not played since December 5th, when he was placed on injured reserve with an illness but participated in morning skate on Thursday and will start for the Blue Jackets after being activated from IR. Before being placed on IR, Merzlikins was playing his best hockey of the season, posting a .930 SV% during a 3-2-1 stretch. The Blue Jackets are sizeable +211 road underdogs against the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have collected at least a point in seven straight contests (5-0-2).

Toninato was recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the AHL earlier this week but has since been placed on waivers to be reassigned to Manitoba. Toninato has six points (2G / 4A) in nine games with Manitoba this season.

Skinner will likely start for the second straight game as he searches for his eighth consecutive victory. Skinner has been tremendous lately allowing fewer than three goals in five of his last seven games (7-0-0), boasting a stellar .935 SV%. The Oilers will look for their ninth straight win as sizeable -173 home favourites against a Tampa Bay Lightning team that has lost two of their last three (1-2-0), being outscored 12-6, and will be without Victor Hedman for a second straight game.

McBain has missed 16 straight games due to a lower-body injury dating back to November 9th but is expected to make his return to the Coyotes lineup on Friday. In 13 games this season, McBain had seven points (4G / 3A) while averaging 12:13 time-on-ice.

Durzi played on Saturday after sitting out the Coyotes' previous contest due to a lower-body injury but was unable to play on Monday and Tuesday and will likely be unavailable for a third straight game on Tuesday as he continues to recover 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.

Schmaltz played 21:23 in the Coyotes' last game on Tuesday but suffered an undisclosed injury that will make him a game-time decision on Friday. Schmaltz has been held without a point in four straight games, his worst skid this season.

Hedman left the Lightning's game Saturday vs. Seattle after just 13:40 TOI due to an upper-body injury and was and will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 32-year-old towering defenseman is back to his Norris Trophy form this season, with five goals, 22 assists, 55 SOG, 22 PIMs and -5 plus/minus in 29 games played.

Brown has been recalled from Providence (AHL) to provide Boston with some center-ice depth as Pavel Zacha has been placed on the injured reserve. The 31-year-old Brown played eight games with Boston earlier this season, scoring one point (0G / 1A).

Wotherspoon has been recalled from the Providence Bruins of the AHL as Charlie McAvoy has been placed on the injured reserve. Wotherspoon played three games for the Bruins earlier this season, recording one point (0G / 1A) while averaging 13:51 time-on-ice.

Zacha exited Saturday's contest against the Arizona Coyotes with an upper-body injury after playing only 6:42 time-on-ice and has now retroactively been placed on the injured reserve. Zacha has centred the top line and top powerplay unit all season, scoring 19 points (8G / 11A) in 26 games, averaging 18:22 time-on-ice. Morgan Geekie has replaced him, centring the top line during Zacha's absence and assuming duties on the top powerplay.

McAvoy has not played since December 7th, missing two games, and has now been retroactively placed on the injured reserve. Before his injury, McAvoy had four points (0G / 4A) in his last five games. In a corresponding move defenseman Parker Wotherspoon has been recalled from the Providence Bruins of the AHL.

Martinez has not played since November 19th due to a lower-body injury but appears to be nearing a return, making his first appearance at a Golden Knights practice in a non-contact jersey. Before his injury, Martinez was averaging 19:21 time-on-ice through 14 games and had four points (3G / 1A) and 46 blocks.

Hill has not played since November 30th when he exited the game with a lower-body injury, but appears to be nearing a return about participating in practice on Thursday and will travel on the teams upcoming road trip. Jiri Patera was recalled in Hill's absence but has played only one of six games for the Golden Knights since, with the other five going to Logan Thompson.

Zboril was Boston's 2015 1st-round pick (13th overall) but had yet to appear for the Bruins in 2023-24 and has cleared waivers and is expeted to report to the Providence Bruins (AHL). The 26-year-old defender played in four seasons for Boston, with a goal, 15 assists, and 28 PIMs in 76 career games. If he is claimed, he carrier a $1.138 million cap hit in 2023-24.