Kovacevic will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Jordan Harris (lower-body) to make his return to the lineup from a 15-game absence. The 26-year-old Kovacevic has been a regular in the Canadiens lineup this season, scoring five points (4G / 1A), blocking 45 shots, and taking 28 hits while averaging 17:48 time-on-ice.
After playing in four straight games, Hunt was a healthy scratch in the last two contests for Minnesota and has been reassigned to the Iowa Wild of the AHL. In nine games with Minnesota this season, Hunt is averaging 10:07 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A).
Thompson was a late scratch for Wednesday's game, with the team only announcing his absence just over 30 minutes before the puck drop, and has now been assigned to the team's non-roster list for personal reasons. Thompson has nine goals and ten assists in 26 games this season. Tyson Jost drew into the Sabres' lineup and centred the first line in Thompson's absence.
Heineman made his NHL debut in two consecutive games before the Christmas break, recording two hits and a +1 plus/minus. However, he will be loaned to the Laval Rocket of the AHL, where he has four points (1G / 3A) in seven games.
Harris has not played since November 18th, missing 15 straight games, and is eligible and expected to return to the lineup on Thursday after being activated from IR. The 23-year Harris was averaging 18:45 time-on-ice and had three points (0G / 3A) through 16 games this season.
Colton blocked a shot in the third period and exited the game after playing only 11:16 time-on-ice with an undisclosed injury. Before leaving the game, Colton recorded four hits and extended his point streak to two games with an assist. His status for Friday's game against the St. Louis Blues remains up in the air.
Caufield has four points during his current four-game point streak (1G / 3A) and will likely be a game-time decision after not partaking in the morning skate on Thursday. The talented winger has one goal in his last 11 games but still produces a high shot volume, averaging 3.4 shots per game.
Skinner will return to the crease for the Oilers in their first game back from the Christmas break in a favourable matchup against the San Jose Sharks. The Oilers, winners of two straight, are enormous -403 road favourites against a Sharks that has lost six straight (0-6-0), including a 5-1 loss last night at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings. Skinner has had an up-and-down last couple of weeks but is coming off an impressive 31-save performance (.912 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 4-3 victory over the New York Rangers.
Addison has missed the Sharks' previous three games due to a lower-body injury but will return to the lineup Wednesday in Los Angeles. The 23-year-old puck-moving defensemen was acquired by San Jose earlier in the season and has a goal, 10 assists, 40 SOG, 18 PIMs and a -13 plus/minus through 31games with both San Jose and Minnesota this season.
On the front end of a back-to-back, the Kings will turn to David Rittich for the second time in the last four games. In his Kings debut last week, Rittich saved 15 of 16 shots (.938 SV%) against the San Jose Sharks and will look to repeat his performance in a rematch against the Sharks on Wednesday. The Kings have won three of their last four (3-1-0) and are huge -344 home favourites against a Sharks team that has lost five straight (0-5-0), scoring only nine goals in that span.
Trouba suffered the injury after he appeared to take an inadvertent elbow to head from Tom Wilson as the former drove toward the Rangers' net. We should expect to receive an update on Trouba's injury and a possible timeline to his return in the coming days. The Rangers' captain has two goals and eleven assists in 32 games this season.
Driedger will make his first start of the season after Joey Daccord got the nod in each of the Kraken's previous seven games as Philipp Grubauer continues to recover from a lower-body injury. Driedger last appeared in an NHL game on May 1st, 2022, when he allowed four goals on 27 shots enroute to a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Jets. He owns a 9-5-1 record and a .916 SV% with Coachella Valley (AHL) this season. Driedger will have his hands full on Wednesday, with the Kraken being +125 underdogs in Calgary.
Werenski suffered an apparent knee injury in the second period of Wednesday's game against the Devils and did not return. He appeared to be unable to put any weight on his leg as he exited the ice. Werenski has one goals and 24 assists in 33 games this season. We should get an update on the injury and a possible timetable for his return in the coming days.
Toninato will take the place of the injured David Gustafsson (undisclosed). Toninato has two goals and four assists with Manitoba (AHL) this season.
Georgiev will be in search of a third straight victory on Wednesday as he gets the nod for the Avalanche's first game following the holiday break. Georgiev has been steady of late after enduring a rocky start to his 2023-24 season, posting a .929 SV% while picking up the win in each of his last two appearances. He leads the league with 17 wins to his name despite an underwhelming .899 SV%. He's in a great spot to keep things rolling on Wednesday with the Avalanche being -165 favourites in Arizona.
Gustafsson was a game-time decision for Wednesday's game in Chicago due to an undisclosed injury. He has two goals and two assists in 27 games this season.
Kochetkov allowed five goals on 28 shots (.821 SV%) in a 5-4 loss in the Hurricanes' last game before the Christmas break but will return to the crease on Wednesday night. The 24-year-old netminder has started four straight and six of the last seven (3-1-2), steadying a Hurricanes' net that has been subpar all season, posting a .927 SV% while allowing fewer than two goals in four contests. The Hurricanes are -130 road favourites against a Nashville Predators team that has lost two of their last three games (1-2-0).
Wedgewood will start for the fifth straight game on Wednesday as he continues to be a mainstay between the pipes for the Stars with Jake Oettinger still week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Wedgewood has been unspectacular this season but reliable in nearly every appearance, posting a 9-1-2 record with a 3.08 GAA and .903 SV%. Specifically since taking over for Oettinger, Wedgewood has been solid, posting a .900 SV% in five appearances (4-0-1). The Stars are -170 road favourites against a St. Louis Blues team that defeated Wedgewood and the Stars 4-3 in overtime less than two weeks ago.
