NHL Hockey Player News

Mahura will be the odd-man out on Friday as Ryker Evans is set to return from a hand injury. Mahura has no goals and just one assist in 21 games this season.

Evans will make his first appearance since November 30th when the Kraken travel to New Jersey on Friday. The second-year defenceman was off to a great start before the injury, scoring three goals and adding 13 assists across 25 games. Josh Mahura will come out of the lineup to make room for Evans.

The Kraken will hand the reigns over to Grubauer on Friday as they get set for the tail-end of their back-to-back. It's Grubauer's first appearance since a dreadful performance on November 29th when he surrendered seven goals on 26 shots in an 8-5 loss to the Sharks. The 33-year-old netminder has been relegated to the role of backup thanks to his woeful .862 SV% and 3.62 GAA on the season. He'll have his hands full again on Friday as the Kraken enter action at +225 on the money line.

Shesterkin's $11.5 million AAV makes him the highest paid goaltender in NHL history. The 28-year-old Shesterkin won the Vezina trophy in the 2021-22 season and has a 2.48 GAA and .920 SV% across 231 career games (143-68-18). Considered by many to be the best goalie in the NHL, Shesterkin has struggled lately, uncharacteristically allowing three or more goals in seven of his last nine (2-7-0), posting an ugly .882 SV%.

Eriksson Ek nearly made it through the entire game on Tuesday, exiting due to a lower-body injury in overtime after playing 21:11 time-on-ice, and has not played since. The 27-year-old Eriksson Ek was off to a slow start to the 2024-25 season, scoring only 13 points (5G / 8A) in 22 games, but had four points (0G / 4A) in his last four contests.

Gibson was solid in a losing effort, saving 29 of 32 shots (.906 SV%) in a 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, and will return to the crease on Friday against the Minnesota Wild. The 31-year-old Gibson has been solid in the Ducks' crease this season, posting a 2.57 GAA and .915 SV% in seven games (4-2-1). Anaheim enters Friday's contest as +174 home underdogs against a Minnesota club riding a four-game winning streak.

Zegras left Wednesday's game vs. Vegas after just 6:08 TOI with an ugly-looking lower-body injury and did not return. It is a tough loss for the Ducks as the 23-year-old has been playing better as of late, with seven points (3G/4A) in his last nine games.

Whitecloud has been out of the lineup for a week and remains day-to-day. The 28-year-old Whitecloud was averaging 17:23 time-on-ice before his injury, recording two points (1G / 1A), 40 blocks, and 33 hits in 21 games.

Johnson will play his first game with Minnesota after signing with the team in the off-season. He scored two goals and added three assists in 42 games with the Blackhawks last season, and has totaled nine points in 18 AHL games this season.

Minnesota has won four straight and will roll with Gustavsson between the pipes on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. Gustavsson has been tremendous this season, making a case for the Vezina trophy with a sublime 2.04 GAA and .929 SV% through 19 games this season (12-4-3). Minnesota enters Friday's contest as -191 road favorites against an Anaheim club they defeated 5-2 on November 8th when Gustavsson saved 33 of 35 shots (.943 SV%).

Trade talks have surrounded Trouba since the offseason and a deal has finally landed, sending him to the Anaheim Ducks. The 30-year-old Trouba was the captain of the Rangers, averaging 20:00 time-on-ice, and recording six points (0G / 6A), 68 blocks, and 39 hits in 24 games. Trouba will have one year remaining in his contract after the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.

Vaakanainen was limited to only five games with the Ducks this season, scoring one point (0G / 1A), and will get a fresh start with the New York Rangers. The 25-year-old Vaakanainen was the 18th overall pick of the Boston Bruins in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He played a career-high 68 games with the Ducks last season, tallying 14 points (1G / 13A).

Perreault was the 27th overall pick of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut in the 2021-22 season, playing one game with the Ducks, but has not played since. He has five points (1G / 4A) in five games with the Trois-Rivieres Lions (ECHL) this season.

Hoefenmayer was a fourth-round pick, 108th overall, of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The 25-year-old defenseman has yet to play an NHL game and has seven points (1G / 6A) in 11 games with the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) this season.

The Golden Knights have won two straight and will turn to Hill between the pipes on Friday night against the Dallas Stars. Hill saved all 28 shots he faced in his previous outing, a 1-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers, for his second shutout of the season. The 28-year-old Hill has a 2.67 GAA and .900 SV% through 17 games (11-4-2) this season. The Golden Knights enter Friday's contest as +112 road underdogs against a Stars club that has won three of their last four (3-1-0).

The Stars gave up three unanswered goals in a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday and will look to return to the win column on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Oettinger allowed three goals on 17 shots (.824 SV%) in Wednesday's losing effort but has been reliable most of the season, posting a 2.41 GAA and .912 SV% in 18 games (13-5-0). The Stars enter Friday's contest as -124 road favorites against a Golden Knights club welcoming Mark Stone (lower body) back into their lineup.

Lemieux was the 31st overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL Draft but has spent the entirety of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, scoring two points (2G / 0A) in 12 games with the Chicago Wolves. The 28-year-old has played 307 career NHL games, scoring 74 points (36G / 38A) and racking up 548 penalty minutes.