The veteran winger has not played a game yet this season after being placed on injured reserve in mid-October. After several down seasons, Arvidsson has refound his game as a Los Angeles King, scoring 108 points (46G / 62A) in 143 games over the previous two seasons. He returned to practice last week and will make his season debut on Thursday night after being activated off the Injured Reserve earlier in the day.
Beckman failed to pick up a point in any of the nine games he appeared for the Wild this season and has been reassigned to Iowa (AHL) on Thursday. The 22-year-old forward returns to the minors, where he had 10 goals, 20 points and 18 PIMs in 39 games played before his call-up.
Shaw will join the Wild in practice on Friday after signing a two-way contract worth $775,000 for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The 25-year-old has appeared in nine games for the Iowa Wild (AHL) this season and had four goals, three assists, 13 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus during his brief showing after joining the team late post ACL-injury.
Husso left Tuesday's matchup vs. Edmonton due to a lower-body injury and is now expected to be out week-to-week as his season to forget continues. The 29-year-old has struggled when rarely called upon this season with his 9-5-2 record, 3.55 GAA and .892 SV%. Alex Lyon will continue to see the majority of Red Wing starts in his absence as veteran James Reimer backs him up.
On the back end of a back-to-back, the Panthers will turn to Stolarz for his first game since February 6th. Stolarz has been solid in limited action this season, highlighted by allowing two or fewer goals in each of his last three outings (2-1-0), boasting a stellar .933 SV%. The Panthers are -149 road favourites against a Buffalo Sabres team coming off an impressive 7-0 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
Lyon will be back between the pipes for the Red Wings on Thursday after Ville Husso got the nod in Edmonton on Tuesday. Lyon struggled after being forced into action against the Oilers when Husso left the game with a lower-body injury. Lyon allowed seven goals on 29 shots as the Red Wings fell by a score of 8-4. Lyon will have his hands full again on Thursday as the Red Wings find themselves as +160 underdogs in Vancouver.
Barzal has only missed one game this season, was given a maintenance day on Thursday, and did not participate in practice. Barzal leads the Islanders in scoring with 56 points (15G / 41A) in 52 games, the best point-per-game pace of his seven-year career (1.08 PTS / G).
Bedard has not played since the beginning of January after taking a heavy open-ice hit from the Devils' Brendan Smith, forcing him to leave the game. The 18-year-old Bedard was having a solid rookie campaign with 33 points (15G / 18A) in 39 games and was well on track to capturing the Calder Trophy before his injury. Bedard will likely return to receiving top-line and top-powerplay deployment immediately when he returns to the Blackhawks' lineup on Thursday.
Demko will start for the third straight game on Thursday, attempting to extend his two-game winning streak. Demko has been stellar in his last two games (2-0-0), saving 52 of 56 shots (.928 SV%) and has limited the opposition to two or fewer goals in six of his last nine contests (8-1-0). The Canucks are -181 home favourites, looking for revenge against a Detroit Red Wings club that defeated them 4-3 in overtime less than a week ago.
Joshua had a night for the ages on Tuesday but suffered a hand injury that will cause him to miss Thursday's game against the Detroit Red Wings. Joshua tallied three points (1G / 2A), a +2 plus/minus, five penalty minutes, two shots, and four hits in 12:27 time-on-ice.
Blackwood will return to the crease on Thursday night, his first game since January 30th. The 27-year-old Blackwood has quietly won his last three games, his best streak of the season, allowing three or fewer goals in each contest while posting a stellar .948 SV%. That said, the Sharks are sizeable +275 road underdogs against the Calgary Flames, winners of four of their last five (4-1-0).
Matthew Phillips had predominantly been an AHL player but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Capitals. In 27 games with the club, he registered five points (1G / 4A) while averaging 10:16 time-on-ice.
Kallionkieli was the 5th-round pick of the Golden Knights in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old Finn has yet to play an NHL game and has spent part of this season playing overseas.
Barre-Boulet has been a healthy scratch for the Lightning most of this season but will draw into the lineup for the second time in the past three games on Thursday night. In his last outing, Barre-Boulet played 11:50 time-on-ice, registering one hit.
Bjornfit has been out of the lineup and on Injured Reserve since January 10th and will report to the Henderson Silver Knights of the AHL for a conditioning stint. Before his injury, Bjornfot played three games for the Golden Knights, recording two hits and five blocks while averaging 12:44 time-on-ice.
Brisson made his NHL debut with the Golden Knights earlier this season, scoring three points (1G / 2A) in seven games. The 22-year-old was the 29th overall pick of the Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Froese played seven games with the Golden Knights earlier this season, being held off the scoresheet in each. The 32-year-old has spent most of his career in the AHL, where he has 15 points (8G / 7A) in 37 games with Henderson this season.
Andersen was diagnosed with deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolisms in November. On Thursday, he returned to practice at full capacity for the first time since his diagnosis. Anderson has a 2.87 GAA and .894 SV% in six games this season (4-1-0), and at the very least, he will likely return to a timeshare between the pipes.
Saros will return to the crease on Thursday in a divisional matchup against the Dallas Stars. Saros has allowed three or more goals in four straight games (1-2-1) but played well in a 4-2 losing effort to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, saving 43 of 46 shots (.935 SV%). Saros last played the Stars on December 23rd and allowed two goals in the final minute en route to a 3-2 regulation loss.
Oettinger is riding a six-game winning streak and will return to the crease for the third straight game on Thursday. The 25-year-old Oettinger has been tremendous since the All-Star break, allowing two or fewer goals in three games (3-0-0), and posting an outstanding .951 SV%. If Oettinger continues to play at this elite level, the Stars will be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch and into the playoffs. Dallas is a -151 road favourite against a Nashville Predators club that defeated them 6-3 last month.
