The Blue Jackets are playing the tail end of a back-to-back on Friday and were anticipating having Tarasov tend the twine, but he is battling an illness and will not be able to suit up. Elvis Merzlikins will start for the second consecutive night.
With Daniil Tarasov (illness) unable to play, Columbus will roll with Merzlikins between the pipes on the tail end of their back-to-back. Merzlikins was excellent yesterday, saving 27 of 28 shots in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. The 30-year-old Latvian goalie has a 3.00 GAA and .897 SV% in 45 games this season (22-18-5). The Blue Jackets enter Friday's contest as slight -102 road underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins team coming off a disappointing 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders.
Brodin has not played since February 28th, missing nine games games, but will likely return to the lineup on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. Before his injury, the 31-year-old Brodin was averaging 22:42 time-on-ice, recording 18 points (4G / 14A) in 38 games this season. David Jiricek has been reassigned to the Iowa Wild (AHL) in a corresponding move.
Since being acquired in a trade by Minnesota, Jiricek has spent most of his time in the AHL. The highly skilled 21-year-old defenseman played six games with Minnesota, scoring two points (1G / 1A). He has six points (0G / 6A) in 26 games with the Iowa Wild (AHL) this season.
Wennberg showed no signs of an injury in Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, recording 19:55 time-on-ice, but his status is up in the air for Saturday's contest against the Boston Bruins. The 30-year-old Wennberg is averaging 18:20 time-on-ice and has 31 points (8G / 23A) in 64 games this season.
Leskovar was a sixth-round pick, 174th overall, of the Minnesota Wild in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old defenseman is in his fourth OHL season and has scored five points (1G / 4A) in 2024-25 in 33 games with the Brampton Steelheads.
Skinner exited Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets for precautionary reasons and will be ready to suit up on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. That said, Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch did not specify if Skinner or Calvin Pickard would be between the pipes on Saturday.
Tralmaks is an undrafted 28-year-old Latvia forward that has spent the previous two seasons playing for the Kladno Knights (Czech). He previous spent three seasons with the Providence Bruins in the AHL.
Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch made it clear the team's main priority is having Leon Draisaitl healthy for the playoffs, which could potentially limit his usage down the stretch, and will miss his second consecutive game on Saturday. The 29-year-old Draisaitl is averaging 21:39 time-on-ice and has 101 points (49G / 52A) in 68 games this season. He had a career-high 55 goals in the 2021-22 season. With Connor McDavid also battling an undisclosed injury, the Oilers will be without their top two forward on Saturday and possibly beyond.
McDavid exited Thursday's 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets after 14:59 time-on-ice on due to an undisclosed injury and will not play on Saturday as he has further testing done. The 28-year-old McDavid has 90 points (26G / 64A) in 63 games this season and has 19 points (4G / 15A) in during a 13-game point streak. With Leon Draisaitl also battling an undisclosed injury, the Oilers will be without their top two forwards on Saturday.
Veremyev is an undrafted forward out of Colorado College (NCHC). The 21-year-old forward has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 37 games with Colorado College this season.
Nieto played eight games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL) earlier this season, his first stint in the AHL in over a decade, but will return to the club after being re-assigned on Friday. The 32-year-old Nieto has two points (1G / 1A) in 31 games with Pittsburgh this season.
Dach exited Thursday's 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings after 11:27 time-on-ice due to an elbow injury, and will not play on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. The 22-year-old Dach is averaging 12:08 time-on-ice and has seven points (2G / 5A) in 25 games this season.
The Blackhawks have lost six straight and will hope for a better result on Saturday with Soderblom tending the twine against the St. Louis Blues. The 25-year-old Soderblom struggled in his most recent outing, allowing six goals on 15 shots (.600 SV%) in a 6-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. he has a 3.14 GAA and .901 SV% in 32 games this season (8-16-7).
Johansson did not play the previous game for Minnesota but will likely return to the lineup on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 34-year-old forward is averaging 16:08 time-on-ice and has 25 points (7G / 18A) in 59 games this season.
Minnesota has outscored their opposition 7-1 in their previous two games (2-0-0), and will roll with Gustavsson between the pipes on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 26-year-old Gustavsson was excellent in his most recent outing, saving all 34 shots he faced in a 4-0 win over the Seattle Kraken for his fifth shutout of the season. He has a 2.51 GAA and .917 SV% in 47 games this season (27-15-4).
Schuldt played five games with the Sharks, his first NHL action since making his debut with the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018-19 season, but will return to AHL. The Sharks recalled Lucas Carlsson from the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) in a corresponding move.
Carlsson has not played an NHL game since a two-game stint with the Florida Panthers in the 2022-23 season, but could get an opportunity to draw into the Sharks' lineup. The 27-year-old defenseman has 23 points (10G / 13A) in 44 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) this season. Jimmy Schuldt has been re-assigned to the San Jose Barracuda in a corresponding move.
Romanov has missed two games while recovering from an illness but will likely return to the lineup on Saturday against the Calgary Flames. The 25-year-old Romanov is averaging 22:46 time-on-ice, recording 18 points (4G / 14A), 120 hits, and 138 blocks in 52 games this season.
