NHL Hockey Player News

Charlie Lindgren has seen an increased workload in the crease for the Capitals lately but, after allowing five goals in their 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, Kuemper will likely be the starter on Monday and get the chance to regain control of the crease. Kuemper has been wildly inconsistent this season and only has a quality start in three of nine contests this season (.333 QS%), numbers that rival career lows and are significantly lower than his career average of .548 QS%. That said, Kuemper is coming off a serviceable performance in which he saved 24 of 27 shots (.889 SV%) in a 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres that he will hope to build on. The Capitals are heavy -236 road favourites against the last-place San Jose Sharks, who they defeated 4-3 less than a month ago.

Hill did not play in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes but will likely return to the crease on Monday when the Golden Knights visit the Calgary Flames. After an 11-0-1 start, the Golden Knights are 3-5-1 in their last nine and have been shut out in two of their last three outings (1-2-0). That said, Hill has done his part lately, saving 61 of 64 shots (.953 SV%) over his last two games (1-1-0), and has nine quality starts on the season (.750 QS%).

Johansson has been a workhorse to start the season and will tie Alexandar Georgiev for the league lead with his 18th start on Tuesday. That said, Johansson's workload is about to take a major decline as the Tampa Bay Lightning welcomed back All-Star goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy last week. Apart from back-to-backs and the occasional rest for Vasilevskiy, Johansson is unlikely to see much playing time moving forward. Johansson helped secure at least a point for his team in his last four games (3-0-1) but allowed 13 goals on 116 shots in that span (.888 SV%). Even so, Tampa Bay is a -116 road favourite against an Arizona Coyotes team that has lost three of their last four (1-3-0).

Vasilevskiy made his season debut on Friday and did not seem to miss a step, saving 22 of 24 shots (.917 SV%) in an 8-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes and will likely start again on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. Tampa Bay's Monday night matchup is the front end of a back-to-back, and Jonas Johansson has already been confirmed for Tuesday, but back-to-backs aside, Vasilesvkiy should see a heavy workload the rest of the way. Vasilevskiy and the Lightning are +116 road underdogs against an Avalanche team that could be without Nathan MacKinnon (illness).

Blackwood did not play in the Sharks' 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday but will likely return to the crease on Monday when they take on the Washington Capitals. Blackwood has played exceptionally for the last-place Sharks over his last seven games (2-3-1), recording an impressive .917 SV%. The Sharks are +188 home underdogs against a Capitals team coming off a 5-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Blackwood was heroic in a losing effort against the Capitals on October 29th, saving 39 of 41 shots (.951 SV%) in a 3-1 loss.

Shattenkirk has only played three of the last six games for the Bruins but will re-enter the lineup on Monday as Ian Mitchell will be a healthy scratch. In 15 games this season, Shattenkirk has three points (0G / 3A), 19 blocks, and 10 hits, averaging 16:46 time-on-ice.

Mitchell will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Kevin Shattenkirk, who has not played since November 22nd, to draw back into the lineup. Mitchell has played 10 games with the Bruins this season, tallying two points (0G / 2A), 10 shots, and 10 blocks while averaging 15:02 time-on-ice.

MacKinnon is dealing with an illness that could keep him out of Colorado's Monday night meeting against the Tampa Bay Lightning. MacKinnon has been producing at-will lately, scoring 17 points (3G / 14A) in his last 10 games, playing predominantly on a line with Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin. If MacKinnon is unable to play, expect the Avalanche to thrust Ryan Johansen into a larger role.

Bailey has been rewarded with a one-year, two-way contract after a solid start with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL), tallying 11 points (6G / 5A) in 16 games. His signing corresponds to the news that Filip Zadina has been placed on the injured reserve. Bailey has played 82 games at the NHL level, most recently with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021-21.

Zadina did not play on Saturday due to an upper-body injury and will now miss at least one week as he has been placed on the injured reserve. The sixth overall pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has five points (3G / 2A) and an atrocious -19 plus/minus in 20 games in his first season with the Sharks.

After not playing a single game for the Sabres in their first two weeks of the season, Luukkonen has become their most reliable option between the pipes. In his last eight appearances (4-2-1), Luukkonen has a sparkling .923 SV% and one shutout. The Sabres rank in the bottom half of the league defensively, allowing an average of 3.33 goals per game, a stark contrast to Luukkonen's impressive 2.71 GAA. That said, Luukkonen and the Sabres will have their work cut out for them as +188 road underdogs against a New York Rangers team that has won three straight, outscoring their opposition 11-5.

Toninato has been with the Jets for an extended period this season but has been unable to crack the lineup and, as such, will be loaned to the Manitoba Moose (AHL), where he will see some game action. In five games with Manitoba, Toninato has four 4 points (1G / 3A).

Rust was a full participant at practice on Tuesday and skated with the top powerplay unit. Rust hasn't played the last three games, but after a down 2022-23 campaign, was in the process of having a terrific rebound season, tallying 16 points (9G / 7A) in 17 games thus far.

Montembeault has been more than serviceable when called upon this season for a Canadiens team that ranks 30th in the league in terms of shot suppression (34.5 SA / GP). In his last four games (2-1-0), Montembeault has only allowed eight total goals, saving 105 of 133 shots (.929 SV%). Facing the Canadiens on Wednesday are the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are playing their best hockey of the season, winning three of their last four (3-1-0) and outscoring their opposition 16-9. The Canadiens have lost five of their last seven (2-5-0) and, as such, are +112 road underdogs against the suddenly hot Blue Jackets.

Georgiev has started 17 games this season, most in the league, and is likely to start for the 18th time on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a horrendous stretch in late October where he posted a .832 SV% in five games (1-4-0), Georgiev has rebounded nicely, allowing three or fewer goals in five of his last six games (5-1-0), posting a .903 SV%. The Avalanche rank third-best in the league in terms of shot suppression (27.7 SA / GP), so Georgiev's unspectacular save percentage is likely par for the course going forward. That said, Georgiev should continue to pile up victories, starting Monday as the Avalanche are -141 home favourites against the Lightning.

Markstrom had the night off in favour of Dan Vladar on Saturday but will return to the starter's crease on Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Markstrom has a serviceable 2.93 GAA and .901 SV% through 14 games this season (5-7-2) but has allowed four goals (.887 SV%) in each of his last three outings (1-1-1). The Flames are slight -103 road underdogs against a Golden Knights team that, after an 11-0-1 start, is 3-5-1 in their last nine and have been shut out in two of their last three outings (1-2-0).

Kulikov has six points (0G / 6A) in 19 games and was a healthy scratch in the last two games for the Panthers but will return to the lineup on Monday in favour of Uvis Balinskis. Kulikov and Balinskis will likely continue to rotate in and out of the lineup now that Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour have returned from injuries.

Balinskis has two points (1G / 1A) in 15 games this season and will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Dmitry Kulikov to return to the Panthers' lineup. Balinskis has been a healthy scratch in four of the last five games for the Panthers, a trend that will likely continue now that Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour have returned from injuries.

Bobrovsky played very well on Friday but received no goal support, saving 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%) in a 3-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets and will get the chance to bounce back into the win column on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. Bobrovsky has lost three of his last four (1-3-0) but has played some of his best hockey of the season in terms of consistency, allowing three goals or fewer in each of those games and posting a .910 SV%. The Panthers are -125 road favourites against a Senators team that could again be without goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who has been between the pipes for five of the Senators' eight wins this season.