Compher has not participated in the last several practices for the Red Wings but will be a game-time decision on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators. The 28-year-old Compher is pacing for the best season of his career with 19 points (6G / 13A) in 24 games. He will likely join Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane on the second line if he can return.
Dahlin played 25:22 time-on-ice and scored one goal in the Sabres' Tuesday night contest but suffered a lower-body injury at some point that kept him out of action on Thursday and will make him a game-time decision on Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. Dahlin has followed up on a breakout 2022-23 campaign with 21 points (6G / 15A) in 26 games. Owen Power has filled as the quarterback on the top powerplay unit in his absence.
Skinner will likely start for the seventh straight game and look for his sixth straight victory on Friday. Skinner has elevated his game since the Oilers changed coaches last month, highlighted by a tremendous .943 SV% during his season-best five-game winning streak, allowing only eight total goals over that stretch. The Oilers are considerable -187 home favourites against a Minnesota Wild team that has played well lately but was shut out 2-0 last night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Pacioretty has not played yet this season as he continues to recover from his second Achilles surgery in less than a year but could make his debut with the Capitals before the end of the 2023 calendar year. Over the last three seasons, Pacioretty has struggled vehemently with injuries, playing only 92 total games. After recovering from his first Achilles surgery, he was only able to play five games last season before re-injuring his Achilles and forcing an abrupt end to his season. If Pacioretty can stay healthy, he could be a big boost for a Capitals team that ranks second-worst in the league offensively (2.35 GF / GP) and has the league's worst powerplay (9.0%).
Primeau has roughly started every third or fourth game for the Canadiens over the last month and will continue that trend on Saturday when the Canadiens visit the Buffalo Sabres. Primeau last played on November 30th, allowing five goals on 29 shots (.828 SV%) in a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. The Canadiens have lost three of their last four (1-3-0) but defeated the Sabres in their only matchup this season, a 3-1 victory on October 23rd with Jake Allen between the pipes.
Oshie exited the Capitals' November 24th contest against the Edmonton Oilers with an upper-body injury after playing only 6:45 and has not been in the lineup for the six games since. He has participated in team practice over the last two days and has elevated his status to a game-time decision for Saturday's contest against the New York Rangers. Oshie has primarily spent the season attached to Evgeny Kuznetsov but has only two points (1G / 1A) in 17 games. He has a 0.12 point-per-game pace this season after never pacing below 0.57 throughout his 16-year career.
Hofer will start for the first time since allowing four goals on 15 shots (.733 SV%) in an 8-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on November 24th but will have a favourable matchup against a Columbus Blue Jackets team that has lost three straight, including a 7-3 loss to the New York Islanders last night. Hofer has been inconsistent this season but mostly reliable when called upon, posting a 3.04 GAA and .901 SV% in nine games (5-4-0). The Blues are -141 road favourites on Friday night.
Brandon Bussi was recalled on Thursday to backup Linus Ullmark as Swayman was out of the lineup battling an illness. The starting goalie has not been announced yet for Saturday's contest against the Arizona Coyotes but if called upon, Swayman will be ready to suit up after returning to practice on Friday. Swayman has been tremendous lately, saving 50 of the last 51 shots he has faced (.980 SV%) during a two-game winning streak.
McAvoy played only 15:53 time-on-ice on Thursday before exiting the game with a shoulder injury. The 25-year-old defenseman did not participate in practice on Friday, and is considered day-to-day but hopeful to play Saturday. If McAvoy misses any time, look for Hampus Lindholm to move up to the top powerplay unit, where he saw success last season when McAvoy was out of the lineup.
Acciari has not played since November 30th and has been retroactively placed on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Acciari had three points (2G / 1A), 44 hits, and 28 blocks in 22 games this season, playing predominantly alongside Jeff Carter and Matt Nieto.
Nylander has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins along with Joona Koppanen as Pittsburgh recalled Marc Johnstone, Jonathan Gruden, and Valtteri Puustinen. Nylander has played five games with Pittsburgh this season but has failed to record a point, averaging 13:52 time-on-ice, and firing 10 shots on goal.
Koppanen has been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins along with Alex Nylander as Pittsburgh has recalled Marc Johnstone, Jonathan Gruden, and Valtteri Puustinen. Koppanen played three games with Pittsburgh, firing two shots on goal, averaging 7:25 time-on-ice, and scoring zero points.
Puustinen was the seventh-round pick of the Penguins in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has scored 111 points (49G / 62A) in 163 career games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL. His call-up coincides with Joona Koppanen and Alex Nylander being reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Gruden was the 95th overall pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry draft. He has been in the Penguins organization since the 2020-21 season and has tallied 82 points (37G / 45A) in 182 career games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). His call-up coincides with Joona Koppanen and Alex Nylander being reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Johnstone is an undrafted 27-year-old forward who has spent parts of the last three seasons in the AHL, between the Toronto Marlies and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, tallying 27 points (11G / 16A) in 94 games. His call-up coincides with Joona Koppanen and Alex Nylander being reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz have split starts over the last four games for the Panthers, but Bobrovsky will start consecutive games for the first time in nearly two weeks on Friday. On Wednesday, Bobrovsky held on, saving 29 of 33 shots (.879 SV%) in a 5-4 victory over the Dallas Stars, giving him three straight wins and posting a stellar .933 SV% in the process. The Panthers are sizeable -157 home favourites against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that has lost three straight (0-1-2), scoring only five goals in that span.
Daws has yet to play a game at any level in the 2023-24 campaign, but has finally been activated and will begin his season with the Utica Comets of the AHL. Last season with the Comets, Daws posted a 2.70 GAA and .904 SV% in 33 games (16-14-3). The 22-year-old netminder is no stranger to the NHL either, playing 25 games (10-11-1) with the Devils as a rookie, posting a 3.11 GAA and .893 SV%. Depending on how he fares with the Comets, Daws could be an option at the NHL level at some point this season, especially if the goaltending tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid continues to falter.
