Jake Allen (undisclosed) is unlikely to suit up on Tuesday, allowing Poulter to serve as Jacob Markstrom's backup on Tuesday. The 23-year-old Poulter has a 3.32 GAA and .871 SV% in nine games (2-4-2) with the Utica Comets (AHL) this season.
Merzlikins was stellar in his previous outing, saving 24 of 25 shots (.960 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets, and will return to the crease for a third consecutive game on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 30-year-old Merzlikins has a 2.95 GAA and .893 SV% in 18 games this season (18-9-2). The Blue Jackets enter Tuesday's contest as slight -111 home favorites against a Flyers club riding a three-game losing skid.
Dostal will make his 16th start of the season when the Ducks travel to Montreal to take on the Habs on Monday. Despite posting an impressive .921 SV% on the season, Dostal hasn't made an appearance since December 1st, with the team opting to give John Gibson the majority of the work in goal. Dostal allowed three goals on 31 shots against in that game, guiding Anaheim to a 4-3 shootout victory over the Senators. The Ducks enter action as slight underdogs at +130 in Montreal on Monday.
Anderson will fill in for Craig Smith, who is out with an undisclosed injury. Anderson has zero goals and just one assist in 12 games this season.
Smith will miss Monday night's game after sitting out practice on Sunday due to the undisclosed injury. Joey Anderson draws into the lineup in his place.
Kulich will take a seat on Monday to make way for the return of Jordan Greenway, who is back from an undisclosed injury. Kulich has three goals and zero assists in 18 games this season.
Greenway has missed the last 10 games with an undisclosed injury but will return on Monday against the Detroit Red Wings. Before his injury, the 27-year-old Greenway was averaging 16:17 time-on-ice, recording six points (3G / 3A), and 40 hits in 16 games this season.
Berard will fill in for Jimmy Vesey, who is listed as a scratch for Monday night's game against Chicago. Berard has one goal and one assist in four games this season.
Vesey was a surprise absence on Monday, and it's unclear whether he is simply a healthy scratch or if he is dealing with an undisclosed injury. Brett Berard will draw into the lineup in his place.
Reimer will make his third appearance as a Sabre when Buffalo hosts the Red Wings on Monday. It's his first start since November 30th when he allowed two goals on 19 shots in a 3-0 loss to the Islanders. The 36-year-old netminder owns an .890 SV% in four games this season split between the Ducks and the Sabres. Buffalo enters action as slight favourites on Monday at -125 on the money line.
With Colorado completely revamping their goaltending and trading away Justus Annunen and Alexandar Georgiev, Wedgewood will start on Tuesday but will likely take a secondary role behind Mackenzie Blackwood down the stretch. Wedgewood has a 2.82 GAA and .906 SV% through eight games split between Colorado and Nashville (3-3-1) but has been excellent since joining the Avalanche, boasting a 1.44 GAA and .951 SV% in three appearances (2-1-0). Colorado enters Tuesday's contest as -156 road underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins club coming off an impressive 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Dahlin has missed the last two games due to back spams and will likely miss at least two more but could return this weekend. The 24-year-old Dahlin has 19 points (6G / 13A) through 25 games this season and is a crushing blow for a Sabres club amid a season-worst six-game losing skid.
Martinez was limited to only 13:53 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury on Saturday and will be replaced by Kevin Korchinski on Monday. The 37-year-old Martinez is averaging 20:05 time-on-ice, recording four points (1G / 3A), 38 blocks, and four hits in 15 games.
After appearing in 76 NHL games a season ago, Korchinski had a disappointing training camp and began the 2024-25 season in Rockford. The 20-year-old Korchinski has 11 points (2G / 9A) in 21 games with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL) this season. Alex Martinez (undisclosed) will draw out of the lineup to accommodate Korchinski's season debut.
For only the second time this season, Soderblom will start consecutive games for the Blackhawks. Despite a less-than-ideal 1-5-1 record through seven games, Soderblom has been solid in a limited role for the Blackhawks this season, posting a solid 2.46 GAA and .919 SV%. The Blackhawks have lost five straight and enter Monday's contest as sizeable +215 road underdogs against a New York Rangers club that has lost seven on their previous nine outings (2-7-0).
Lauko has not played since November 25th, missing seven straight games, but could return to the lineup on Tuesday against the Utah Hockey Club. The 24-year-old Lauko is averaging 10:16 time-on-ice and has four points (2G / 2A) in 21 games this season.
In his first season with the Avalanche, Kovalenko has shown glimpses of the talent that made him an offensive standout with Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo (KHL), but limited deployment has likely stunted the opportunity for true success. In 28 games, Kovalenko is averaging 12:00 time-on-ice and has eight points (4G / 4A). The 25-year-old Kovalenko will likely get an opportunity for better deployment in his new home with the Sharks.
Colorado's goaltending troubles have been well-documented this season, highlighted by Georgiev's ugly 3.38 GAA and .874 SV% in 18 appearances (8-7-0). As a result, Georgiev has been traded, along with Nikolai Kovalenko, a 2026 second-round pick, and a 2025 fifth-round pick, to the San Jose Sharks in return for Mackenzie Blackwood, Givani Smith, and a 2027 fifth-round pick. Georgiev will likely have the opportunity to reestablish himself as a reliable starter in San Jose. That said, given San Jose's sluggish defense, Georgiev will likely fall out of fantasy hockey relevance.
