NHL Hockey Player News

Luukkonen has played well in his last three appearances (1-1-0), saving 74 of 79 shots (.937 SV%), and will likely be rewarded with a start on Friday. Luukkonen has easily been the most consistent of three Sabres' netminders this season, posting a 2.80 GAA and .911 SV% through nine contests (4-3-1). The Sabres are +111 home underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins team without Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust and is coming off a 1-0 loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday. In addition, Luukkonen played admirably against the Penguins on November 11th despite a 4-0 loss, saving 36 of 39 shots (.923 SV%).

Rutta logged just 4:17 TOI before leaving Wednesday's game. If he's unavailable for Friday's game vs. Montreal, expect Marc-Edouard Vlasic to play for the first time since November 14th.

MacKinnon was reportedly carted to the X-ray room following Wednesday's game but no update was provided on his status. Until the Avalanche discloses any information on MacKinnon, consider him questionable to play Friday in Minnesota.

Primeau will start for the fourth time this season and the first time since allowing six goals on 42 shots (.857 SV%) in a 6-5 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on November 16th. Primeau has had mixed results this season, posting a 3.97 GAA and .885 SV% through three games (1-2-0), but will get an opportunity to shine Friday afternoon against the low-scoring San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have scored one goal or fewer in 13 of their 19 games this season, ranking 32nd in the league offensively, scoring only 1.47 goals per game.

Vasilevskiy has yet to make an appearance in 2023-24 as he recovers from a back injury but is expected to be activated off the injured reserve Friday after Matt Tomkins was placed on waivers Thursday. The 29-year-old six-time NHL wins leader will make a welcome return to Tampa's roster, where he was 34-22-4 with a 2.65 GAA and .915 SV% in 60 GP in 2022-23.

Poturalski did not appear in a game for the Kraken and has been reassigned to Coachella Valley (AHL) Thursday. The 29-year-old returns to the Firebirds where he had two goals, seven points, and a +2 plus/minus in 10 games prior to his original promotion.

Klingberg has been out for the Maple Leafs' previous two games due to a hip injury and has been placed on the long-term injured reserve Thursday. The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $4,150,000 contract with Toronto in the offseason and had zero goals, five assists, 14 SOG, eight PIMs and a -7 plus/minus in 14 games prior to his injury.

Steeves has been enjoying an excellent start to his 2023-24 season in Toronto (AHL) with 11 goals, seven assists, six PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus through 14 games played and has been recalled to the Maple Leafs Thursday. The 23-year-old has six career NHL games under his belt and has an assist and five SOG while averaging only 7:55 TOI.

De Leo has been out since the preseason due to a knee injury and was placed on waivers Wednesday with the purpose of assigning him to San Diego (AHL). The 28-year-old has not appeared in the NHL since 2021-22 with New Jersey but had nine goals and 23 points in 22 games with Utica (AHL) last season.

Tomkins was placed on waivers Thursday in a move that would indicate Andrei Vasileskiy's return from injury. The 29-year-old is expected to be assigned to Syracuse (AHL) if he does pass through waivers after posting a 1-2-0 record, 3.40 GAA, and .889 SV% in three games with Tampa Bay.

Lettieri had two goals, 14 SOG, four PIMs, and a -4 plus/minus in 11 games in 2023-24 but has been placed on waivers Thursday. The 28-year-old forward will likely return to Iowa (AHL) if unclaimed, where he has a goal and three points through four games this season prior to his call-up.

Jarnkrok blocked a shot in practice Wednesday and will be a game-time decision Friday in Chicago. The 32-year-old two-way center has enjoyed a solid start to his 2023-24 season with four goals, five assists, 28 SOG, four PIMs, +5 plus/minus in 17 games played.

Woll allowed three goals on 36 shots in the Maple Leafs' win in Minnesota last Sunday. Woll has had a tough time recently, allowing at least three goals in five of his last six games, while posting an .873 SV%. Tonight he'll face a Penguins team that is 1-for-22 (4.5%) on the power-play in their last nine games. Toronto are -120 road favourites.

The Maple Leafs' goaltending carousel continues Friday as Ilya Samsonov takes the crease Friday in Chicago. The 26-year-old goaltender has struggled mightily in 2023-24, with his 4-1-2 record, .878 SV%, and 3.56 GAA. He draws the Chicago Blackhawks on the road Friday, who have lost five straight and are 31st in the NHL in goals (2.53) and in shots on goal (26.9).

Soderblom will attempt to snap a personal five-game losing streak Friday as he draws the start vs. Toronto at home. The 24-year-old has struggled for a third consecutive season, with his 1-6-0 record, 3.89 GAA, and .879 SV%. He will look to snap Toronto's four-game winning streak, who are seventh in the NHL in goals per game (3.53) and 11th in shots per game (31.7).

Anderson has enjoyed a fantastic start to his 2023-24 season in Rockford (AHL) with seven goals, nine assists, two PIMs, and a -3 plus/minus in 14 games played and has been recalled to Chicago Thursday. The 25-year-old appeared in 24 games in 2022-23 with the Blackhawks, where he had four goals, six points, 28 SOG, and a -9 plus/minus in 24 games played.

Guttman had three goals, six assists, 16 PIMs, and a +5 plus/minus in 12 games with Rockford (AHL) and has been recalled to Chicago for a second time this season. The 24-year-old center returns to the Blackhawks, where he has a goal in three games played and is expected to center the second line as Andreas Athanasiou heads to the injured reserve.

Athanasiou has missed the Blackhawks' last five games and was placed on the injured reserve Thursday with a lower-body injury. The 29-year-old center has struggled through injuries this season with four assists, 20 SOG, and a -5 plus/minus through 11 games played. Cole Guttman was recalled from Rockford (AHL) to replace Athanasiou.

Taylor Hall was acquired in the offseason for two players but has endured a season filled with injuries and will now be out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season as he undergoes right knee surgery. The 32-year-old left-winger ends his season with two goals, two assists, 20 SOG, four PIMs, and a -3 plus/minus in 10 games played.