NHL Hockey Player News

The Sharks recorded their first victory of the season without Blackwood between the pipes on Friday but will turn back to him on Monday when they visit the Vancouver Canucks. Blackwood's 4.02 GAA and .898 SV% are nothing to marvel at but considering the circumstances of playing on a league-worst Sharks team, the 26-year-old goaltender has played admirably, making at least 38 saves in three of his last four contests (2-2-0) while posting a .929 SV%. Heroics of Blackwood aside, the Sharks are huge +318 road underdogs against a Canucks team that already beat the Sharks earlier this month by a whopping 10-1 score.

The Coyotes will turn back to Ingram on Monday as the team remains intent on evenly rotating between their two goaltenders, even though Ingram has been far more reliable this season. Of the Coyotes' eight wins this season, six belong to Ingram, who has put together an impressive 2.75 GAA and .918 SV% in eight appearances (6-1-0). That said, the Coyotes are +132 home underdogs against a Los Angeles Kings team that has points in 10 of their last 11 (9-1-1).

Copley, widely believed to be a time-share goalie with Cam Talbot at the beginning of the season, will likely start for only the second time since the end of October on Monday. Oddly enough, of Copley's four starts this season, two have been against the Arizona Coyotes, who the Kings will face on Monday. In his first contest against the Coyotes, Copley was serviceable, saving 24 of 27 shots (.889 SV%) in a 6-3 victory, followed up by allowing three goals on six shots (.500 SV%) before being relieved by Talbot, who salvaged an eventual 5-4 victory for the Kings. Even with Copley between the pipes, the Kings are -144 road favourites against a Coyotes team that will be without their top-line center, Barret Hayton.

Shesterkin played his first game in over two weeks on Saturday after recovering from a lower-body injury, making 30 saves (.909 SV%) in a 5-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils, and will likely start again on Monday against the Dallas Stars. The Rangers are a significantly stronger team with Shesterkin between the pipes but managed to hold down the fort while he was out of the lineup as the team has collected at least a point in 11 straight games (10-0-1). In two games against the Dallas Stars last season (2-0-0), Shesterkin was phenomenal, boasting a 2.03 GAA and .931 SV%.

Georgiev will start for the fifth consecutive game and look to extend Colorado's win streak to four games. After an abysmal five-game stretch (1-4-0) where Georgiev allowed 23 goals on 137 shots (.832 SV%), he seems to have rebounded back into form, saving 58 of 64 (.906 SV%) in his last three contests (3-0-0). The Avalanche are -150 road favourites on Monday against a Nashville Predators team that has allowed three or more goals in four of their last five games (1-4-0).

The Predators' last two wins have come with Kevin Lankinen between the pipes as a struggling Saros will return to the crease on Monday. Saros has not been the elite goaltender the hockey world has become accustomed to over the past half-decade this season, highlighted by allowing 21 goals on 149 shots (.859 SV%) during a season-worst five-game losing streak (0-5-0). The Predators are +146 home underdogs against an Avalanche team that has won three straight games, outscoring their opposition 19-6.

Evangelista has a goal, eight assists, 27 SOG, two PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus in 16 games this season but will be a surprisingly healthy scratch Monday vs. Colorado. The 21-year-old right-winger will be replaced by Liam Foudy in the Predators' lineup Monday.

Foudy did not play in the Predators' most recent game on Saturday but will return to the lineup on Monday, likely skating on the third line with Yakov Trenin and Colton Sissons. Since joining the Predators in October, Foudy has scored two points (0G / 2A) while averaging 9:44 time-on-ice through eight games.

Jake Oettinger started the last three games for the Stars (2-1-0), allowing three or more goals in each, capped off by allowing five unanswered goals in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. As a result, Pete DeBoer and the Stars coaching staff have opted to rest Oettinger in Monday's contest against the New York Rangers, as Wedgewood will start for the fifth time this season. Wedgewood has been solid when called upon, posting a 3.02 GAA and .917 SV% through four games this season (3-1-0). That said, the Rangers have been tough to beat this season, winning 10 of their last 11 (10-0-1) while scoring four or more goals in five consecutive games (5-0-0).

Kleven has been returned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, where he has two points (0G / 2A) and five penalty minutes in five games, after being called up to join Ottawa during the NHL Global Series in Sweden.

Highmore has been returned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, where he has seven points (2G / 5A) in nine games, after being called up to join Ottawa during the NHL Global Series in Sweden.

Sogaard has been returned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, where he has a 2.35 GAA and .923 SV% in eight games (4-3-0), after being called up to join Ottawa during the NHL Global Series in Sweden.

Larsson has been returned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL, where he has two points (2G / 0A) in 10 games, after being called up to join Ottawa during the NHL Global Series in Sweden.

The Oilers are expected to dress seven defencemen on Monday as Broberg draws back into the lineup for the first time since November 2nd. Broberg has zero points in eight games this season, tallying six blocks and two hits while averaging 11:12 time-on-ice.

Pickard has 116 NHL games under his belt but will receive his first start at the NHL level since the 2021-22 season when he was a member of the Detroit Red Wings. Jack Campbell's reassignment earlier this month triggered Pickard's call-up from Bakersfield (AHL), where he posted a sensational 2.03 GAA and .939 SV% in four games (2-2-0). Pickard will have his work cut out for him in his return to NHL action as the Oilers face off against a Florida Panthers team that has won six of their past seven contests (6-1-0).

Bobrovsky played well in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in his last contest, saving 25 of 27 shots (.926 SV%), but will look to get back into the win column when he starts against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. Bobrovsky is in the midst of a strong stretch of hockey, helping his team record at least a point in seven of his last eight games (6-1-1) while saving 196 of 215 shots faced (.912 SV%). The red-hot Panthers are only slight -107 home favourites as they welcome an Oilers team that, despite snapping a season-best three-game winning streak on Saturday, seems to have refound their scoring touch, scoring four goals in each of their last four contests (1-3-0).

Hischier, who has missed nine games since suffering an upper-body injury on October 27th, seems to be nearing his return to the Devils' lineup. Before his injury, he was off to a slow start this season, scoring only two points (2G / 0A) in seven games, playing most commonly alongside Ondrej Palat on Jesper Bratt.

With Arber Xhakaj (upper-body) being ruled out of at least the next three games for the Canadiens, the team has recalled Struble from the AHL. Struble was the Canadiens' 46th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has six points (1G / 5A) in 12 games with the Laval Rocket this season.

Harvey-Pinard did not play the last two games for the Canadiens, has been placed on the injured reserve, and will not travel on the team's upcoming California road trip, meaning he will miss at least the next three games. Before his injury, Pinard was held without a point in his last four games, racking up two shots on goals, averaging 10:22 time-on-ice.