Moverare did not get a chance to make his season debut with the Kings' before he was loaned to Ontario (AHL) on Friday. The 25-year-old defensemen returns to the Reign, where he had three assists, six PIMs and a +2 plus/minus in 12 games played prior to his call up.
Arizona's goaltending carousel continues Saturday as Karel Vejmelka takes the crease hoping to snap a person's six-game losing streak. The 27-year-old Czech netminder has struggled to win in 2023-24 but is putting up career-highs in almost all other statistical categories as he is 2-5-2 with a 3.08 GAA and .906 SV%. They will look to slow down Winnipeg Saturday on the road, who has won five of their last six games and are 6th in the NHL in goals per game (3.63).
Gushchin had an assist, and three SOG while averaging 14:57 TOI in two games with San Jose but has been loaned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) Friday. The 21-year-old right winger returns to the AHL, where he was on a tear earlier in the season with four goals, 13 points, six PIMs and a +3 plus/minus.
Sturm let the Sharks' know Tuesday that he would be stepping away from the team for personal matters and will miss their upcoming games vs. Vancouver and Seattle. The 28-year-old centre has struggled much like his San Jose counterparts in 2023-24, with his two assists, 16 SOG, eight PIMs, and a -12 plus/minus in 17 games.
If Montour can play on Friday, he will be about one week ahead of the initial recovery schedule that targeted him for an American Thanksgiving return date. Montour has yet to play this season but will look to build on an incredible breakout campaign in 2022-23. Last season, Montour scored an impressive 73 points (16G / 57A) in 80 games after only scoring 73 points (23G / 50A) in his 185 combined games prior.
Ekblad, initially expected to be out until mid-December, could return to action as soon as tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. The injured reserve has become far too familiar of a place for Ekblad over the past few seasons as the talented defenceman will hope for a better fate upon his return for the remainder of the season. Despite his recent inability to play an entire season, Ekblad scored more than 10 goals in each of his past three campaigns.
Dubois left the game after colliding awkwardly with the post in Thursday's game against the Panthers and will be a game-time decision on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues. He has eight points (4G / 4A) in 15 games this season, playing most recently on the third line with Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Arthur Kaliyev.
Gibson has played tremendously of late but will be seriously put to the test on Friday against the Florida Panthers. In his last four games (3-1-0), Gibson has been brilliant, saving 118 of 124 shots (.952 SV%), his best stretch of play this season. That said, the Ducks, who will be without Trevor Zegras and Leo Carlsson, are +149 home underdogs against a Panthers team that, despite losing 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings last night, has won five of their last six games (5-1-0).
Mahura left the Panthers' game Thursday vs. Los Angeles after just six shifts and 5:04 TOI due to a lower-body and has been placed on the inured reserve Friday. The 25-year-old stay-at-home defensemen is in his second full season with the cats and has five assists, 15 SOG, eight PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 16 games prior to his injury.
Karlsson will get the night off Friday vs. Florida as Anaheim continues the 18-year-old's load management plan. The Ducks' star prospect has been sensational in his first NHL season, with six goals, two assists, 23 SOG, four PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 11 games played.
Gadjovich was sent to Charlotte (AHL) on a rehab assignment due to an upper-body injury but has been recalled to Florida on Friday. The 25-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract with Florida in the offseason after putting up three goals, four assists, 57 PIMs and a -3 plus/minus in 35 games played with San Jose in 2022-23.
Reaves was signed to a three-year, $4.05 million contract ($1,350,000 AAV) in the offseason and will be a healthy scratch Friday vs. Detroit in Sweden for the Global Series. It has been a disappoint 14 inaugural games with Toronto for the bruising winger, who has yet to pick up a point, has only six SOG, 12 PIMs and a -11 plus/minus.
Samsonov will start in the first of two games for the Maple Leafs in Sweden as part of the NHL Global Series. Samsonov has struggled on a whole this season, registering a 3.79 GAA and .870 SV% through eight appearances (3-1-2) but is coming off one of his stronger performances of the season, saving 31 of 33 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. The Maple Leafs are -174 favourites as the road team in Sweden against a Detroit Red Wings team coming off a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators last night.
Harley left the Stars game on Sunday against the Minnesota Wild, playing only 11:19, when he was boarded by Brandon Duhaime. Duhaime received a major penalty and was ejected from the game. Joel Hanley replaced Harley in the Stars lineup on Tuesday and is expected to do so again on Saturday. In his first season as a full-time NHLer, Harley has five points (3G / 2A) in 14 games.
Luneau was originally assigned to San Diego (AHL) for a conditioning loan but has been recalled to Anaheim Friday. The 19-year-old defensemen was Anaheim's 2022 second-round pick (53rd overall) and returns to the NHL where he appeared in two games earlier in the season and failed to pick up a point while averaging 15:28 TOI.
Hall has missed the Blackhawks' previous two games due to a lower-body injury and will take warmups and be a game-time decision Saturday vs. Nashville. The 32-year-old is in his first season in Chicago after an offseason trade from Boston, and has two goals, two assists, 15 SOG, four PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through eight injury riddled games so far in 2023-24.
The Blackhawks' goalie carousel will continue Saturday vs. Nashville as Arvid Soderblom takes the crease after a shaky previous performance where he stopped 27 of 31 shots (.871 SV%) in a loss. The 24-year-old has struggled mightily in 2023-24, with his 1-5-0 record, 3.99 GAA, and .881 SV%. He draws the struggling Nashville Predators on the road Saturday, who have lost four straight games and are 21st in the NHL in goals per game (2.93).
In a move relating to Linus Karlsson being sent down, Hirose was recalled from the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL on Friday. Hirose played the first two games of the season with Vancouver, tallying zero points, three hits, and four blocked shots.
Karlsson was impressive in his season debut, going without a point, but tallying three shots, one hit, and a +1 plus/minus in only 11:54 time-on-ice. Despite his strong performance, Karlsson has been reassigned to Abbotsford of the AHL, a sign that the team is hopeful Andrei Kuzmenko will be able to return to the lineup on Saturday.
Kuzmenko exited the game in the third period in obvious discomfort on Wednesday after taking a puck to the face against the New York Islanders and did not play Thursday vs. Calgary. The second-year NHLer has picked up where he left off the 2022-23 campaign, being consistent all season, potting 14 points (3G / 11A) in 16 games.
