Xhekaj played only 10:19 before exiting the game with an upper-body injury and is now considered day-to-day after not practicing Friday. He has three points (1G / 2A) in 17 games this season along with 41 hits and 47 penalty minutes. Xhekaj's status will be re-evaluated on Friday.
Klingberg will not play on Friday, missing his second of the Maple Leafs' last three games due to an undisclosed injury. The 31-year-old Swede has zero points, nine shots, and a -5 plus/minus rating in his last eight games.
Nedeljkovic has not played since October 24th, a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars, where he allowed four goals on 34 shots (.882 SV%). Nedeljkovic has been on the injured reserve since then with a lower-body injury and, as he approaches his return, will join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL for a conditioning stint. When Nedeljkovic is deemed ready to return, Magnus Hellberg will likely be sent back down to the AHL.
Hayton managed to score a goal for the Coyotes despite exiting the game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:57 time-on-ice. The Coyotes finished the game down two forwards as Matias Maccelli also exited the game. Hayton has four points (2G / 2A) in his last five games after being held without a single point in his first 11.
Maccelli exited Thursday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 6:04 time-on-ice. The talented Finnish winger has been having a solid season with the Coyotes, totalling 11 points (2G / 9A) in 16 games while primarily playing Nick Bjugstad and Lawson Crouse on the Coyotes' second line.
Xhekaj played only 10:19 before exiting the game with an upper-body injury. He has three points (1G / 2A) in 17 games this season along with 41 hits and 47 penalty minutes. Xhekaj's status will be re-evaluated on Friday.
Samsonov will likely 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.
Cirelli exited the game in the second period after taking a shot off his arm and did not return. Cirelli has two goals and five assists in 17 games with the Lightning this season. We should expect to receive an update on Cirelli's injury and a possible timeline for his recovery in the coming days.
Talbot has enjoyed a terrific start to the season but is coming off one of his worst starts of the season, allowing four goals on 26 shots in a loss to the Flyers last Saturday. Despite being 7-3-0 on the year, Talbot is 0-3-0 with a 3.73 GAA and .872 SV% on home ice this season. He draws a tough home matchup against the Panthers on Thursday with the Kings only being slight favourites at -130.
Fasching will take the place of Matt Martin, who will be a healthy scratch on Thursday. Fasching has no goals and one assist in eight games this season. He will take Martin's spot alongside Cody Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck on the Islanders' fourth line.
Martin will sit in favour of Hudson Fasching, who will take Martin's spot alongside Cody Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck on the Islanders' fourth line. Martin has one goal, one assist, and 31 hits in 14 games this season.
Varlamov will start on Thursday and attempt to help the Islanders snap their six-game losing streak (0-4-2). The Islanders have not won since November 2nd when Varlamov was forced to be perfect, pitching a 32-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Washington Capitals. Despite a tremendous 2.04 GAA and .940 SV% through six games (2-3-0), Varlamov has struggled in his last two games (0-2-0), allowing seven goals on 58 shots (.879 SV%). Last season, the Islanders ranked fifth in the league defensively (2.65 GA / GP), a far cry from their mid-pack ranking this season (3.20 GA / GP). That said, as slight +100 road underdogs, the Islanders will hope to get things back on track, taking on the fourth-lowest scoring team in the league, the Seatle Kraken (2.53 GF / GP).
Grubauer will return to the Kraken crease on Thursday after Seattle turned to Joey Daccord for each of the team's last two games. Grubauer's last start came via a 4-1 defeat to the Oilers on Saturday, when he surrendered four goals on just 17 shots before being lifted from the game in favour of Daccord. His record on the season now sits at 3-6-0 to go along with his .891 SV% and 3.31 GAA. He'll hope to get things back on track in a decent home matchup against the Islanders in a pick 'em game on Thursday.
Maccelli exited the game in the second period after taking a puck to the face and did not return. The 23-year-old winger has two goals and nine assists in 16 games to open the season. We should expect to receive an update on Maccelli's injury and a possible timeline for his recovery in the coming days.
It couldn't have come at a worse time for Hayton, who was finally finding his stride after going pointless in his first 11 games. Hayton has registered four points in his last five games, including a goal in Thursday's game in Columbus prior to leaving due to the injury. We should expect to receive an update on Hayton's injury and a possible timeline for his recovery in the coming days.
On the back end of a back-to-back, DeSmith will start for the Canucks on Thursday when they visit the Calgary Flames. DeSmith has seen a fair share of action between the pipes as the Canucks' backup this season and has performed admirably when called upon, showcasing a 2.67 GAA and .916 SV% through six games (4-0-1). Having played last night, the Canucks enter action as +124 road underdogs but are facing a Flames team that is 3-6-1 in their last 10 and ranks fifth worst in the league offensively (2.60 GF / GP).
Talbot did not take the ice for today’s morning skate, making him tonight’s projected starter in net for the Kings. The veteran has had a terrific start to the season but is coming off one of his worst starts of the season, allowing four goals on 26 shots in a loss to the Flyers last Saturday. Despite being 7-3-0 on the year, Talbot is 0-3-0 with a 3.73 GAA and .872 SV% on home ice this season.
Watson will enter the lineup in place of Alex Barre-Boulet, who is listed as a scratch for Thursday's game in Chicago. Watson has no points and seven shots on goal in five games this season.
Barre-Boulet will sit in favour of Austin Watson, who draws back into the Lightning lineup on Thursday. Barre-Boulet has four goals and three assists in 14 games on the season.
