NHL Hockey Player News

Talbot is the likely starter for the Kings on Tuesday as they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. Talbot, who has a 2.72 GAA and .905 SV% through six games (3-2-1), has been the clear favourite between the pipes for the Kings as backup Phoenix Copley has struggled tremendously with a horrid 4.98 GAA and .788 SV% through three games (1-0-1). The Kings are +140 road underdogs against a Maple Leafs team that has points in four straight games (3-0-1).

Korczak will return to the lineup and replace Brayden Pachal after being a healthy scratch on Saturday. Korczak has four points (1G / 3A), four blocks, and 10 hits in five games this season.

Pachal will be scratched for the second time in the last three games, making room for Kaedan Korczak to draw back into the lineup. Pachal had a -2 plus/minus rating while only playing 9:54 in his last game. He has one goal, 11 blocks, and 15 hits in eight games this season.

Woll is the confirmed starter for the Maple Leafs on Tuesday when they host the Los Angeles Kings. Woll has appeared in three of the last four games for the Maple Leafs, posting a 3-0-0 record along with a dazzling .979 SV%. Woll's play has been remarkable to start the season as he is doing everything in his ability to solidify himself as the go-to guy between the pipes for the Maple Leafs. He has given them a chance to win every night but will have his ability put to the ultimate test on Tuesday against the Kings' league-best offence (4.38 GF / GP).

Holl currently sits tied for 10th in the NHL with his +7 plus/minus but is the odd man out of the Red Wings lineup Monday as they take on the New York Rangers. The 31-year-old defenseman was signed to a three-year, $10.2 million contract in the off-season and has three assists, one SOG, 10 PIMs, and a +7 plus/minus in eight games so far in 2023-24.

Husso will start on Monday against the New York Islanders as the Red Wings look to snap out of a three-game losing streak. Despite a positive 3-2-1 record, Husso has struggled this season, recording a 3.33 GAA and .894 SV%. The Islanders have been their usual, stingy selves defensively but have been outscored 19-18 on the season, despite a strong 4-2-1 start. The Islanders, who are -158 home favourites against the Red Wings, were shut out last season in their only matchup against Husso (24 saves).

Gudbranson didn't practice on Sunday because of a lower-body injury but has been deemed fit to play on Monday against the Dallas Stars. Gudbranson has played in all eight games for the Blue Jackets this season, tallying 26 blocked shots, seventh most in the league.

Merzlikins will start for the Blue Jackets on Monday as they take on the Dallas Stars, who are sizeable -281 home favourites. After starting the season with an impressive .950 SV% in his first two games (1-1-0), Merzlikins has returned to the unattractive figures the Blue Jackets became accustomed to last season, posting a .869 SV% in his three games since. Odds certainly aren't in favour of Merzlikins on Monday but the Latvian goaltender has historically been excellent against the Stars, who have the 24th-ranked offence (2.67 GF / GP), boasting a 2.29 GAA and .924 SV% in five career appearances (2-1-0).

Khaira appeared in one game for Minnesota during his short call-up and has been reassigned to Iowa (AHL) on Monday. The 29-year-old is in his ninth NHL season and had one SOG during 8:05 TOI in his only appearance this year. He heads back to Iowa, where he had no goals, four assists and a +3 plus/minus in four games prior to his call-up to Minnesota.

Hunt appeared in two games after making his NHL debut on October 27th and picked up a SOG while averaging a minuscule 4:52 TOI which has led to him being reassigned to Iowa (AHL) on Monday. The 21-year-old defenseman returns to the AHL where he has yet to pick up a point, but has seven PIMs and is a -3 plus/minus in four games played so far in 2023-24.

Bennett has missed the Panthers' first seven games due to a lower-body injury sustained in the pre-season and is now a game-time decision to make his season debut Monday vs. Boston. The 27-year-old will make a much-welcome return after posting 16 goals, 24 assists, 193 SOG, 54 PIMs and, a +5 plus/minus in 63 games played in 2022-23.

Gibson appears to be the start for the Ducks on Monday as Greg Cronin and the coaching staff seem intent on continuing their even rotation between him and Lukas Dostal. Thus far, Dostal has outperformed Gibson but even so, Gibson has put together a respectable 2.81 GAA and .905 SV% through four games (1-3-0), both better totals than he has amassed in the past five seasons. Gibson and the Ducks will try to hold things together defensively as +211 road underdogs against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that is 3-5-0 this season.

Shesterkin appears to be the likely starter for the Rangers on Monday as they face off in Winnipeg against the Jets (-120 road favourites). The 2021-22 Vezina trophy winner has been very pedestrian between the pipes to start the 2023-24 campaign, recording a 2.70 GAA and .900 SV% through six games (4-2-0). As long as he continues to garner wins, the Rangers won't be too particular about the finer details of his game but expect Shesterkin to elevate his game nearer to his career average of 2.39 GAA and .923 SV%.

Oettinger served as a backup in the Stars' most recent game and due to their sparse early-season schedule, will only be playing his second game since October 19th. The selective starts and load management for Oettinger seem to be feeding into fine performance for the 24-year-old netminder as he is sporting a terrific 1.44 GAA and .952 SV% through four games (3-0-1). Oettinger appears to be the starter on Monday night as the Stars are sizeable -274 home favourites against a Columbus Blue Jackets team that has lost three straight games (0-1-2) and only scored five goals in that span.

Andersen appears to be the starter for the Hurricanes on Monday as they face off against the Philadelphia Flyers. Despite his perfect 3-0-0 record to start the season, Andersen has been anything but perfect with a lowly 3.38 GAA and .875 SV%. Andersen has never finished a season with a goals-against average greater than 2.96 but has plenty of time to correct his totals, starting tonight as the Hurricanes are -180 road favourites.

Jarry will likely start for the Penguins on Monday as he attempts to find more consistency in his game. Through six starts this season, three are very high quality while the other three are borderline dreadful. In his three quality starts (2-1-0), Jarry has a .965 SV% along with two shutouts, contrasting severely with his other three starts (0-3-0), where he has registered a .821 SV%. Jarry and the Penguins will hope to get their games in order on Monday as they are -236 home favourites against an Anaheim Ducks team that has quietly won three straight games, outscoring their opposition 14-9.

Johansson is quietly and surprisingly putting together one of the premiere early-season performances among NHL goaltenders. Coming off back-to-back shutouts, Johansson has a 7-4-1 record and has done his part filling in for the injured Andrei Vasilevskiy, with an impressive 2.56 GAA and .925 SV%. The 28-year-old journeyman has only started eight or more games in a season twice in his career, a number he will match tonight if he gets the nod against the Seattle Kraken and their fifth-worst ranked offence (2.22 GF/GP).

Sorokin will return to the Islanders' crease after watching Semyon Varlamov record a 34-save shutout in a 2-0 victory for his New York Islanders on Saturday. It was the second time in seven games that Sorokin was given the night off early this season. Sorokin's early season 2.80 GAA and .915 SV% are slightly below his career average of 2.35 GAA and .923 SV%. Even as -149 home favourites on Monday, Sorokin and the Islanders will have their work cut out for them against the high-scoring Detroit Red Wings, who rank third in the league offensively (4.00 GF/GP).