Kuemper (undisclosed) will make his return to the Capitals lineup on Tuesday after not dressing for their previous two games but will serve as the backup, likely to Lindgren, who has started two of their last four contests. Kuemper has not played since November 8th and has struggled to find his form this season, posting a 3.07 GAA and .892 SV% through eight games (3-3-2).
Darcy Kuemper (undisclosed) will make his return to the Capitals lineup on Tuesday after not dressing for their previous two games but will serve as the backup, likely to Lindgren, who has started two of their last four contests. Lindgren has been dynamite in those two starts, saving 58 of 61 shots (.951 SV%), leading the Capitals to victories in both. The Capitals have points in three of their last four games (3-0-1) but are +137 road underdogs against the top team in the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights.
After missing five games due to an injury and an illness, Hart was a full participant at practice on Tuesday and is expected to be the Flyers' starter on Wednesday. The Flyers went 3-2-0 in his absence behind the goaltending tandem Samuel Ersson and Cal Petersen. Hart has a 2.52 GAA and .913 SV% through eight games this season (4-3-0) and should be a workhorse for the Flyers the rest of the season as long as he can stay healthy.
It appears Thompson will start on Tuesday after serving as the backup for two consecutive games for the Golden Knights. Thompson has not played since November 5th, his longest stretch between games, when he allowed three goals on 22 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Through six games this season (5-1-0), Thompson has an impressive 2.31 GAA and .923 SV%. The league-leading Golden Knights (12-2-1) are -151 road favourites against the Washington Capitals (7-4-2), who rank 31st in the league offensively (2.31 GF / GP) despite collecting points in three of their last four games (3-0-1).
Merzlikins will likely return to the Blue Jackets crease on Tuesday after playing very well in a losing effort on Sunday, allowing three goals on 40 shots (.925 SV%), eventually succumbing to the New York Rangers 4-3 in a shootout. Three of Merzlikins' last four starts have been high-quality performances, but has only managed a 1-1-1 record over that span, partially due to the Blue Jackets' lack of goal production (2.73 GF / GP). The Blue Jackets are +159 home underdogs against a Penguins team that is scorching hot, outscoring their opposition 20-5 during a four-game winning streak.
Stolarz will likely start for the first time since November 4th when he allowed four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%) in a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. In two games this season (1-1-0), Stolarz has a 2.57 GAA and .904 SV% and will look to build on those totals against the league-wost offence of the San Jose Sharks (1.20 GF / GP). The Sharks have already been shut out three times this season, held to fewer than two goals an alarming 12 times in only 15 games (2-12-1). As such, the Panthers enter action as -282 road favourites against the Sharks.
Jones was a surprise addition to Colorado's lineup on Monday after Josh Manson and Samuel Girard were announced as scratches shortly before puck drop. Jones registered four goals and 12 assists in 73 games with the Blackhawks last season.
MacDermid was a surprise addition to Colorado's lineup on Monday after Josh Manson and Samuel Girard were announced as scratches shortly before puck drop. MacDermid is yet to register a point in three games so far this season.
There was no indication from the team that Manson was in danger of missing Monday's game prior to the Roster Report being finalized shortly before puck drop. The 32-year-old defenseman has registered no goals and one assist in 13 games this season.
There was no indication from the team that Girard was in danger of missing Monday's game prior to the Roster Report being finalized shortly before puck drop. The 25-year-old defenseman has registered no goals and one assist in 13 games this season.
The former Cornell University blue-liner is set to make his NHL debut after signing with the Avalanche as an undrafted free agent last March. Malinski has six goals and six assists in 20 career AHL games.
Daccord will be the starter for the Kraken on Monday as they take on the Colorado Avalanche. The Kraken typically opt to start Philipp Grubauer against his former team, but after allowing four goals on 13 shots in the first period against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, the team will turn to Daccord. Daccord saved all nine shots he faced coming in relief of Grubauer for the final two periods on Saturday and has a 2.59 GAA and .913 SV% in seven games this season (2-1-3). The Kraken are +138 home underdogs against an Avalanche team that has lost five of their last seven games (2-5-0), being shut out three times in that span.
Tanev, who has not played since the season opener on October 10th, looks set to return on Monday against the Colorado Avalanche. Tanev had a career-high 35 points (16G / 19A) in 82 games last season and will likely slot in on the second line with Jared McCann and Alexander Wennberg.
Duck coach Greg Cronin announced that Zegras has been dealing with a lower-body issue for some time, which could be part of the reason for his sluggish start to the 2023-24 campaign. The talented forward has seen his ice-time drop nearly a full minute since last season and has only scored two points (1G / 1A) in 12 games thus far. The Ducks have not given an expected timeline on Zegras' return.
With Adam Pelech (lower-body) set to return to the Islanders' lineup, Bolduc will take a seat on Monday. The 22-year-old blue-liner has registered zero points, six blocked shots, and seven hits in ten games this season.
Pelech has been out of the lineup since November 7th with a lower-body injury but could be an option to return for the Islanders on Monday night. Pelech is averaging 20:22 time-on-ice through 10 games this season, tallying one point (0G / 1A), 22 blocks, and 12 hits.
The Oilers will turn to Skinner again after he helped them snap a four-game losing streak on Saturday, saving 17 of 18 shots in a 4-1 win over the Seattle Kraken. Monday night's contest against the New York Islanders will mark the Oilers' first game with new head coach Kris Knoblauch after Jay Woodcroft was fired on Sunday. The pressure of a new coach and the Islanders' general inability to score (2.46 GF / GP) attribute to the Oilers being listed as -171 home favourites.
Georgiev allowed six goals on 28 shots before being relieved by Ivan Prosvetov on Saturday but will likely get a chance to redeem himself as the expected starter for the Avalanche on Monday. Georgiev's play has been horrid lately, allowing four or more goals in five of his last seven contests (3-4-0) and losing four of his last five (1-4-0) while posting a .832 SV%. Working in Georgiev's favour is his strong track record against the Seattle Kraken. In his only contest against the Kraken this season, Georgiev saved 37 of 38 shots (.974 SV%) and posted a 1.64 GAA and .925 SV% in three games against them last season (3-0-0).
Sorokin will likely return to the crease on Monday for the Islanders when they visit the Edmonton Oilers. Sorokin is sporting an adequate 3-2-3 record this season, but his play has been a far cry from the Vezina-caliber totals the hockey world has become accustomed to over the last few seasons, posting a 3.24 GAA and .907 SV%. Over the last eight games, the Islanders have opted to rotate starts between Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov. Albeit +150 road underdogs, the Islanders will try to get back on track against an Oilers team that has lost eight of their last 10 (2-7-1).
After playing one game and failing to record a point, Lindblom was placed on the injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. In a corresponding move, the Sharks have recalled Danil Gushchin from the AHL.
