Horvat did not play on Tuesday and was officially listed as a game-time decision on Thursday against the Boston Bruins. Heis averaging 19:43 time-on-ice this season and has nine points (4G / 5A) through 10 games.
Lauko unfortunately took a skate to the face vs. Chicago on October 24th and has missed the last six games before being activated from the injured reserve Thursday. The 23-year-old centre had struggled prior to his injury, as he is pointless with six SOG, six PIMs and a -4 plus/minus through six games so far this season.
Forbort has been out of the lineup since October 30th with a lower-body injury and was a game-time decision Thursday vs. Boston. In eight games this season, Forbort has two points (0G / 2A), 16 hits, and 13 blocks. Forbort would be a welcome addition on Thursday to a Bruins defensive core that is without Charlie McAvoy (suspension) and Matt Grzelcyk (upper-body).
Zub has not played since October 21st due to an upper-body injury and was a game-time decision Thursday vs. Vancouver. In four games this season, Zub has scored three points (1G / 2A), eight hits, and nine blocks while averaging 17:57 time-on-ice.
Ullmark will be the starter for the Bruins on Thursday as the team continues their back-and-forth rotation between netminders. Entering Thursday's game against the New York Islanders, Ullmark boasts a 2.30 GAA and .926 SV% through six games (4-1-1) but has allowed four or more goals in two of his last three starts (1-1-1). The Bruins are -128 home favourites against an Islanders team that, despite a respectable 5-3-3 record, scores the sixth-fewest goals in the league (2.65 GF / GP).
Johansson will return to the crease on Thursday after watching Matt Tomkins tend the twine on Tuesday. Johansson has done an admirable job filling in for Andrei Vasilevskiy but after recording consecutive shutouts, has struggled of late, allowing at least four goals in each of his last three games (1-0-2), posting a .867 SV%. That said, the Lightning have a favourable matchup as -229 home favourites against a Chicago Blackhawks team that scores the third-fewest goals in the league (2.36 GF / GP).
Boyd has yet to score this season but has three assists, nine SOG, two PIMs and a -1 plus/minus in seven games played but will be a healthy scratch Thursday as Jason Zucker (lower body) makes his Coyotes' debut. Boyd is in this seventh NHL season and will hope to be back in the Coyotes' lineup sooner rather than later.
Zucker was signed to a one-year, $5,300,000 million contract in the offseason but missed the last seven games due to a lower-body injury but is expected to make his Coyotes' debut Thursday vs. St. Louis. The 31-year-old left-winger has two goals, 14 SOG, six PIMs and a +1 plus/minus in five games so far prior to his injury.
After saving 98 of the first 103 shots he faced this season (.951 SV%) and recording a 2-1-0 record, Vejmelka has been somewhat of a liability between the pipes, allowing 16 goals on the subsequent 115 shots (.861 SV%), failing to record a victory in the process (0-3-1). The Coyotes are listed as slight +102 road underdogs on Thursday but will hope Vejmelka can shut the door against the St. Louis Blues and their 28th-ranked offence (2.36 GF / GP).
van Riemsdyk missed the Capitals' game Wednesday due to a lower-body injury and has been placed on the injured reserve Thursday. The 32-year-old has struggled out of the gate thus far in 2023-24, with no goals, an assist, 11 SOG, two PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 10 games played.
Myers has been recalled to Tampa Bay for the first time this season from Syracuse (AHL) after scoring a goal and three points in 11 games played in his first season in Tampa in 2022-23. He has spent the early part of 2023-24 in the minors, where he had two assists, 19 PIMs and a +7 plus/minus in nine games played so far. The 26-year-old is entering his sixth NHL season and is expected to replace Zack Bogosian, who was traded to Minnesota on Wednesday.
Forsberg will take the crease for Ottawa's second-half of their back-to-back vs. Vancouver after their victory over Toronto on Wednesday night. The 30-year-old has struggled mightily when called upon in 2023-24, with his 2-2-0 record, .863 SV% and 3.42 GAA. He takes on the surging Vancouver Canucks, who have won four straight games and are first in the NHL in goals per game (4.5).
MacEwen has an assist, two SOG and five PIMs through four games in 2023-24 but will be the odd man out of the Senators' roster as he is a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Vancouver. The 27-year-old bruising right-winger will be replaced by Matthew Highmore, who was brought in from Belleville (AHL) to help kill penalties.
Highmore had two goals, five assists, four PIMs and a -9 plus/minus in nine games with Belleville (AHL) and has been recalled Thursday and is expected to draw right into the lineup vs. Vancouver. The 27-year-old forward will replace Zach MacEwen in the Senators' lineup and will hope to add to his 12 goals and 27 points across 139 career games played as he enters his seventh NHL season.
Zub has not played since October 21st due to an upper-body injury and will be a game-time decision Thursday vs. Vancouver. In four games this season, Zub has scored three points (1G / 2A), eight hits, and nine blocks while averaging 17:57 time-on-ice.
Savoie is one of the Sabres' most intriguing prospects after being draft as a first-round pick of the 2022 NHL Draft (9th overall) and is set to make his debut Friday vs. Minnesota. The 19-year-old centre appeared for five games for Rochester (AHL) earlier this season and had two goals, three assists, and six PIMs in six games played.
Peohling has an assist, 10 SOG, two PIMs and a -2 plus/minus through 11 games so far in 2023-24 but will be the odd man out of the Flyers' lineup Friday vs. Anaheim. The 24-year-old centre will give way to Morgan Frost, who has been a healthy scratch for the Flyers previous two games.
Brown has missed the Oilers' last two games due to a soft-tissue injury and is still considered day-to-day even though he skated Thursday. The 29-year-old signed a one-year, $4 million contract in the offseason but has been a massive disappointment as he is yet to collect a point through nine games but has 13 SOG, and a -5 plus/minus.
Frost was a healthy scratch for the Flyers' loss to San Jose Tuesday but is expected to draw back into the lineup Friday vs. Anaheim after taking line rushes with Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny Thursday. The 24-year-old centre led the Flyers in even-strength points in 2022-23 but has yet to get a point through six games in 2023-24 and has only eight SOG and a +1 plus/minus.
