NHL Hockey Player News

Gruden will take a seat on Thursday as Jeff Carter draws back into the Penguins' lineup. Gruden has one goal in 13 NHL games this season.

Giordano will play his first game since suffering a concussion in a game against the Coyotes on February 29th. Giordano will fill in for Timothy Liljegren on Thursday, who is sidelined with an upper-body injury.

Matthews did not participate in the morning skate on Thursday due to an illness and was a game-time decision against the Washington Capitals. The 26-year-old Matthews leads the league with 59 goals and is only one shy of his career-high. Matthews has 11 points (4G / 7A) during a five-game point streak.

Liljegren is a surprise scratch for Thursday's game as the team gave no indications of a potential injury prior to warmups. His absence makes way for the return to Giordano (concussion), and Connor Timmins will likely move up to the top power-play unit in his place.

Carolina will continue to flip-flop their goaltenders as Frederik Andersen takes the crease on Thursday vs. Detroit after backing up the last contest. The 34-year-old missed a large chunk of the season due to blood clots but is in the midst of a six-game winning streak and holds an incredibly impressive 10-1-0 record with a 2.05 GAA and .925 SV% on the year. He will host the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, who are in the midst of a playoff battle for the final Wild Card spot but have lost two straight and are 25th in the NHL in shots per game (28.6).

Dragicevic is Seattle's 2023 2nd round pick (57th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Thursday. The 18-year-old puck-moving defenseman just completed his third WHL regular season with Tri-City (WHL) and had an impressive 14 goals and 50 points in 66 games played.

Dellandrea played for the first time in four games on Tuesday, registering five penalty minutes, two shots, and one hit. He will return to the sidelines as a healthy scratch as Tyler Seguin returns to the lineup.

After returning from an 11-game absence due to a lower-body injury, Seguin played three straight, scoring four points (2G / 2A), before having the night off to rest in the Stars' last outing. He was replaced by Ty Dellandrea, who will serve as a healthy scratch upon Seguin's return.

The Stars are riding a five-game winning streak and will turn back to Oettinger between the pipes after giving him the night off in a 6-3 win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Oettinger has allowed two goals in each of his last three games, including saving 26 of 28 shots (.929 SV%) in his last outing. The Stars enter action as -110 road underdogs against the Vancouver Canucks, a matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference.

With Thatcher Demko still sidelined due to injury, the Canucks will likely continue to roll with DeSmith in the net. DeSmith has started six straight and saw his three-game winning streak snapped in his last outing when he allowed three goals on 19 shots (.842 SV%) in a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. The Canucks enter action as slight +102 home underdogs against the Dallas Stars.

Lindgren left last Sunday's game after a scary leg injury that fortunately left him with only a week-to-week prognosis. The 26-year-old defenseman has two goals, 13 points, 60 SOG, 30 PIMs and a +19 plus/minus through 66 games played before his injury.

Lindholm will miss a second straight game as he battles an undisclosed ailment. The 29-year-old Lindholm has struggled since joining the Canucks, scoring only nine points (5G / 4A) in 22 games, but scored a point in consecutive games before exiting the lineup.

Di Giuseppe will be a healthy scratch for the fourth time in the last five games as the Canucks prepare for Dakota Joshua to make his return to the lineup. The 30-year-old Di Giuseppe has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 49 games this season.

Aman has played four straight for the Canucks but will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. The 24-year-old Aman has seven points (3G / 4A) in 39 games this season.

The Rangers have won three straight and will return to Shesterkin between the pipes. Despite allowing eight goals in his last two games, including five on 41 shots (.878 SV%) in his last outing, a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Shesterkin has won two straight. The Rangers enter action on Thursday as a +137 road underdog against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who had a nine-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday.

Bains earned his second call-up of the season to Vancouver on Wednesday after scoring 14 goals, and 49 points in 53 games with Abbotsford (AHL). The 23-year-old undrafted left-winger appeared in five games already with the Canucks, but had failed to pick up a point while averaging 12:57 TOI with six SOG and a -3 plus/minus.

Joshua hurt his hand in a fight on February 13th against Chicago and has not played since. The 27-year-old had been enjoying a breakout season in his fourth year in the NHL, with 13 goals, 26 points, 69 SOG, 46 PIMs and +16 plus/minus in 53 games before his injury.

Daccord recorded a 12-save shutout against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday, but Seattle will likely turn to Grubauer in Thursday's rematch. Grubauer has lost five straight, allowing three or more goals four times, including four on six shots (.333 SV%) before being pulled in his last outing, a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. That said, Seattle enters action as a sizeable -217 home favourite against the Ducks.

The Rangers have won three straight and will likely return to Shesterkin between the pipes. Despite allowing eight goals in his last two games, including five on 41 shots (.878 SV%) in his last outing, a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, Shesterkin has won two straight. The Rangers enter action on Thursday as a +137 road underdog against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who had a nine-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday.

Cuylle missed his first game of the season last week, being a healthy scratch. He has 21 points (12G / 8A), 105 shots, and 221 hits in 71 games this season. Matt Rempe will be the odd man out of the lineup on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche.