NHL Hockey Player News

Gudas suffered the injury in Minnesota on Thursday and was unable to return to the game. William Lagesson will draw into the lineup in place of Gudas.

McTavish was a surprise scratch for Friday's game with the team not announcing his absence prior to warmups. The Ducks will be forced to dress seven defensemen in his absence.

Bertucci has signed a three-year, $2.85 million entry-level contract ($950,000 AAV) with Dallas after putting up an impressive nine goals, 41 points, and 77 PIMs in 56 games with the Flint Firebirds (OHL) this season. The 18-year-old defenseman was Dallas' 2023 second-round pick (61st overall).

Rees has appeared in 37 games between Charlotte (AHL) and Springfield (AHL) this season and collected only four assists and 18 PIMs in both stints and has been acquired by Ottawa for a 2024 sixth-round pick on Friday. The 23-year-old left-winger was originally Carolina's 2019 2nd-round pick (44th overall) and will now provide organizational depth for the Senators as the AHL trade deadline closed on Friday.

Drouin was a late scratch on Wednesday, with the team not announcing his absence until before warmups. Caleb Jones drew into the lineup on Wednesday as the Avalanche opted to dress seven defensemen. Drouin has six points (2G / 4A) in his last seven games.

Parise has been effective since being signed by Coloraod last month but has missed the last three games due to a lower-body injury. The 39-year-old forward has seven points (4G / 3A) in 15 games while averaging 14:15 time-on-ice.

Lehkonen has been absent from the last two games but could return to the lineup on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 28-year-old Lehkonen has been tremendous lately, tallying 13 points (8G / 5A) in his last 12 games.

Boqvist left Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators early in the first period after playing only 1:12 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. He managed to record an assist in his limited appearance, snapping a five-game pointless skid. Jake Christiansen was recalled from the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) as a potential replacement.

Christiansen played three games with the Blue Jackets earlier this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL. He has 40 points (13G / 27A) in 54 games with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) and could slot into the Blue Jackets lineup after being recalled due to Adam Boqvist suffering an upper-body injury.

Stastney returned to the Predators lineup on Wednesday but abruptly exited the contest after playing 13:27 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. Stastney spent an early portion of the season with the Predators but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in the AHL. In 44 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL), he has 20 points (5G / 15A).

Edstrom played 11 games with the Rangers earlier this season, scoring two goals, but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). The towering 6'8 Edstrom has 12 points (8G / 4A) in 28 games with Hartford this season.

The Kings will turn to Talbot on the front end of a back-to-back in a favourable matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks. After a horrible two-month stretch, Talbot has rebounded nicely, posting a .936 SV% in his last nine games (5-3-1). Talbot has dropped two straight contests but has played serviceably, saving 58 of 64 combined shots (.906 SV%).

Ollas was a seventh-round pick of the Rangers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and has earned himself a two-year, entry-level contract. The 21-year-old netminder has spent the last three seasons playing collegiate hockey with Merrimack College.

Lyubushkin played 16:08 time-on-ice in Thursday's 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers, recording one assist and five hits, but is battling an undisclosed injury and might not play on Saturday. Since joining the Maple Leafs, Lyubushkin has had two points (0G / 2A) and 20 hits in six games.

Marner has not practiced this week and will miss a third straight game on Saturday. Marner's timeline began as day-to-day, but the severity of his injury has elevated over the past week. The talented right-winger was scoring at a torrid pace before his injury, with 21 points (3G / 18A) in his last 13 games.

Jarnkrok returned to the lineup at the beginning of March after recovering from a broken knuckle but will return to the sidelines with a hand injury on a week-to-week basis. Jarnkrok was limited to only 8:16 time-on-ice before exiting Thursday's contest and had two points (0G / 2A) in five games since his return.

The Sharks will return to Chrona between the pipes on the front end of a back-to-back on Saturday, his fifth straight start. The 23-year-old Chrona has struggled in his first NHL season, allowing four or more goals in four of seven appearances (1-4-1), posting a miserable .872 SV%. The Sharks will visit a Columbus Blue Jackets team riding a three-game losing skid.

Bongiovanni is an undrafted 24-year-old from Mississippi who has spent the past three seasons with the Manitoba Moose (AHL). In 34 games this season, Bongiovanni has 15 points (8G / 7A) with Manitoba.