Schwartz has not played since March 8th, missing four games with an upper-body injury, but could return to the lineup on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The veteran forward has 23 points (11G / 22A) in 47 games this season.
The Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom between the pipes for the fifth time in the last 10 games after a stretch of eight games with only one start. Soderblom has won two of his last three outings but allowed four goals on 14 shots (.714 SV%) in his last contest, a 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. The Blackhawks enter action as slight +106 road underdogs against an Anaheim Ducks club that has failed to score in three of their last four games (0-4-0).
Bo Groulx will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Meyer to re-enter the lineup. Meyer has not played the last two games after playing five straight for the Ducks.
Ben Meyers will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, making Groulx a healthy scratch. Groulx failed to score a point while appearing in the last nine games for the Ducks.
The Ducks have been outscored 16-2, being shut out three times, during a four-game losing streak and rely on Dostal to tend the twine on Thursday. Dostal has lost three straight games, including his most recent, a 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues when he allowed four goals on 27 shots (.852 SV%). In a rare occurrence, the Ducks are -117 home favourites entering action against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Seattle will likely turn to Grubauer for the second time in three games on Thursday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Joey Daccord started the last game for Seattle and allowed three goals on four shots before being replaced by Grubauer, who allowed three goals on 26 shots (.885 SV%) in an eventual 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Grubauer and the Kraken are +156 road underdogs against a Golden Knights club that defeated them 5-4 less than two weeks ago.
Fleury played 12 games with Seattle last season but has spent the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL), tallying 29 points (5G / 24A) in 57 games. The 25-year-old Fleury was the third-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Jacob MacDonald will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Thrun to remain in the lineup. Thrun has two points (1G / 1A) and six shots on goal in his last four games.
Blackwood has been out of the lineup since suffering a groin injury on February 27th. Magnus Chrona has served predominantly as the starting netminder recently due to Blackwood's injury and Kaapo Kahkonen's trade to the New Jersey Devils. With Chrona reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL), Blackwood will likely take control of the Sharks' crease. Blackwood has a 3.48 GAA and .899 SV% in 35 games this season (9-18-3).
Tampa Bay is riding a four-game winning streak and will return to Vasilevskiy in the crease for the ninth straight game in a favourable matchup against the San Jose Sharks where they are -375 road favourites. In his last outing, Vasilevskiy saved 24 of 27 shots in a 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights. He has allowed three or more goals in seven of his last eight games.
The Hurricanes will search for their fifth straight win on Thursday and will turn to Andersen between the pipes. Andersen has been sensational since returning to the lineup after a multi-month absence dealing with a blood clot, winning all four games, allowing only five total goals, and posting a dazzling .949 SV%. The Hurricanes enter action as sizeable -231 home favourites against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lukas Rousek will replace Robinson on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Robinson has been a regular in the lineup for the Sabres over the last month and has 10 points (3G / 7A) in 42 games this season.
Eric Robinson will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Rousek to re-enter the lineup. Rousek has not played since March 9th and has zero points in seven games this season.
Ian Cole will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Juulsen to re-enter the lineup. Juulsen has not played the last two games for the Canucks and had only one point (0G / 1A) in 10 games before he departed from the lineup.
Noah Juulsen will draw into the Canucks lineup on Thursday, making Cole a healthy scratch. The veteran Cole has nine points (2G / 7A), 67 hits, and 147 blocks in 68 games this season.
Werenski is battling a lower-body injury and might be unavailable for Friday's game against the Colorado Avalanche. Werenski has been effective offensively lately, tallying five points (1G / 4A) in his last four games.
The Sabres will turn to Luukkonen for the sixth time in the last seven games after giving him the night off in their last outing, a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Luukkonen has been tremendous lately, winning four of his last five (4-1-0), including saving 32 of 34 shots (.941 SV%) in his last outing, a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Sabres enter action as +190 road underdogs against the high-scoring Edmonton Oilers.
Crookshank was a fifth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 24-year-old played seven games with Ottawa earlier this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with Belleville (AHL), tallying 46 points (24G / 22A) in 50 games.
Zary was skating on a line with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil at practice on Thursday but is still not likely to return to the lineup on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. Zary has been effective with the Flames this season and had three points (0G / 3A), five shots, and six hits in his last four games before his injury.
Connor Brown will draw back into the lineup for the Oilers on Thursday, making Ryan a healthy scratch. Ryan has only played once in the last three games and has not scored a point in his last 11 games.
