NHL Hockey Player News

Liljegren was a late scratch on Thursday ahead of game time due to an upper-body injury and is not expected to be out week-to-week but is luckily expected to return before the playoffs. The 24-year-old had been playing exceptionally as of late with six points (1G/5A) in his last seven games while occupying Toronto's top powerplay unit.

Samsonov hurt his calf muscle last Saturday and has not dressed for any of the Maple Leafs games this week but will start on Saturday in Buffalo. The 27-year-old has endured a very up-and-down season which included an earlier stint in the minors, but still holds an impressive 19-6-7 record despite his mediocre 3.12 GAA and .889 SV%. He will head to Buffalo to take on the Sabres, who have lost three of their last four games and are coming off an ugly 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Ottawa Senators last game.

Vilardi has missed the Jets' last 15 games due to an upper-body injury but looks just about ready to return on Saturday vs. Ottawa after taking full part in practice Friday (including powerplay). The 24-year-old's return could not come at a better time as Winnipeg finds themselves in the midst of a season-worst five-game losing streak. When healthy, Vilardi is extremely effective as he has 16 goals and 30 points in 38 games played this season.

Graves was forced to leave Pittsburgh's game on Thursday after just seven shifts and 5.27 TOI due to a concussion and is now considered out indefinitely as the Penguins are without a timetable for his return. The 28-year-old stay-at-home defensemen has enjoyed another solid but quiet season in Pittsburgh, with his three goals, 14 points, 30 PIMs and +10 plus/minus through 70 games before his injury.

Fast has missed the Hurricanes' previous five games due to injury but is "probable" to suit up on Saturday vs. Montreal according to head coach Rod Brind'Amour. The 32-year-old has been enjoying a solid season in his usual bottom-six role with six goals, 18 points, 70 SOG and 14 PIMs in 66 GP and 12:46 TOI per game.

The Devils will turn right back to Allen after his outstanding performance in Toronto on Tuesday. The 33-year-old netminder stopped 42 of the 45 shots he faced as the Devils downed the Maple Leafs by a score of 6-3. Allen has posted a 4-2-0 record and an impressive .925 SV% across six starts with the Devils since being acquired from the Canadiens. He's got a great chance of staying in the win column on Friday as the Devils find themselves as -130 favourites in Buffalo.

Angle appeared in two games with the Blue Jackets during his call-up, failing to record a point while averaging 8:20 TOI/gm. His demotion suggests that Alex Nylander (illness) will be back in the lineup for Saturday's game. Angle has 20 points (7G / 8A) in 34 AHL games this season.

Fedotov was a seventh-round pick of the Flyers in 2015 and finally joins them after 164 games in the KHL. Most recently, Fedotov was 21-22-1 with a 2.37 GAA and .914 SV% in 44 games with CSKA Moscow. Fedotov becomes the Flyers' new No.2 netminder and should see a couple of starts down the stretch.

Ivan Fedotov joined the Flyers on Friday and will serve as their backup moving forward. Sandstrom returns to the AHL, where he has gone 11-6-2 with a 3.23 GAA and .882 SV% in 20 games this season.

In his first season with the Maple Leafs, Benoit has five points (1G / 4A), 205 hits and 82 blocked shots in 54 games. Benoit gives the Maple Leafs a rugged depth defenseman who will serve as a third-pairing guy during his contract.

Head coach Luke Richardson described Zaitsev's departure as a combination of illness and a nagging upper-body injury. Jarred Tinordi would likely come into the lineup to replace Zaitsev if he's unavailable for Saturday's game in Philadelphia.

Vaakanainen will draw right back into the lineup after sitting out Tuesday's game as Owen Zellweger will be the odd-man out on Thursday. Vaakanainen has one goal and twelve assists in 61 games this season.

Zellweger will be the odd-man out on Thursday as Urho Vaakanainen draws back into the lineup. Zellweger has no goals and three assists in 17 games this season.

Del Gaizo returns to Milwaukee after a four-game stint with the Predators as Spencer Stastney is set to return from his upper-body injury. Del Gaizo has eight goals and 24 assists in 51 AHL games with the Admirals this season.

Glass will get the chance to play in Arizona on Thursday as Anthony Beauvillier draws out of the lineup. Glass has five goals and five assists in 36 games this season.

Beauvillier will take a seat on Thursday as Cody Glass draws into the Predators' lineup. Beauvillier has no goals and one assist in eight games with the Predators.

Stastney returned to the Predators lineup last 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).

With Thatcher Demko still sidelined due to injury, the Canucks will 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.