NHL Hockey Player News

Smith missed the Predators' previous game due to illness but will draw back into the lineup Thursday vs. Tampa Bay as Tyson Barrie returns to being a healthy scratch. The 28-year-old left-winger is having the best season of his young career thus far with four goals, five assists, 29 SOG, 28 PIMs and a +2 plus/minus in 24 games played.

Grubauer will likely start for Seattle on Thursday, continuing a mostly forgettable season for the German netminder. Grubauer has recorded a sub-.890 SV% in eight consecutive appearances (3-3-1), posting a cumulative, ugly .859 SV%. His .200 quality start rate through 15 games is among the worst in the entire league. The Kraken are +126 home underdogs against a New Jersey Devils team that ranks fourth-best in the league offensively (3.70 GF / GP).

Schmidt will be a healthy scratch as the Jets return to the more traditional 12-forward, six-defenseman setup on Thursday. In 20 games this season, Schmidt has only one point (0G / 1A) but has 23 blocks while averaging 16:51 time-on-ice.

Chisholm will be a healthy scratch as the Jets return to the more traditional 12-forward, six-defenseman setup on Thursday. Chisholm has played two games this season, scoring one point (0G / 1A), averaging 11:33 time-on-ice.

Previously skating with an 11-forward, seven-defenseman setup, the Jets will return to the more traditional formation as Nate Schmidt and Declan Chisholm will both be healthy scratches on Thursday, allowing Jonsson-Fjallby to re-enter the lineup. Jonsson-Fjallby has been held without a point in eight games this season, averaging 7:16 time-on-ice.

Bellemare will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Andre Burakovsky (upper-body) to return to the lineup after a 20-game absence. Bellemare has been held without a point in nine straight games, firing only five shots on goal in the process.

Schultz is expected to be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Ryker Evans to make his NHL debut. Schultz has struggled lately, with only one point in his last five games (0G / 1A), posting a -6 plus/minus while averaging 16:50 time-on-ice.

Burakovsky has not played since October 21st, missing 20 games with an upper-body injury, but is expected to make his long-awaited return to the lineup on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. Burakovsky had two points (0G / 2A) in six games before his injury and will likely slot in on the second line with Jared McCann and Alexander Wennberg.

Justin Schultz is expected to be a healthy scratch, allowing Evans to make his NHL debut on Thursday. The 21-year-old Evans was the 35th overall pick of the Kraken in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and has spent the last two seasons with the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the AHL, scoring 52 points (8G / 44A) in 89 combined games. He is expected to play with Brian Dumoulin on the third defensive pair.

Hellebuyck has been sensational lately and will likely return to the crease on Thursday after having the night off in the Jets' previous game on Monday. Posting a 5-2-0 record in his last seven games, Hellebuyck has one shutout and a stellar .942 SV%, allowing more than two goals in only one contest. The Jets are +119 road underdogs against their division rivals, the Colorado Avalanche, who will welcome Cale Makar back into the lineup.

Jones will be a healthy scratch for the Avalanche as defensemen Bowen Byram and Cale Makar, both previously game-time decisions, will suit up for Thursday night's contest against the Winnipeg Jets. Jones has two points (0G / 2A), averaging 12:45 time-on-ice in 12 games with the Avalanche this season.

Byram only played 14:52 in the last game for the Avalanche, exiting with an upper-body injury, but has been deemed fit to play on Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. Byram had an elevated role in the last two games with Makar out of the lineup but will return to his usual spot alongside Josh Manson on the second defensive pair for the Avalanche.

Makar did not play on Sunday after exiting Saturday's contest late in the third period with a lower-body injury and missed a second game on Tuesday. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and has been cleared to return to the lineup on Thursday when the Avs play host to the Jets. Makar has been otherworldly from the Avalanche blueline this season, scoring 34 points (7G / 27A) and a +18 plus/minus through 23 games.

Jordan Oesterle will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Gilbert to re-enter the lineup for the Flames on Thursday. The left-handed defenseman has played 15 games with the Flames this season, scoring two points (0G / 2A), averaging 12:48 time-on-ice.

Walker Duehr will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Pospisil to draw back into the lineup for the Flames. The Slovak-born Pospisil has five points (3G / 2A), averaging 13:09 time-on-ice, and 32 shots on goal through 14 games this season. He is expected to play on a line with Connor Zary and Nazem Kadri.

Dennis Gilbert will draw back into the lineup for the Flames as Oesterle will be a healthy scratch on Thursday. The 31-year-old Oesterle has zero points and a -3 plus/minus in seven games with the Flames this season.

Martin Pospisil will draw back into the Flames lineup as Duehr will be a healthy scratch on Thursday. Duehr has four points (1G / 3A), averaging 8:11 time-on-ice through 15 games this season.

Robinson was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Sabres yesterday in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick and is expected to make his debut with his new team on Thursday. Robinson has a goal, nine SOG, and a -3 plus/minus through seven games this season.

With Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen still out of the lineup with an illness, Levi will likely start against the Boston Bruins on Thursday after serving as the team's backup on Tuesday. This will mark Levi's first start at the NHL level since November 25th when he was subsequently sent down to the AHL, where he posted a 2.94 GAA and .921 SV% in two games (1-1-0) with the Rochester Americans. The Sabres are +239 road underdogs against a Bruins team that scored five goals on Levi (.722 SV%) on November 14th in a 5-2 victory.