Oesterle was a healthy scratch for the Red Wings' previous game Wednesday but will draw back into the lineup Thursday for Gustav Lindstrom vs. Toronto. The 30-year-old has two goals, one assist, 26 SOG and six PIMs through 27 games played this year.
Gavrikov missed the Blue Jackets' previous two contests due to an upper-body injury but will be a game-time decision Thursday as Columbus takes on Carolina. Gavrikov has two goals, seven assists, 46 SOG, 24 PIMs and a -5 plus/minus through 39 games this season.
Korpisalo allowed three goals on 42 shots (.929 SV%) for his second win in three starts as he beat Carolina in his last game. The 28-year-old has been the Blue Jackets' best netminder this season, with his 6-7-1 record, 3.10 GAA and .913 SV%. He takes on the Carolina Hurricanes, who are on an unexpected four-game losing streak after a 5-3 loss to New Jersey last game.
Merzlikins' nightmarish 2022-23 season adds one more piece to the puzzle as the 28-year-old netminder is now considered day-to-day with a lingering illness. It has been rough goings for the goaltender who holds the league's worst SV% (.865 SV%) and GAA (4.62) so he will be hoping to return to the Blue Jackets' when he is over the illness.
Luukkonen has had a busy week of being sent down and then recalled after winning his previous start for a sixth straight win by stopping 39 of 44 shots (.886 SV%) as he defeated Minnesota his last time out. The 23-year-old has an impressive 9-3-1 record, but a not-so-pretty 3.49 GAA and .894 SV%. He will face Winnipeg, who just snapped a five-game winning streak with a 7-5 loss to Detroit on Wednesday.
Vasilevskiy allowed three goals on 24 shots (.875 SV%) for his fourth win in five starts as he beat Columbus in his previous start. The league leader in wins for the last five seasons has been incredibly solid yet again, with his 17-10-1 record, 2.47 GAA and .918 SV%. He draws the Vancouver Canucks for a start Thursday, who has lost five of their last six games after a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh last game.
Sorokin allowed one goal on 26 shots (.962 SV%) for his third loss in four games as he was defeated in overtime by Dallas in his last start. The 27-year-old has been excellent in his first full season, with his 14-13-2 record, 2.30 GAA and .925 SV%. He takes on the Minnesota Wild, who will be attempting to snap a three-game winless skid that they find themselves in after a 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Rangers last game.
Quinn's move is likely a paper transaction to make room for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to come up and start Thursday's game. Expect Quinn to be in the building on Thursday and be recalled before their next game.
Luukkonen was scheduled to start on Tuesday but was unavailable due to illness, recalling him this morning suggests that he's feeling better and is in line to start Thursday. With Luukkonen coming up, Jack Quinn was loaned to the AHL, but that's likely just a paper transaction to make room for Luukkonen.
Copley allowed three goals on 31 shots (.903 SV%) for his ninth win in 10 starts as he beat Edmonton in his previous start. The 30-year-old has been a mid-season revelation for the Kings, with his 11-2-0 record, 2.56 GAA and .904 SV%. He will face the San Jose Sharks who won their last game 4-2 vs Arizona, and are 22nd in both shots per game (29.9) and goals per game (3.07).
Meyer suffered an oblique strain in the Blue Jackets' previous game and will miss approximately six-to-eight weeks.
