NHL Hockey Player News

Dowd has 10 goals, 17 points, 38 SOG, 18 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 39 games but will miss his first contest of the year as he heads away from the team for the birth of his child.

Noesen has eight goals, 20 points, 75 SOG, 17 PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 37 games with the Hurricanes but will miss his first contest of the year Thursday as he deals with a lower-body injury. He is considered day-to-day for the time being.

Pacioretty has yet to play a game in 2022-23 due to surgery to repair a torn Achilles in the offseason but had been activated from the injured non-roster list Wednesday and will make his season debut Thursday. The 34-year-old was acquired by the Hurricanes in the offseason after a 19-goal, 18-assist season in 39 games with Vegas in 2021-22.

Kochetkov allowed four goals on 30 shots (.867 SV%) to snap a five-game winning streak as he was defeated by the New York Rangers his last time out. The rookie netminder has been phenomenal this season, with his 10-2-4 record, .924 SV% and 2.08 GAA. He draws a good matchup with the Nashville Predators, who rank 27th in the NHL in goals per game (2.72) and 28th in powerplay percentage (17.9).

Grundstrom has six goals, four assists, 53 SOG, 14 PIMs and a -7 plus/minus across 36 games played but will, unfortunately, be the odd man out and a healthy scartch as Brandon Lemieux returns to the Kings lineup.

Lemieux missed the Kings' previous three games as a healthy scratch but will draw back into the lineup Thursday as the team takes on Boston. The 26-year-old has three assists, 15 SOG and 34 PIMs through 17 games so far this season.

Pettersson has 11 assists, 47 SOG, 19 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus through 37 games this season but will be a game-time decision Thursday vs. Vegas as he deals with an undisclosed injury. The Penguins should provide an update as the teams heads on the ice for warmups.

Poehling returned for one game from an upper-body injury but is going to be a game-time decision Thursday as the Penguins take on Vegas. The 24-year-old has four goals, four assists, 34 SOG and a +3 plus/minus through 31 games this season.

Georgiev allowed three goals on 28 shots (.893 SV%) for his fourth straight loss as he was beaten by Vegas in his previous start. The 26-year-old has been faltering as of late, but still holds a strong 15-6-3 record, with a .915 SV% and 2.68 GAA. He will hope for better fortunes against the Vancouver Canucks, who have lost their last three games after a 6-2 loss to the New York Islanders last game.

DeSmith stopped 19 of 21 shots (.905 SV%) in a relief loss vs. Boston in the Winter Classic as he was called upon for an injured Tristian Jarry. The 31-year-old backup does not have a great record (4-7-2) despite having a solid SV% (.911) and GAA (2.99). He will take on the Vegas Golden Knights, who have wont their last two games and are eight in the NHL in shots per game (32.8).

Swayman allowed four goals on 25 shots (.840 SV%) for his second straight overtime loss as he was downed by the Buffalo Sabres in his previous start. The Bruins' backup has struggled this season, with his 7-3-3 record, 2.68 GAA and .897 SV%. He will take on the Los Angeles Kings, who have won three of their last four games and eight of their last 10.

Hill was pulled after allowing two goals on five shots (.600 SV%) just 12:26 into his previous start vs. Anaheim. The Golden Knights backup will be hoping to bounce back and improve on his 8-3-1 record, 2.78 GAA and .899 SV%. He will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins, who will be looking to snap their current five-game skid after a 2-1 loss vs. Boston in the Winter Classic last game.

Pederson has a goal, two assists, and 12 SOG through seven games but will be a healthy scratch Thursday vs. Colorado as Jack Studnicka draws back into the Avalanche's lineup.

Studnicka was a healthy scratch for the Canucks' previous game but will draw back into the lineup Thursday vs. Colorado in place of Lane Pederson. The 23-year-old Windsor native has two goals, three points, 24 SOG and a -5 plus/minus while filling a bottom-six role through 18 games this season with Vancouver.

Delia stopped 35 of 38 shots (.921 SV%) for his first loss of the season as he was defeated by Winnipeg last game. The 28-year-old has been solid in limited action with the Canucks, with his 2-1-0 record, 2.58 GAA and .920 SV%. He faces the Colorado Avalanche, who are in unchartered waters with their current four-game losing streak.

Clutterbuck missed the Islanders' previous eight games due to an upper-body injury but has been activated off the injured reserve and is expected to play Thursday vs. Edmonton. The 35-year-old had just recently become the all-time hits leader in the NHL and has three goals, five points, 14 PIMs and a +4 plus/minus in 26 games prior to the injury.

Copley stopped 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%) for his seventh straight win as he beat Dallas in his last start. The Alaska native has taken the Kings' starting positions reigns and run, with his 9-1-0 record, 2.52 GAA and .908 SV%. He draws his toughest task yet in the NHL-leading Boston Bruins, who have won six of their last eight contests.

Sorokin stopped 24 of 26 shots (.923 SV%) for his fourth win of the season as he beat Vancouver in his previous start. The 27-year-old has been fantastic this season, leading the Islanders with his .926 SV%, 2.29 GAA and 14-12-1 record. He will face the Edmonton Oilers, who have lost their last two games but are third in the NHL in goals per game (3.54).