Hunt failed to pick up a point through five games played while averaging only 8:36 TOI/GP and has been reassigned to Iowa (AHL) Friday. The 21-year-old returns to Iowa, where he had seven PIMs and a -3 plus/minus in four games played.
Spurgeon has missed the Wilds' first 13 games of the season due to an upper-body injury but has been activated from the LTIR Friday and is a game-time decision vs. Buffalo. The 33-year-old is entering his 14th NHL season and had 11 goals and 34 points in 79 games played in 2022-23.
Fagemo had a goal, no assists and seven SOG through four games with Nashville but has been placed on waivers Friday. The 23-year-old left-winger who was originally acquired off waivers in the preseason, is in his third NHL season and has three goals, and four points in 17 career games played.
Whitecloud has battled an upper-body injury that has prevented him from playing this season but will finally make his debut on Friday against the San Jose Sharks. Last season, Whitecloud played 59 games with the Golden Knights, tallying 12 points (5G / 7A) and a +10 plus/minus rating.
Hill will get his second consecutive start on Friday as he looks to rebound from his first regulation loss of the season. Hill has performed admirably throughout the season, boasting an impressive 1.97 GAA and .934 SV% in eight games (6-1-1). He allowed three goals on 32 shots (.906 SV%) on Wednesday, a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, but will have the opportunity to make up for it against the lowest-scoring team in the NHL, the San Jose Sharks (1.31 GF / GP). The last-place Sharks have won two games in a row, but the Golden Knights are still astronomic -501 home favourites on Friday night.
Dostal will return to the Ducks' crease on Friday after watching John Gibson save 64 of 67 shots (.955 SV%) over the past two games (1-1-0). To that point, Dostal had outplayed Gibson on the season, but still has stellar numbers, boasting a 2.80 GAA and .920 SV% through six games (5-1-0). The 23-year-old Czech goaltender will look to extend his winning streak to five games as the Ducks take on a Philadelphia Flyers team that ranks in the bottom half of the league offensively (2.92 GF / GP) and will be without their starting goalie, Carter Hart.
Duck coach Greg Cronin announced that Zegras has been dealing with a lower-body issue for some time, which could be part of the reason for his sluggish start to the 2023-24 campaign. The talented forward has seen his ice-time drop nearly a full minute since last season and has only scored two points (1G / 1A) in 12 games thus far.
Carter Hart was originally the confirmed starter for the Flyers on Friday but has since been ruled out of the game due to illness. Ersson has started two of the last three games for the Flyers but has struggled to guide his team to victory. In five games (1-3-1), Ersson has an ugly 3.52 GAA and .830 SV%. The Flyers are slight -110 road favourites against an Anaheim Ducks team that will be without star forward Trevas Zegras.
Lauko is set to return for the Bruins on Saturday after missing the last seven games with a facial fracture. On October 24th, Lauko took a skate to the face and was forced to leave the game after playing 9:13. The Czech forward has zero points, six shots, and a -4 plus/minus rating through six games this season.
Czarnik will not play for the second time in the last three games for the Red Wings as he nurses a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old Michigan-born forward is averaging 8:35 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A) in 11 games this season.
Fabbri was kept out of the lineup Thursday for precautionary reasons, easing him back into action after returning from missing 11 games due to a lower-body injury. In his return on Tuesday, he played 12:42, skating alongside Joe Veleno and Daniel Sprong, did not register a shot or point, and had a -2 plus/minus rating.
After recording nine points (3G / 6A) in his first seven games as a Red Wing, Gostisbehere went invisible, recording zero points and a -8 plus/minute rating in his last six contests, leading to his eventual healthy scratch on Thursday. He will return to the lineup on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Husso gave up five goals on 32 shots in the Red Wings loss in New York on Tuesday. The 2023-24 season has been a struggle so far for Husso, who has allowed at least three goals in eight of nine starts while posting a 3.57 GAA and .890 SV%. On Saturday, he'll take on a Blue Jackets team that hast lost three in a row and seven of their last eight, but are expected to get Patrik Laine back in the lineup.
Kuemper isn't expected to miss significant time but did not participate in practice on Friday and will be unavailable for their game against the New Jersey Devils. The Capitals have called up Hunter Shepard from Hershey (AHL), who will back up Charlie Lindgren on Friday. Shepard saved 18 of 22 shots in his only NHL game earlier this season, a 6-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
With Jacob Markstrom out of the lineup, Vladar will start for the fourth time this season. There was some speculation that Dustin Wolf, recalled from the AHL on Thursday, would get the start but the Flames will turn to the more experienced Vladar for the time being. In three games this season (2-1-0), Vladar has a 4.00 GAA and .844 SV%. The Flames are +135 road underdogs on Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season against the Maple Leafs, Vladar allowed five goals on 34 shots in a 5-4 overtime loss.
The Flames have recalled high-pedigree prospect Dustin Wolf as Markstrom tends to an upper-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup. Dan Vladar will start for the Flames on Friday against the Maple Leafs, and it is unclear if Markstrom will be ready for their Saturday matchup against the Ottawa Senators or if the team will turn to Wolf. Markstrom has a 2.91 GAA and .896 SV% through nine games this season (2-6-1).
DeAngelo has played all 13 games for the Hurricanes this season, including playing 15:17 and scoring his first goal in his most recent outing, but will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Florida Panthers. DeAngelo's scratch likely indicates that Brett Pesce (lower-body) will be returning to the Hurricanes lineup.
Raanta is expected to be the Hurricanes' starting goalie for the second consecutive game since the news that Frederik Andersen will be out indefinitely due to a blood clotting issue. In his first game as the bonafide number-one goalie, Raanta saved 19 of 21 shots (.905 SV%) and is on a personal three-game winning streak, saving 61 of 66 shots in that span (.924 SV%). The Hurricanes are -128 road favourites but will be challenged against a Florida Panthers team with points in six of their last seven games (5-1-1).
Levi is the likely starter for the Sabres on Friday after serving as the backup to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in the team's 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Levi last played on November 4th, saving 25 of 29 shots in a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. His rookie season has not gone as smoothly as anticipated, posting a .341 GAA and .885 SV% through five games (2-3-0). The Sabres are -118 home favourites against a Minnesota Wild team coming off a 4-1 loss last night at the hands of the New York Rangers.
