NHL Hockey Player News

Exiting the Olympic break, there was a three-week stretch where Jacob Markstrom played every game for the Devils, but they have relied on Allen more steadily in recent weeks, and he will return to the crease on Thursday against the Washington Capitals for the fifth time in the last 10 games. The 35-year-old Allen was serviceable in his most recent outing, saving 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. He was excellent less than two weeks ago in a game against the Capitals, saving 26 of 27 shots (.963 SV%), but did not receive enough goal support in a 2-1 loss. The Devils enter Thursday's contest as slight -107 home favourites.

Hoglander will take a seat on Thursday as the Canucks opt to get some fresh legs into the lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Ty Mueller will play in his place.

Mueller will make his season debut on Thursday after being recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) last night. The 2023 fourth-rounder has just two NHL games to his name. He's appeared in 59 games with Abbotsford this season, tallying 16 goals and 19 assists.

Lundestrom left Tuesday's game against Carolina with an undisclosed injury and did not return, but he will be available for Thursday's rematch. Lundestrom has four goals and seven assists in 61 games this season.

The Canucks are on the tail-end of a back-to-back on Thursday, so it will be Tolopilo between the pipes for a difficult road matchup against the Wild. Tolopilo will be looking to bounce-back from a dreadful start on Saturday, when he was pulled after allowing four goals on 11 shots enroute to a 7-3 loss in Calgary. The 25-year-old netminder has appeared in 16 games for the Canucks this season, posting a 5-7-2 record and an .886 SV%. The Canucks enter action on Thursday as massive underdogs at +350 on the money line.

Marchment collided with a teammate in Tuesday's game and gingerly left the ice before returning. It's unclear if this is related to what is currently troubling Marchment. The 30-year-old Marchment has been excellent since joining Columbus, scoring 27 points (14G / 13A) in 33 games.

Vasilevskiy has not needed to be dominant in recent games, but has helped his team collect a point in six of his last seven (5-1-1) despite posting a pedestrian 2.44 GAA and .893 SV%. The veteran goalie ended March with a 2.64 GAA and .896 SV% in 13 games (7-5-1), his second consecutive month with a sub- .900 SV%. Tampa Bay enters Thursday's contest as -169 home favourites against a surging Pittsburgh Penguins team that has outscored their opposition 13-4 during a two-game winning streak.

After equally alternating starts between Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon for four consecutive weeks, the Sabres will turn to Luukkonen on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators for his third consecutive contest. The 27-year-old Luukkonen has a terrific 1.96 GAA and .933 SV% in his last five games (4-0-1). That said, the Sabres enter Thursday's contest as slight +106 road underdogs against a Senators team coming off an embarrassing 6-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.

Samuel Montembeault has been an afterthought in Montreal lately, with Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler leading the way between the pipes. The 21-year-old Fowler was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 23 of 24 shots (.958 SV%) in a 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators, and will return to the crease on Thursday. In four March outings (3-1-0), Fowler posted a solid 2.52 GAA and .907 SV%. The Canadiens enter Thursday's contest as -140 road favourites against a New York Rangers team on an impressive three-game winning streak, outscoring opponents 13-3.

The Canucks are on the tail-end of a back-to-back on Thursday, so it will be Tolopilo between the pipes for a difficult road matchup against the Wild. Tolopilo will be looking to bounce-back from a dreadful start on Saturday, when he was pulled after allowing four goals on 11 shots enroute to a 7-3 loss in Calgary. The 25-year-old netminder has appeared in 16 games for the Canucks this season, posting a 5-7-2 record and an .886 SV%. The Canucks enter action on Thursday as massive underdogs at +350 on the money line.

The Kings are coming off a crucial 2-1 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues last night, courtesy of a strong effort from Anton Forsberg between the pipes, but they will turn to Kuemper on Thursday in the tail end of their back-to-back. Kuemper had a forgetful performance in his most recent outing, allowing five goals on 16 shots (.688 SV%) in an eventual 6-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth. He had an inconsistent March as a whole, posting a 2.65 GAA and .891 SV% in 10 games (4-2-4). The Kings enter Thursday's contest as -118 home favourites against a well-rested Nashville Predators team that they are battling with for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

A light schedule for the Predators has afforded Saros with five days off since his last outing, so he should be well rested on Thursday in a crucial battle against the Los Angeles Kings. The 30-year-old Finnish goalie has been far from stellar this season, but was solid in March, posting a serviceable 2.85 GAA and .907 SV% in nine games (5-3-1). The Predators enter Thursday's contest as -118 home favourites against a Kings team that has scored two or fewer goals in four of their last six games (2-2-2).

Brandon Bussi was solid in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the Hurricanes will turn to Andersen to tend the twine in Thursday's rematch. Andersen has had a largely disappointing 2025-26 season, but was finally stringing off consistent wins before losing his last two (0-2-0) while allowing seven goals on 36 combined shots (.806 SV%). The 36-year-old veteran goalie ended March with a 3.01 GAA and .857 SV% in eight games (5-3-0). The Hurricanes enter Thursday's contest as -186 home favourites against the Blue Jackets.

Yan Kuznetsov will draw into the lineup for the first time in three weeks, sending Brzustewicz to the sidelines on Thursday as a healthy scratch. The 21-year-old Brzustewicz is averaging 15:25 time-on-ice and has five points (1G / 4A) in 27 games this season.

Martin Pospisil will draw back into Calgary's lineup on Thursday, sending Beecher to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 24-year-old Beecher recorded an assist and a -1 plus/minus in Monday's 9-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. He has seven points (3G / 4A) in 34 games this season.

With Connor Zary (upper-body) returning from a multi-week injury, Othmann will be the odd man out of the lineup as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old Othmann scored a goal in Monday's 9-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, his first goal as a member of the Flames.

John Beecher will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Pospisil to re-enter the lineup from a one-game absence. The 26-year-old Pospisil played 81 games in the 2024-25 season, but has been in and out of the lineup since making his 2025-26 debut in late January. The Slovak forward has two points (1G / 1A) and 37 hits in 12 games this season.

Hunter Brzustewicz will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Kuznetsov to re-enter the lineup. The 24-year-old Kuznetsov has 12 points (4G / 8A) in 52 games this season, but has not played in nearly three weeks.