Luukkonen returns to the crease on Wednesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 25-year-old Finnish netminder struggled in his most recent outing, allowing five goals on 28 shots (.821 SV%) in a 6-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken, but recorded a 35-save shutout in his previous contest, a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Sabres enter Wednesday's contest as +159 home underdogs.
Laferriere played only 9:52 time-on-ice in the Kings' 1-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday and will not play on Thursday due to an upper-body injury. The 23-year-old forward is averaging 16:27 time-on-ice and has 26 points (13G / 13A) in 41 games this season.
DeMelo has been a regular in Winnipeg's lineup the past two weeks, averaging 15:21 time-on-ice in six games. The 26-year-old defenseman has been loaned to the Manitoba Moose (AHL), as Haydn Fleury and Colin Miller are both nearing returns from injuries.
Utah HC has lost four of their last five and will turn to Vejmelka between the pipes on Thursday against a New York Rangers team with points in five straight (3-0-2). Vejmelka struggled in his most recent outing, allowing five goals on 26 shots (.808 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. The 28-year-old Czech netminder has a 2.48 GAA and .912 SV% in 27 appearances this season (10-12-3).
With Tristan Jarry placed on waivers, Pittsburgh has recalled Blomqvist from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). The 23-year-old Blomqvist has a 2.93 GAA and .912 SV% in 12 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season (6-4-2). He was serviceable in a small sample at the NHL level earlier this season, posting a 3.60 GAA and .904 SV% in eight games (3-5-0).
Gatcomb made his NHL debut on Tuesday, playing 7:27 time-on-ice, filling in for Jean-Gabriel Pageau (illness). Gatcomb is an undrafted forward out of the University of Connecticut. The 25-year-old has 17 points (9G / 8A) in 34 games with the Bridgeport Islanders (AHL) this season.
Helenius has not played the previous five games for the Kings and was loaned to the Ontario Reign (AHL) on Tuesday before being recalled on Wednesday. The 22-year-old Helenius is averaging 8:33 time-on-ice and has two points (0G / 2A) in 21 games this season.
Lyon has battled several injuries this season and has not played since exiting a game after the first period on January 7th. The 32-year-old Lyon has a 2.71 GAA and .902 SV% in 16 games this season (8-5-0). The Red Wings have a back-to-back on January 18th and 19th, which could be a potential target for Lyon's return.
Motte was limited to 7:15 time-on-ice before exiting Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks with an upper-body injury. The 29-year-old Motte has been in and out of the lineup this season but had played eight straight games. He has four points (2G / 2A) and 35 hits in 27 games this season.
Kuzmin was a third-round pick, 82nd overall, of the Winnipeg Jets in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old defenseman has yet to play an NHL game. He has four points (1G / 3A) in 21 games with the Manitoba Moose (AHL) this season.
Phillips played 33 games with the Blackhawks last season, scoring six points (0G / 6A), but has been limited to only three games with them this season, scoring one point (1G / 0A). The 23-year-old Phillips was a fifth-round pick of the Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He has spent most of the 2024-25 campaign in the AHL, tallying eight points (1G / 7A) in 28 games with the Rockford IceHogs.
Ekholm has been a staple on Edmonton's blue line this season, averaging 22:51 time-on-ice, his highest total in three seasons. The 34-year-old defenseman has 18 points (6G / 12A) and 62 blocks in 43 games this season.
Tavares is producing at another near point-per-game pace with 42 points (20G / 22A) in 43 games this season. That said, the veteran forward has been held off the scoresheet in three straight. An update on Tavares should be provided before the Maple Leafs return to action at home on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils.
McCabe has not played since being injured in a fight with Philadelphia's Garnet Hathaway on January 5th. The 31-year-old McCabe has been a steadying force on Toronto's blue line and is averaging 20:52 time-on-ice, recording 11 points (1G / 10A), 68 blocks, and 72 hits in 36 games this season.
Motte was limited to 7:15 time-on-ice before exiting Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks with an upper-body injury. The 29-year-old Motte has been in and out of the lineup this season but has played eight straight games. He has four points (2G / 2A) and 35 hits in 27 games this season.
On the front end of a challenging back-to-back, Edmonton will turn to Pickard between the pipes on Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild. Pickard has been unspectacular in the Oilers' crease this season but has yielded positive results, posting a 2.50 GAA and .896 SV% in 16 appearances (10-4-0). The Oilers are coming off a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings and enter the action on Wednesday as -226 road favorites against a Minnesota team they defeated 7-1 on December 12th.
The Penguins have struggled for a large portion of the 2024-25 season, with Jarry not being an exception. After a horrendous start to the Season, Jarry spent several weeks with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, attempting to regain his form. He returned to the lineup in mid-November and, albeit showcasing better results, still struggled, posting a .893 SV% in 18 games (7-6-4).
Noesen did not play in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers and will likely not play on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 31-year-old Noesen is far-and-away having his best offensive season, scoring 28 points (17G / 11A) in 45 games.
Kaprizov returned to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday but will remain out of the lineup against the Edmonton Oilers, missing a 10th straight game. He is still considered day-to-day, but updates have been few and far between regarding his status. Before his injury, the 27-year-old Kaprizov was having an excellent campaign among the league leaders, scoring 50 points (23G / 27A) in 34 games.
Finley made his NHL debut on Tuesday, playing 8:26 time-on-ice while filling in for Brayden Point (healthy scratch). Finley was a second-round pick, 57th overall, of Tampa Bay in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old forward has six points (2G / 4A) in 10 games with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL).
