Niku was sent down over the All-Star break but is expected to draw right back into the Jets lineup in Philadelphia on Monday. Niku played the final five games before the break because the Jets are without Dustin Byfuglien and Ben Chiarot on the blue line. Niku, who has great AHL numbers, has just two assists, six shots and a plus-3 rating while playing 12:21 TOI/gm in 10 games with Winnipeg.
Coming out of the All-Star break, Byfuglien remained in Winnipeg to receive treatment while the team headed east. Byfuglien will not play Monday in Philadelphia or Tuesday and Boston but head coach Paul Maurice was also non-committal about him playing when the team returns home to face the Blue Jackets on Thursday.
Hellebuyck allowed four goals on 39 shots in the Jets loss in Dallas on January 19th. Hellebuyck is 4-3-0 with a 2.71 GAA and .917 SV% through seven starts in January and tonight he faces a Bruins team that has won seven of their last 11 (7-3-1). The 25-year-old has gone 8-8-0 with a 2.92 GAA and .910 SV% on the road this season.
Brossoit stopped 43 of 44 shots in the Jets win over the Golden Knights on January 15th. Brossoit is riding an impressive seven-game personal winning streak, posting a 2.26 GAA, .938 SV% and one shutout in the process. Brossoit has been fantastic this season and is a worthwhile spot start in Philadelphia—the Flyers are 4-1-0 in their last five.
Del Zotto has appeared in 23 NHL games this season, picking up one goal and three assists. Tonight he is expected to replace Andy Welinski on the Ducks third pairing.
Ferland tweaked his upper-body injury in Calgary on Tuesday and is a question mark for Wednesday’s game. If he can’t play, Haydn Fleury will dress as the Hurricanes’ seventh defensemen.
Johansen has served his two-game suspension and is set to return to the lineup Wednesday in Vegas. Johansen comes into Wednesday’s game with two goals and nine assists (11 points) in his last 10 games.
Markstrom allowed two goals on 37 shots in the Canucks win over the Red Wings on Sunday. Since the start of December, Markstrom is tied for fourth in wins (11), seventh in SV% (.927) and ninth in GAA (2.11). Tonight he is a solid option against a Hurricanes team that played in Calgary last night.
A couple of days after being acquired from Vegas, Hunt will make his debut in Colorado. Hunt will skate on the second pair with Jonas Brodin and is expected to see some power-play time. Hunt has two goals and five assists (seven points) in 13 games this season.
Dubnyk stopped 30 of 32 shots i the Wild’s win in Vegas on Monday. It was an impressive road win for Dubyk, who has won two in a row while stopping 49 of the 52 shots (.942 SV%) that he has faced. Dubnyk faces Colorado for the third time this season—he is 1-1-0 with a 2.01 GAA and .943 SV% in the first two meetings of the season.
Nolan was in the Blues lineup for three out of the last five games but will head back to San Antonio with Zach Sanford ready to return from a concussion. Nolan has 19 points (10G / 9A) in 30 AHL games this season.
Kyrou was in the Blues lineup for the last five games but will head back to San Antonio with Tyler Bozak ready to return from a concussion. Kyrou has 25 points (11G / 14A) in 26 AHL games this season.
