Timashov played in the last eight games but will be replaced by Mason Marchment, who will be making his NHL debut, on Thursday. Timashov has eight points in 29 games while playing just 8:21 ATOI in his first NHL season.
Marchment has two goals and two assists in 11 games with the Marlies (AHL) this season and was called up on Wednesday. The 24-year-old winger is 6-foot-4, 220 lbs. and will replace Dmytro Timashov and is expected to skate on the fourth line in his debut.
Brodie missed Tuesday's game with an illness but is expected to be back in tonight vs. the Rangers. Brodie, who has 12 points (1G / 11A) in 36 games, will replace Michael Stone.
Dahlstrom sat as a healthy scratch for the last 12 games but will play for the first time since December 3rd tonight vs. the Maple Leafs. Dahlstrom will be replacing Nathan Beaulieu, who is out for at least one month with a lower-body injury.
Beaulieu suffered a lower-body injury while blocking a shot in Colorado on Tuesday and will miss at least four weeks. With Beaulieu out, Carl Dahlstrom is expected to play Thursday but Sami Niku could be recalled from Manitoba (AHL).
Hughes was banged up late in Tuesday's shootout win over the Bruins but returned to the game and played in overtime. He was on the ice for Thursday's morning skate but will not play tonight, but his availability for the skate suggests it's a very minor issue.
Talbot stopped 19 of 20 shots after replacing David Rittich in the Flames 5-2 loss to the Canucks on Sunday. December was Talbot's busiest month so far and he went 2-2-0 with a 2.09 GAA and .939 SV% in four starts and one relief appearance. Tonight he faces his former team, who have lost three of their last four (1-2-1) road games but possess a top-10 offence this season.
Smith allowed one goal on seven shots after replacing Mikko Koskinen in the Oilers loss to the Flames last Friday. Smith has not recorded a win since November 23rd, going 0-3-1 with a 4.35 GAA and .840 SV% in four starts and two relief appearances since. He'll try to get back on track against a Sabres team that has lost four straight while averaging 1.75 goals for per game.
Hellebuyck allowed four goals on 43 shots in the Jets win in Colorado on Tuesday. Hellebuyck finished December at 5-4-2 with a 3.28 GAA, .902 SV% and one shutout. January gets off to a difficult start with the Maple Leafs in town. Toronto is 13-4-1 and leads the NHL in goal-scoring, averaging 4.05 goals per game since their coaching change.
Lauzon played one game (15:40 TOI) during his call-up but heads back to the AHL with Torey Krug and likely Charlie McAvoy back in the lineup tonight.
Blidh has yet to play this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in September but will get back up to game-speed with Providence. He spent most of his season there last season, posting 10 goals with 13 assists (23 points) in 74 games.
Samsonov allowed one goal on 28 shots in the Capitals win over the Blue Jackets last Friday. The Capitals continue to ride Holtby even though Samsonov has been the better netminder as of late. He was 4-0-0 with a 1.71 GAA and .927 SV% in December and is 10-2-1 with a 2.28 GAA and .918 SV% overall on the year.
Carlsson played in three straight games, averaging 10:34 TOI/gm but had no points and was a minus-2. He'll get replaced by Scott Harrington in Boston.
Harrington has been out of the lineup for the last three games but will replace Gabriel Calrsson in the lineup on Thursday. He has just two assists in 12 games this season.
Bernier stopped all 34 shots that he faced in Red Wings shutout win over the Sharks on Tuesday. Bernier has gone 3-2-0 with a 1.78 GAA, .951 SV% and one shutout in his last six starts. He's been terrific but it's hard to warrant starting him behind the league's worst offence. Especially in Dallas, where the starts are 12-3-1 while scoring 3.19 goals per game in their last 16.
Varlamov allowed three goals on 39 shots in the Islanders win in Washington on New Year's Eve. Varlamov has won two in a row and will make his fourth straight start on Thursday. He was an impressive 7-0-1 with a 2.34 GAA And .922 SV% in December and draws a nice matchup vs. a Devils team that was 3-5-0 while averaging 2.50 goals for in eight road games in December.
McAvoy missed the last three games with a lower-body injury but is expected to be back in tonight vs. Columbus. McAvoy is still looking for his first goal of the season but has 13 assists and a plus-13 rating in 38 games.
Krejci missed the Bruins New Year's Eve game in New Jersey but will be back on the second line on Thursday. Krejci has 28 points (8G / 20A) and a plus-16 rating in 34 games this season.
Krug missed the last three games with an upper-body injury but will be back next Brandon Carlo at even-strength and on the top power-play unit vs. the Blue Jackets. Krug has five goals and 21 assists (26 points) in 33 games this season.
Blackwood allowed two goals on 30 shots in the Devils shootout win over the Bruins on Tuesday. Blackwood has won three of his last four starts (3-0-1) with a 2.67 GAA and .911 SV% and tonight he faces an Islanders team that has lost three in a row (0-2-1) on home-ice while scoring 3.33 goals per game.
