NHL Hockey Player News

Zibanejad is day-to-day with an illness, so David Desharnais will take his spot on the Rangers top line. Monitor Zibanejad’s status heading into Thursday’s game in Tampa Bay.

Fleury allowed two goals on 36 shots in the Golden Knights win in New Jersey on Sunday. Surprisingly, Fleury has lost three of his last six starts while posting a 3.01 GAA and .910 SV%—the worst stretch of his 2017-18 season. In his first start against the Blue Jackets, Fleury allowed three goals on 32 shots in a 6-3 win in late-January.

Vasilevskiy allowed six goals on 43 shots in the Lightning’s win shootout win over the Flyers on Saturday. It is rare that a goalie who allows six goals can be considered as one of the three stars, but that was the case on Saturday afternoon. Vasilevskiy has won four of his last five starts while allowing a combined 16 goals on 176 shots (.909 SV%). He has gone 2-1-0 with a 4.39 GAA and .879 SV% vs. the Panthers this season.

Sikura is in his first season with the Blackhawks organization and has scored 16 goals with nine assists (25 points) in 57 games with Rockford (AHL).

Gustafsson was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season but is now signed through the 2019-20 season. The 25-year-old defenseman was drafted in the fourth round (No.93 overall) in 2012 and has picked up five points (1G / 4A) in 19 games with the Blackhawks this season.

Khudobin allowed one goal on 28 shots in the Bruins overtime win over the Canadiens on Saturday. Khudobin started because Tuukka Rask is dealing with a minor injury, but it’s still lingering so Khudobin will start again tonight. The 31-year-old has gone 5-2-2 with a 2.53 GAA and .913 SV% on home ice this season.

McAvoy got tangled up in the corner during his first shift against the Red Wings over the weekend. The injury ended up being a sprained MCL and will cost him at least one month. The good news is that his season isn’t over and McAvoy should be ready to go for the playoffs.

Kinkaid allowed two goals on 29 shots in the Devils loss in Carolina on Friday. Kinkaid has played very well as of late, winning five of his last seven starts while posting a 2.11 GAA and .933 SV%. The Canadiens are in town and Kinkaid has gone 6-3-0 with a 2.43 GAA and .902 SV% on home-ice this season.

Bobrovsky will not dress against Vegas tonight, so Joonas Korpisalo will get the start and Jeff Zatkoff is up from Cleveland (AHL) to back him up. Bobrovsky is day-to-day and should be ready for either Thursday vs. the Avalanche or Friday vs. the Red Wings.

Korpisalo allowed five goals on 34 shots in the Blue Jackets loss in Los Angeles last Thursday. With Sergei Bobrovsky (illness) not available tonight, Korpisalo will face the Golden Knights on home-ice. The matchup isn’t ideal, but the 23-year-old has gone 4-2- 0 with a 2.47 GAA and .924 SV% at Nationwide Arena this season.

Zatkoff, 30, has gone 2-3-0 with a 3.56 GAA and .863 SV% in seven games with the Monsters this season. There’s no reason why Zatkoff has been recalled but expect him to backup on Tuesday.

McKenna has been recalled and is expected to serve as Kari Lehtonen’s backup with Ben Bishop sidelined with a lower-body injury. McKenna has gone 14-9-1 with a 2.64 GAA and .908 SV% with Texas this season.

Lindell will miss his second straight game with an illness. Lindell was listed as day-to-day so he should be considered as questionable heading into Friday’s game vs. the Ducks.

Faksa will miss his second straight game with a foot injury. Faksa was listed as day-to-day so he should be considered as questionable heading into Friday’s game vs. the Ducks.

Bishop was hurt in the first period Monday’s game vs. the Senators and was replaced by Kari Lehtonen for the second period. Bishop won’t play Tuesday or Friday and will be re-evaluated heading into Sunday’s game in Pittsburgh. Expect Lehtonen to start the next two games.

Martin was serving as Semyon Varlamov’s backup with both Jonathan Bernier and Andrew Hammond being sidelined by concussions. Bernier is set to return as Varlamov’s backup on Tuesday, so Martin heads back to the Rampage, where he has gone 13-12-0 while posting a 3.06 GAA and .894 SV% in 30 games.

Kunin tore his ACL in Sunday’s game against the Red Wings and his season is over. This is a tough break for the former first-round pick (No.15 overall in 2016) who appeared to have earned a role with the Wild down the stretch after picking up 19 points (10G / 9A) in 36 games with Iowa (AHL).

Hutchinson only played in two games with the Jets during his call-up, going 2-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA and .933 SV%. With Steve Mason being activated from IR, Hutchinson returns to the Moose, where he has gone 15-2-1 with a 1.95 GAA and .942 SV% in 21 games.