With Brock Faber exiting Tuesday's game with an upper-body injury, Minnesota has recalled Jiricek from Iowa (AHL). The 21-year-old Jiricek has not played an NHL game since being acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has two points (0G / 2A) in 11 AHL games with the Iowa Wild.
Ekblad exited Friday's 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins late in the third period and has not practiced since. The 28-year-old Ekblad is averaging 23:31 time-on-ice, his highest total in four seasons, recording 20 points (2G / 18A), 54 blocks, and 59 hits in 40 games this season.
Mikkola has not played since suffering an undisclosed injury on December 23rd, missing five straight games, but could return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Utah Hockey Club. The 28-year-old Mikkola has 14 points (4G / 10A) in 36 games this season.
Bobrovsky has been stellar in consecutive losses (0-2-0), saving 68 of 72 shots (.944 SV%), but has failed to receive ample goal support from his teammates. He has a 2.76 GAA and .901 SV% in 27 games this season (17-9-1). The Panthers have scored two or fewer goals in four of their last six games (2-4-0) and enter Wednesday's contest as -129 road favorites against the Utah Hockey Club, losers of six of their last seven (1-4-2).
Seattle acquired Sprong via a trade with the Vancouver Canucks in November and has been placed on waivers only two months later. The 27-year-old Sprong has been in and out of the lineup all season, scoring two points (1G / 1A) while being limited to 10 games with Seattle.
Morrissey scored a goal in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Nashville Predators but was limited to only 12:24 time-on-ice, exiting the contest with a lower-body injury. The 29-year-old Morrissey is amid another productive season with the Jets, scoring 38 points (5G / 33A) in 42 games. He has not been ruled out of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Malenstyn is battling an illness and will miss his second consecutive game when the Sabres visit the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. The 26-year-old Malenstyn is averaging 10:30 time-on-ice and has eight points (4G / 4A) in 40 games this season.
Kulich played only 5:18 time-on-ice before exiting Monday's 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals with a lower-body injury. He has nine points (7G / 2A) in 31 games this season. The Sabres have recalled Tyson Kozak from Rochester (AHL) in a corresponding move.
Drouin played 21:50 time-on-ice in Colorado's most recent game, a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers, but will not play on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury. The 29-year-old Drouin has battled through an injury played 2024-25 season. That said, he has been productive in limited action, scoring eight points (3G / 5A) in nine games.
Hronek has not played since suffering an upper-body injury on November 27th and has been assigned to the AHL for a conditioning stint with the Abbottsford Canucks. Before his injury, the 27-year-old Hronek was averaging 23:36 time-on-ice, recording nine points (1G / 8A) in 21 games this season.
Forbort is battling an undisclosed ailment and could miss Wednesday's contest against the Washington Capitals. The 32-year-old Forbort is averaging 18:08, recording three points (0G / 3A), 16 blocks, and 11 hits in 13 games this season.
Pettersson has not played since December 23rd but could return to the lineup on Wednesday against the Washington Capitals. The 26-year-old Pettersson has had an off season after back-to-back point-per-game campaigns, scoring 28 points (10G / 18A) through 34 contests this season. He has been held off the scoresheet in six of his last seven outings.
Thatcher Demko (back) is nearing a return but remains out of the lineup on Wednesday, leaving the crease to Lankinen. The 29-year-old Lankinen has a 2.63 GAA and .904 SV% in 27 games this season (15-7-5). After starting the season with a .912 SV% in his first 21 games (14-4-3), Lankinen has fallen off significantly, posting an ugly .865 SV% in six games since (1-3-2). The Canucks enter Wednesday's contest as +161 road underdogs against a Washington Capitals squad coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
Frederik Andersen (knee) returned to the ice on Wednesday, his first time skating since undergoing knee surgery on November 22nd. He’s almost seven weeks into an 8-to-12-week timetable, indicating that his recovery is still on schedule.
Jenik made his Ottawa debut last and has been loaned back to the Belleville Senators (AHL). The 24-year-old was a third-round pick, 65th overall, of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He has six points (4G / 2A) in 23 career NHL games.
Ivan Miroshnichenko will draw back into Washington's lineup on Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks, sending Vrana to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 28-year-old Vrana has 11 points (7G / 4A) in 25 games this season. He has been held off the scoresheet in four straight.
Jakub Vrana will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks, allowing Miroshnichenko to re-enter the lineup. The 20-year-old Miroshnichenko is averaging 9:25 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 17 games this season.
Pat Maroon will be a healthy scratch on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, allowing Reichel to re-enter the lineup. Reichel has 11 points (3G / 8A) in 34 games this season but is averaging only 12:30 time-on-ice, nearly two minutes less than the 14:07 he was playing last season. The 22-year-old forward has only two points (0G / 2A) in his last 13 games.
Lukas Reichel will return to Chicago's lineup on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, resulting in Maroon being a healthy scratch. The 36-year-old Maroon is averaging 11:42 time-on-ice, recording 10 points (2G / 8A), 39 penalty minutes, and 68 hits in 37 games this season.
The struggling Blackhawks have lost six of their last seven and will turn to Mrazek between the pipes on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche. Mrazek has allowed four or more goals in four straight (0-4-0), including giving up six goals on 28 shots (.786 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. After starting the season with an impressive .912 SV% in 16 games (7-8-1), Mrazek has fallen off significantly, posting an ugly .834 SV% in seven games since (0-6-0). The Blackhawks enter Wednesday's contest as +203 home underdogs against an Avalanche club that is 8-1-1 in their last 10.
