Shakir Mukhamadullin and Vincent Desharnais will be healthy scratches on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks, allowing John Klingberg and Vincent Iorio to draw back into the lineup. The 23-year-old Mukhamadullin has been solid in limited action this season, averaging 16:42 time-on-ice and scoring five points (1G / 4A) in 12 games.
Askarov's outstanding November came to an end in San Jose's most recent game, allowing four goals on 19 shots (.789 SV%) before being pulled in an eventual 6-0 loss to the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche. Before that, Askarov was nearly perfect on an eight-game stretch (7-1-0), posting a sensational 1.50 GAA and .955 SV%. The Sharks look to rebound on Friday against a struggling Vancouver Canucks team that snapped a three-game losing skid on Wednesday with a 5-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Nugent-Hopkins has been sidelined since November 8th due to an undisclosed injury, but he will return to the lineup on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. Despite a subpar start to the season for the Oilers, Nugent-Hopkins provided ample production before his injury, scoring 16 points (5G / 11A) in 16 games. The 32-year-old forward is pacing for only the second point-per-game season of his career.
Aatu Raty will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the San Jose Sharks, allowing Reichel to return from a three-game absence. The 23-year-old Reichel has one assist in 13 games since joining the Canucks earlier this season.
Lukas Reichel will draw back into Vancouver's lineup on Friday, sending Raty to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 23-year-old Raty has been a regular for Vancouver this season, playing all but two games, and has six points (1G / 5A) in 22 games.
Wilsby has played 15 games this season, often as a seventh defenseman, and will head to the press box as a healthy scratch on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 25-year-old Wilsby is averaging 16:31 time-on-ice and has two assists this season.
Schaefer was drafted in the first-round, 32nd overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old has yet to play an NHL game. He has 14 points (4G / 10A) in 15 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this season.
The last-place Nashville Predators (7-12-4) are coming off a 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings and will likely turn to Saros to tend the twine on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Saros is winless in his last three games (0-3-0), posting a 3.00 GAA and .852 SV%. The 30-year-old Finnish goalie has a 3.08 GAA and .889 SV% in 18 games this season (6-9-3). The Predators enter Friday's contest as slight -107 road favorites against a Blackhawks team that has scored only eight goals in its last four games (0-3-1).
Scott Morrow will draw back into New York's lineup on Friday against Boston, sending Vaakanainen to the sidelines as healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Vaakanainen is averaging 14:33 time-on-ice and has three points (0G / 3A) in 16 games this season.
Urho Vaakanainen will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Boston Bruins, allowing Morrow to re-enter the lineup. The 23-year-old Morrow is averaging 13:11 time-on-ice and has zero points in three games this season.
Kindel recorded an assist in his most recent game, snapping a five-game pointless skid, but was a healthy scratch on Wednesday. He returns to the lineup on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 18-year-old forward is averaging 15:21 time-on-ice and has eight points (5G / 3A) in 19 games this season.
With Andre Burakovsky returning to the lineup, Lafferty will be the odd-man out as a healthy scratch. The 30-year-old Lafferty is averaging 9:091 time-on-ice and has one goal in 10 games this season.
Jarry was stellar, returning from a three-week absence in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%) and will return to the crease on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After an ugly 2024-25 season, posting a 3.12 GAA and .892 SV% in 36 appearances (16-12-6), the 30-year-old Jarry continues his resurgent 2025-26 campaign, showcasing a 2.53 GAA and .914 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Penguins enter Friday's contest as +121 road underdogs against a Blue Jackets team coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Foegele is battling an undisclosed injury and his status is uncertain for Friday's game against the Anaheim Ducks. The 29-year-old Foegele had a career-high 46 points (24G / 22A) in 82 games last season, but is off to a slow start in 2025-26 with only four points (4G / 0A) through 18 games.
Duchene suffered an upper-body injury after a massive open-ice hit from Minnesota's Jacob Middleton in the third game of the season, was sidelined for one game, returned, and has mysteriously been out of the lineup since. Few details have been released regarding Duchene's injury, but has has been practicing with the team for the last several days. That said, there is no real timeline for when he may return, despite travelling with the team on the current road trip. The 34-year-old Duchene led Dallas last season with 82 points (30G / 52A) in 82 games.
Burakovsky has not played in the Blackhawks' previous three games, but he will return to the lineup on Friday against the Nashville Predators. The 30-year-old Burakovsky had a career-high 61 points (22G / 39A) in 80 games with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021-22 season, but has never come close to that total in other seasons. Playing predominantly alongside superstar Connor Bedar, Burakovsky has shown that evasive scoring tough through 18 games this season, scoring 15 points (7G / 8A).
Halliday made his NHL last week, tallying an assist in four games, but will return to the AHL, accommodating the return of Ottawa's captain Brady Tkachuk. The 23-year-old Halliday has 16 points (1G / 15A) in 15 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL) this season.
Schaefer was drafted in the first-round, 32nd overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old has yet to play an NHL game. He has 14 points (4G / 10A) in 15 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this season.
Foligno was limited to only 7:28 time-on-ice in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, exiting the contest due to a lower-body injury. The 34-year-old Foligno has a -10 plus/minus and is off to the worst offensive start to his career, with only two points (0G / 2A) in 23 games.
Jarry was stellar, returning from a three-week absence in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres, saving 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%) and will return to the crease on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After an ugly 2024-25 season, posting a 3.12 GAA and .892 SV% in 36 appearances (16-12-6), the 30-year-old Jarry continues his resurgent 2025-26 campaign, showcasing a 2.53 GAA and .914 SV% through eight games (6-2-0). The Penguins enter Friday's contest as +121 road underdogs against a Blue Jackets team coming off a 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
