Nichushkin missed the Stars season opener vs.the Coyotes on Thursday and is unlikely to play Saturday against the Jets. The Russian winger is considered day-to-day, so you could see him make his season debut next week.
Bishop stopped all 30 shots that he faced in the Stars shutout win over the Coyotes on Thursday. You can’t ask for a better start to the season, but he draws a much more difficult task tonight with the Jets in town. Bishop was 0-2-0 with a 3.13 GAA and .867 SV% vs. Winnipeg last year.
Jones allowed four goals on 14 shots in the Sharks loss to the Ducks on opening night. It was an inauspicious start to the season for Jones, who allowed a goal on the first shot he faced. Tonight he faces the Kings, who he was 3-1-0 with a 1.69 GAA, .950 SV% and one shutout against last year.
Anderson surrendered four goals on 43 shots in the Senators overtime loss to the Blackhawks on Thursday. Despite the loss, Anderson looked sharp to star the season. However, the veteran is a risky option tonight in Toronto. He was 2-1-0 with an ugly 4.11 GAA and .893 SV% vs. the Maple Leafs a season ago.
Sobotka missed Friday’s practice with an upper-body injury that he suffered on Thursday, so his status for Saturday’s game is up in the air. Remi Elie would make his Sabres debut if Sobotka is unavailable.
Quick has been a rock-solid fantasy option over the last eight seasons. The Kings play a sound defensive game and limit the chances against, making Quick’s job relatively easy on most nights. The veteran netminder was 17-14-2 with a 2.29 GAA, .922 SV% and three shutouts in 33 starts on home-ice last season.
Kronwall was often given one game of a back-to-back off last year, so it is not surprising to see him returning from injury in just one of the Red Wings’ games in California. He will likely replace one of the three rookies that played on Thursday.
Ericsson missed the Red Wings season opener on Thursday and will miss both of their games during their Californian road-trip—Sunday in Los Angeles and Monday in Anaheim. With Ericsson and Mike Green still out, the Red Wings will continue to run with a few rookies on their blueline.
Sparks spent all of last season with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), going 31-9-1 with a 1.79 GAA and .936 SV%. It was a great year for the former seventh-round pick, who beat Curtis McElhinney out for the Maple Leafs’ backup job this fall. His first go-around in the NHL didn’t go so well (3.02 GAA / .893 SV%) but he seems to have upped his game since then.
Andersen stopped 34 of 36 shots in the Maple Leafs overtime win over the Canadiens on Wednesday. It was a great way to start the season for Andersen, who struggled during October last year. He was 2-2-0 with a 3.80 GAA and .862 SV% vs. the Senators last year, but they are not the same team this season.
Hamonic suffered the fracture in a fight with Canucks defenseman Erik Gudbranson on Wednesday. Hamonic finished the game but missed yesterday's practice and will now miss at least a couple of weeks. Dalton Prout is expected to replace him on Saturday, but Rasmus Andersson is a potential candidate to draw-in in the future.
Johnson has been battling an upper-body injury and remains questionable for tomorrow’s season opener despite practicing on both Thursday and Friday. If Johnson is unable to play, Mathieu Joseph is expected to take his spot on the Lightning’s third line.
Thorburn went down to San Antonio to open the year but was quickly recalled, taking Niko Mikkola’s spot on the roster. Thorburn won’t be a regular in a deep Blues’ lineup and doesn’t carry any fantasy value when he does play. Thorburn has averaged just five goals, eight assists (13 points) and 99 PIMS per 82 games over 800 games during his NHL career.
Mikkola, 22, was a fifth-round pick (No.127 overall) in 2015 and came to North America this fall after four years in Finland. The 6-foot-5, 198 lbs. blueliner made the opening night roster but sat as a healthy scratch vs. the Jets on Thursday. Chris Thorburn has been recalled to take Mikkola’s spot on the roster.
Stafford was in training camp on a PTO and signed Friday morning after it was announced that Jesper Bratt would miss 2-3 weeks with a fractured jaw. Stafford is not expected to suit up in the Devils season opener on Saturday.
Bratt suffered a fractured jaw after he was hit in the face by a puck that deflected off of the crossbar during Thursday’s practice. With Bratt out, the team signed veteran winger Drew Stafford to a one-year deal after playing on a PTO during training camp. Stefan Noesen is expected to move up into the top-6 in the Devils’ season opener with Bratt sidelined.
In 2018, Lundqvist failed to win 30-plus games for the first time in his career. The veteran was 26-26-7 with a 2.98 GAA, .915 SV% and two shutouts in 61 starts. The 36-year-old’s game is starting to deteriorate as he gets older and the Rangers will likely be one of the worst teams in the NHL this season, limiting his upside. He draws a terrible matchup on opening night with the Predators in town.
