NHL Hockey Player News

Tlusty has been out of the lineup since November 20th, but will return to the lineup tonight vs. the Red Wings. Tlusty is expected to skate on the Devils’ second line with Joseph Blandisi and Kyle Palmieri. He has just three points (1G / 2A) in 16 games this season.

Farnham is battling a minor injury and his movement to IR is retroactive to Tuesday. He will miss at least the next two games and his movement to IR created a roster spot so that Jiri Tlusty could be activated from IR.

Gelinas was a healthy scratch on Tuesday, but will be in the lineup tonight vs. the Red Wings. Gelinas has sat out frequently this season, posting just one goal and two assists in 17 games this year. He will replace Jon Merrill.

Merrill will be a healthy scratch for the second time in three games as Eric Gelinas will get back into the lineup tonight vs. the Red Wings. Merrill has no points and a minus-5 rating in 23 games this season.

Chaput had one goal in three games during his call up but sat out as a healthy scratch on Thursday. Chaput heads back to the AHL where he has 10 points (6G / 4A) in 19 games this season.

Howard allowed two goals on 40 shots in the Red Wings shootout loss in Washington on Tuesday. Howard was excellent but his shootout struggles continued. With Petr Mrazek starting last night, the Red Wings will go back to Howard tonight in New Jersey. The Devils have been impressive this season—Howard comes in at 2-0-2 with a 2.59 GAA and .920 SV% on the road.

Fleury made 24 saves on 26 shots in the Penguins win in Colorado on Wednesday. Entering Thursday, Fleury had lost three of four, so it was nice to see him get back in the win column. Fleury currently ranks fourth in the NHL in Wins (13), eighth in SV% (.926) and 12th in GAA (2.23). He draws a tough matchup with the Kings in town, but he has a career 1.95 GAA in nine games vs. L.A.

Dano has been a healthy scratch in the last four games and only has one goal and one assist in 13 games this season. Dano will work on his game with Rockford after basically losing his roster spot to Bryan Bickell.

Lundqvist gave up two goals on 25 shots in the Rangers loss in Vancouver on Wednesday. Lundqvist continues to play really well, having allowed just four goals on 86 shots (.953 SV%) in his last three starts, going 1-1-1 in that span. Tonight he could face his former backup Cam Talbot in Edmonton—King Henrik has gone 5-4-2 with a 2.05 GAA and .937 SV% on the road this season.

Hanzal missed Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury and is listed as questionable for Friday’s game vs. the Wild. Hanzal has played well this season, but has dealt with injury concerns throughout his career. Monitor his status during pregame warmups.

Dubnyk will miss his second and third straight game with a groin injury. This is a tough situation for the Wild. They have a Friday-Saturday back-to-back, so Darcy Kuemper will start on Friday, but no decision has been made for Saturday. The Wild could go with the veteran Niklas Backstrom, but he has not started an NHL game since last January.

Kuemper stopped 18 of 20 shots in the Wild’s loss in Colorado on Monday. With Devan Dubnyk still out, Kuemper will start the first game of the Wild’s back-to-back. Monday was a strong performance, but overall he is 1-0-3 with a 3.00 GAA and .906 SV% on the season. He could be a solid option on Friday against a Coyotes team that has lost five straight games.

Crawford allowed one goal on 37 shots in the Blackhawks’ win over the Predators on Tuesday. Crawford has won two in a row while turning aside 66 of 68 shots (.971 SV%). Crawford has had his up and downs this season, but he has played very well as of late and draws a strong matchup on Friday. Both the Hawks and Jets are playing on the tail end of a back-to-back—Crawford comes in at 8-3-1 with a 1.92 GAA and .935 SV% at home this season.

Jonas Hiller was reportedly dealing with the flu earlier in the week and then Hudler and Karri Ramo were both late scratches on Thursday, so it sounds like the flu is making it's way through the Flames locker room. Hudler is day-to-day, monitor his status prior to Saturday's game vs. the Rangers.

Ramo was slated to start Thursday's game against the Sabres, but when it was time to play, he remained in the Flames dressing room. Jonas Hiller got the start and there was no backup on the bench. Ramo was apparently available if needed, but never came out to the bench. Hiller was sick this week as well, so the belief is that Ramo was dealing with an illness.

Palat has been sidelined since November 7th with a lower-body injury but will be back in the lineup tonight vs. the Senators. Palat will play in his usual spot on a line with Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov as well as the top power play unit. Palat has seven points (2G / 5A) in 16 games this season.

Rinne gave up three goals on 23 shots in the Predators loss in Chicago on Tuesday. He has gone 1-5-2 with an ugly 3.14 GAA and .868 SV% in his last eight games. A once elite Pekka Rinne is having a rough time right now and things won’t get any easier tonight with the Blackhawks in town to close out a home-and-home series. There is a glimmer of home though—Rinne is 8-2-2 at home this season.

Johnson allowed four goals on 28 shots in the Sabres loss in Edmonton on Sunday. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Johnson, who will start for the third time in four games. Johnson has gone 3-5-0 with a 2.66 GAA and .910 SV% on the road this season and tonight he starts in Calgary where the Flames have won seven consecutive games.

Darling allowed three goals on 36 shots in the Blackhawks loss in Los Angeles on November 28th. Darling has gone 2-2-2 with a 2.58 GAA and .913 SV% in six starts and one relief appearance this season. Last year Darling allowed 10 goals on 105 shots (.905 SV%) in three playoff starts in Nashville. Darling makes for a strong spot-start option against a Predators team that has lost five of seven.