Donskoi has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury and will return tonight vs. the Predators. Donskoi has one goal in three games in his first season with the Sharks.
Smith has missed the last three games with a head injury, but he is expected to return to the lineup tonight vs. Nashville. Smith has no points while averaging just 6:28 TOI.
Schneider allowed three goals on 14 shots in the Devils 3-1 loss to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday. It was an ugly night for Schneider, who saw his four-game winning streak snapped. Despite the loss, the Devils will go back to Schenider tonight in Philly—Schneider enters play at 4-2-1 with a 2.39 GAA and .912 SV%.
Couturier has missed the last two games with a concussion and could miss his third straight contest on Thursday. Monitor Couturier’s status heading into the weekend.
Bellemare suffered a lower-body injury on Tuesday and will miss at least the next two weeks or at least the next six or seven games. Bellemare is a very important penalty killer for the Flyers, so this is a big loss at least for the next few weeks. With Bellemare out, Vincent Lecavalier will make his season debut.
Hickey had originally been ruled “out indefinitely” but head coach Jack Capuano said this afternoon that Hickey will be out for one month. With Hickey out, Brian Strait will play full-time.
Fleury gave up one goal on 39 shots in the Penguins 2-1 overtime win over the Predators on Saturday. After losing his first three starts of the year, Fleury has turned it around winning four of his last five while posting a 1.60 GAA and .944 SV%. He will be in tough this evening vs. a Washington squad averaging 4.14 goals per game.
Vasilevskiy returned to practice on Monday after missing the start of the season with a blood clot near his collar bone. He reportedly looked exceptional in practice which is why he has already been sent on a conditioning stint after just two days of practice. Vasilevskiy is expected to make his season debut with Syracuse tonight and should play another game on the stint, before returning to Tampa Bay next week.
Bennett has missed the last five games with what is believed to be a concussion, but he will be back in the lineup tonight in Washington. Bennett was one of the Penguins most impressive players in the first three games, before he got hurt. He is expected to start on the fourth line, but head coach Mike Johnston said that Bennett will move up and down the lineup.
Kero, 23, registered an impressive six goals and two assists (8 points) in seven games with Rockford prior to being recalled on Tuesday. He will replace Vince Hinostroza on the Blackhawks third line. He is expected to make his NHL debut on Thursday.
Brodie has missed the five nine games of the season with a broken hand, but now he is just over four weeks into a 3-6 week timetable and could return to the lineup tonight. Brodie started practicing on Sunday and was skating alongside Mark Giordano in the morning skate, which is a good sign that he will return. However, he has been officially labeled as a game-time decision so monitor his status during pre-game warmups, which start at 7:00 pm ET.
Jagr left Tuesday’s game with a lower-body injury and did not return. However, this morning the Panthers said that Jagr could have returned if they needed him to. He will be evaluated on Wednesday and Thursday and could be in the lineup on Friday vs. the Bruins.
Hiller was pulled after he allowed four goals on 21 shots in the Flames loss in the New York on Sunday. It has been an ugly October for Hiller, who has posted a 3.52 GAA and .872 SV% en route to a 2-3-0 record. Tonight he will face a Senators team that his tied for ninth in scoring—averaging 2.88 goals per game.
Methot missed the last three games, but will return to the Senators lineup on Wednesday vs. the Flames. He has just one goal in five games this season and despite playing alongside the league’s best offensive defenseman, he is not a good fantasy option right now.
Lecavalier has been a healthy scratch in the first eight games of the season but with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare potentially out with an injury, it looks like Lecavlier will draw in for the first time this season.
Bellemare left Tuesday’s game with an undisclosed injury and did not return. His absence at Wednesday’s practice suggests that he will not be ready to go on Thursday vs. the Devils. If Bellemare can’t play, the Vincent Lecavalier will make his season debut.
Hoffman will miss his second straight game on Wednesday, but he took part in the morning skate and said he felt good today and is looking to play this weekend. With Hoffman out tonight, Matt Puempel will draw into the lineup, but Hoffman could be back for the Senators back-to-back on Friday and Saturday.
Michalek left Tuesday’s practice after blocking a shot, but he was back on the ice for the morning skate and is expected to play tonight vs. the Flames. Michalek, who will skate with J.G Pageau and Alex Chiasson, has two goals and 19 shots in eight games.
Williams missed Tuesday’s practice with an illness but was back on the ice for the morning skate and is expected to be in the lineup tonight vs. the Penguins. Willams has had a nice start to his Capitals’ career having registered one goal and five assists in his first seven games.
Holtby allowed two goals on 25 shots in the Capitals win in Vancouver last Thursday. He was given Friday night off, but will be back in between the pipes tonight vs. Pittsburgh. He has won four in a row and five of his first six starts while posting a strong 2.03 GAA and .917 SV%.
