In advance of tonight’s game in Montreal, the Penguins moved Kunitz back onto the top-line with Sidney Crosby and David Perron. Kunitz has 12 goals and 13 assists (25 points) in 32 games this season.
Shore, 23, was a second round pick (44th overall) in 2009. Shore has recorded nine goals and 21 assists (30 points) in 35 games with San Antonio (AHL) this season. He will report to Adirondack.
Knight, 24, was a fifth round pick (135th overall) in 2009. He has registered eight goals and four assists (12 points) in 22 games with Adirondack. He heads the San Antonio (AHL) where he will play with former University of North Dakota teammate Rocco Grimaldi.
Schmidt, 23, registered three assists in a career-high 33 games with Washington this season. He had been a healthy scratch in five of the last six games.
Oleksy has skated in 33 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) this season, earning nine points (four goals, five assists) and 80 penalty minutes. Oleksy has registered 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) and 86 penalty minutes in 61 career games with the Capitals.
Grigorenko had one goal and one assist in 12 games during his recall. He heads back to Rochester where he has seven goals and 15 assists (22 points) in 30 games.
Varone, 24, scored two goals on Thursday against the Hurricanes. Those were the only two points he registered in the three games during his recall.
Holtby gave up three goals on 33 shots in the Capitals overtime loss to the Flyers on Thursday. The loss snapped his three-game winning streak, but still wasn’t a bad outing for starting his second game in as many nights. In his first start vs. Detroit he allowed four goals on 24 shots in a 4-2 loss.
Anderson was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots in the Senators 5-2 loss to Colorado on Thursday. It was a terrible outing for Andy, who will look to bounce back tonight in Arizona. He has gone 5-5-3 with a 2.84 GAA and .917 SV% in 13 starts against Western Conference teams this season.
Raanta made 11 saves on 12 shots after replacing Corey Crawford in the Blackhawks loss to the Jets on December 23rd. With Crawford making 42 saves last night and the easy matchup, the Hawks will give Raanta his first start since December 21st. He is 6-2-0 with a 1.73 GAA and .944 SV% and makes for a great spot-start tonight. But add him at your own risk, because he is not confirmed.
Despite the Blue Jackets being extremely banged up all year long, Bobrovsky has managed to go 15-10-2 with a 2.75 GAA and .917 SV%. He is emerging as one of the NHL’s premier goaltenders and is now being paid like it. Bob was set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the season, but is now signed through the 2018-19 season.
Raanta made 11 saves on 12 shots after replacing Corey Crawford in the Blackhawks loss to the Jets on December 23rd. With Crawford making 42 saves last night and the easy matchup, it makes sense for the Hawks to give Raanta his first start since December 21st. He is 6-2-0 with a 1.73 GAA and .944 SV% and makes for a great spot-start tonight. But add him at your own risk, because he is not confirmed.
Jurco will miss at least the next three games with a disc issue in his back. Should be be shutdown until after the All-Star break, then he will miss at least six games. This should let the Red Wings take a long look at Teemu Pulkinen.
Salomaki scored a goal on four shots in his NHL debut last night. Despite a strong debut, with Matt Cullen and Taylor Beck coming back from IR, he has been squeezed back to the minors.
Beck has missed the last four games with an illness, but will return to the lineup on Saturday vs. the Wild. He skated on the second line this afternoon in practice, so that is where he is expected to start tomorrow’s game. He has eight points (4G / 4A) in 28 games this season.
Cullen has missed the last six games with an upper-body injury but will be back in the lineup on Saturday vs. the Wild. Expect him to start on the wing on the third line with Calle Jarnkrok in the middle and Olli Jokinen on the other flank.
Higgins was held out of Thursday’s game and was not on the ice for the Canucks’ practice on Friday because of the flu. If Higgins is not good-to-go on Saturday, expect Linden Vey to remain in the lineup.
Elliott allowed two goals on 26 shots in the Blues 7-2 win over the Sharks on Thursday. He extended his winning streak to three games, while posting a 1.34 GAA and .942 SV% in the process. He draws a great matchup with the Hurricanes in town—Elliott is 6-2-0 with a 1.63 GAA and .940 SV% at Scottrade Center this season.
Grossmann suffered the injury in the first period of Thursday’s overtime win vs. the Capitals. He was replaced on the top-pair by Andrew MacDonald this morning. Look for him to be back in the early stages of February.
Parise missed Tuesday’s game to be with his ailing father and then missed Thursday’s game after he passed away from lung cancer. Parise said he plans to be in the lineup and said that his dad would have been mad that he missed two games. Parise, who has 30 points (14G / 16A) in 32 games will be a huge boost to the Wild lineup.
