After a short three-game showing which saw him grab one assist and average 13:44 TOI, Georgii Merkulov has been reassinged to Providence (AHL) in exchange for Marc McLaughlin. Georgii returns to Providence where he excelled early in the season prior to his call-up, with two goals and 11 points in 12 games played.
Howden is in his fourth season with Vegas and will remain a Golden Knight for five more season after signing a five-year, $12.5 million contract extension ($2,500,000 AAV) on Friday. The 26-year-old is in his seventh NHL season and is having his most productive career year to date, on pace for 33 goals after scoring eight in his first 20 games to start 2024-25.
Hellebuyck will look for his eighth win in nine games on Friday as Winnipeg heads to Pittsburgh to work on their league leading 16-3-0 record. The 31-year-old is currently leading the NHL in wins (13) and after winning the Vezina Trophy in 2023-24, is a front runner yet again with his 2.20 GAA and .923 SV% in 15 games played this season. Hellebuyck heads to Pittsburgh to take on the struggling Penguins, who have lost four of their last five games and are 22nd in the NHL in goals per game (2.67).
Ekman-Larsson was absent from Toronto's practice on Friday due to an illness and his status for Sunday is up in the air. Philippe Myers was recalled from a conditioning loan from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) as defensive depth in case Ekman-Larsson is unable to go. The 33-year-old has been playing well in his first season with the Maple Leafs, picking up a goal and eight points in 20 games played.
Myers was assigned to the Marlies (AHL) on a conditioning loan five days ago but has been recalled to Toronto on Friday with Oliver Ekman-Larsson missing practice due to illness. Myers signed a one-year contract in the offseason but has only been able to appear in one game with Toronto this season.
Dermott will be the odd-man out on Thursday as the Oilers are going back to dressing just six defencemen. His absence makes room for Kasperi Kapanen to make his Oilers debut.
Joseph has been sidelined the past three games but will draw back into the lineup on Thursday, replacing Matthew Kessel. The 25-year-old Joseph is averaging 13:48 time-on-ice and has one point (0G / 1A), 10 blocks, and seven hits in 13 games.
Raddysh was a surprise scratch on Thursday, with his absence not being announced prior to warmups. Cam Atkinson will play in his place as the Lightning opt to go for a more traditional lineup of 12 forwards and six defencemen.
Atkinson will make his first appearance since November 7th when the Lightning travel to Columbus on Thursday. He is yet to score a goal this season and has just one assist in 11 games.
Valimaki was a surprise scratch on Thursday, with his absence not being announced prior to warmups. Robert Bortuzzo will enter the lineup in his place.
Bortuzzo re-enters the lineup in place of Juuso Valimaki, who was a late scratch for Thursday's game in Boston. Bortuzzo is yet to register a point in six games this season.
Hagg fills in for Alex Pietrangelo, who was a surprise scratch due to a lower-body injury. It's Hagg's first NHL action since he went pointless in five games with the Ducks last season.
The Devils return to action on November 21st against the Carolina Hurricanes, and thankfully will have the services of Meier, who was day-to-day with back spasms. The 28-year-old Meier is averaging 17:24 time-on-ice and has 14 points (7G / 7A), 38 hits, and 63 shots in 21 games this season.
On the tail end of a back-to-back, after losing 3-0 to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, the Golden Knights will turn to Samsonov in net. Samsonov has not played much lately, partly due to injury, and is sporting a pedestrian 3.15 GAA and .897 SV% in six games this season (3-2-1). The Golden Knights enter the action as +140 road underdogs against an Ottawa Senators club amid a three-game losing skid.
Pietrangelo was a surprise scratch on Thursday with his absence not being announced prior to warmups. Robert Hagg will draw into the lineup in his place.
After a rocky start to the season, Georgiev had seemingly turned his game around before a lower-body injury landed him on injured reserve last week. The 28-year-old netminder owns a .913 SV% and a 3-1-0 record across his last four games. He returns to a favourable matchup on Thursday with the Avalanche entering action at -150 on the money line.
Johansson will somewhat surprisingly make his third start of the season when the Lightning travel to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets on Thursday. It's the first appearance for Johansson since he surrendered five goals on 32 shots in a 7-4 loss to the Jets on November 3rd. He draws a decent matchup on Thursday with Lightning entering action as -160 road favourites.
Gadjovich will exit the lineup to make way for Mackie Samoskevich. Gadjovich has just one goal and zero assists in ten games this season.
Samoskevich will re-enter the lineup in place of Jonah Gadjovich, who will be a healthy scratch. Samoskevich has three goals and two assists in 16 games this season.
Knight will make his sixth start of the season when the Panthers travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks on Thursday. It will be Knight's first appearance since November 12th, when he allowed three goals on 23 shots in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Devils. Florida's backup netminder owns an .897 SV% and a 3-2-0 record on the season. He's got an excellent chance of getting back in the win column on Thursday with the Panthers entering action as -250 road favourites.
