NHL Hockey Player News

Reimer allowed two goals on 18 shots in a relief effort of Jonathan Bernier in Saturday's 7-1 loss to the Rangers. It his last start, he was pulled after allowed three goals on 12 shots in the first period vs. the Red Wings. Bernier had an ugly night on Tuesday, so Reimer returns to the crease vs. a Hurricanes team who have won four straight and are just two points behind the Leafs in the standings.

Khudobin occupied the starter's crease in the morning skate, so he is probably starting, but we will wait until 6:30 pm EST for warmups to start. Khudobin stopped 31 of 32 shots in a 2-1 win over the Predators on Sunday. He was scheduled to start on Tuesday but the game was postponed, so it would be no surprise to see him go tonight. He has won all three starts with a 1.99 GAA and .947 SV% since returning from an ankle injury on January 2. He appears to have the keys to the 'Canes crease and is a good waiver wire addition for teams in need of goaltending.

Hainsey did not take part in the Hurricanes morning skate because of the illness and will be replaced by Jay Harrison if he can't go tonight vs. the Maple Leafs. Hainsey averages 21:20 TOI and has 10 points (3G / 7A) with a minus-9 rating in 43 games.

Mazanec stopped 26 of 28 shots in a win over the Sharks on Tuesday. It was a big win over a difficult opponent, it was also Mazanec's eighth victory of the season. Tonight he would have another very difficult matchup with the Ducks in town. Mazanec owns a 5-5-1 home record with a 2.91 GAA and .890 SV%.

Hornqvist was injured on Tuesday and is listed as day-to-day. His presence at the morning skate doesn't necessarily mean that he will be in the lineup tonight, but is a very good sign.

Forsberg had been loaned to team Sweden for the World Junior Championships, where he scored four goals and added eight helpers (12 points) in seven games, earning MVP honours. With Patric Hornqvist potentially out tonight, Forsberg would likely slide right back into the Predators lineup. He has one goal and four assists with a minus-8 rating in 12 games.

Stafford will missed his third straight game tonight after suffering an upper-body injury last Thursday. The former 30-goal scorer and three-time 20-plus goal scorer has nearly zero fantasy value anymore. He has recorded just 13 points (4G / 9A) in 41 games this season

Thomas allowed two goals on 35 shots in a 2-1 loss to the Canadiens on Monday. Since returning from his most recent injury he is 1-1-1 with a 2.22 GAA and .935 SV%. Tonight he takes on a former divisional foe for the first time since 2011-12 when he was with Boston. That season he was 4-0-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .903 SV% vs. the Sabres.

A sprained wrist is pretty much the best case scenario for Bishop. He should not miss an extended period of time, but Anders Lindback becomes the Tampa starter until at least next Tuesday.

Khudobin stopped 31 of 32 shots in a 2-1 win over the Predators on Sunday. He was scheduled to start on Tuesday but the game was postponed, so it would be no surprise to see him go tonight. He has won all three starts with a 1.99 GAA and .947 SV% since returning from an ankle injury on January 2. He appears to have the keys to the 'Canes crease and is a good waiver wire addition for teams in need of goaltending.

The Stars have a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, they take on the Devils tonight and the Rangers tomorrow. With Kari Lehtonen allowing seven goals in his last start and the Devils being the easier of the two matchups, my GUESS would be Dan Ellis tonight, but we will find out for sure at 6:30.

Grigorenko took awhile to return Buffalo following the World Junior Championships because of bad weather. There is a decision to be made with Grigorenko. Are the Sabres going to keep him with the team or send him back to juniors? For now it appears he will stay with the team where he has two goals and one assist in 18 games.

Potter has missed the last six games with a groin injury that he suffered on December 27. With Brad Hunt being assigned to the AHL, there is a good chance that Potter will be activated from IR. He has three assists, a minus-1 rating and 21 PIMs in 12 games.

Hunt failed to record a point and was a minus-3 in three games with the Oilers. He returns to the AHL where he has 15 points (3G / 12A) in 27 games.

Smith allowed four goals on 27 shots in a loss to the Flyers on Saturday. It was his fifth consecutive loss and eighth in his last nine starts. Tonight he will take on the Wild at home, he is 9-5-3 with a 2.93 GAA and .903 SV% in Phoenix this season.

Palushaj played in just one game with the Hurricanes, he skated 9:04 and was held off of the score sheet. He returns to Charlotte where he has 28 points (9G / 19A) in 34 games.

Lindholm had been reassigned to the Swedish team for the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championship. Lindholm scored two goals and added seven assists (9 points) in six games during the tournament, helping Sweden capture the silver medal. Carolina’s first-round selection, fifth overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft, Lindholm has played 21 NHL games for Carolina this season, totaling seven points (3G / 4A).

Howard is coming off of a 44-save performance in a 5-1 win over the Stars on Saturday. Remarkably that was Howard's first win since November 29, however he had only started four games in between. On Thursday he will face a Sharks team that he shut-out, but still lost 1-0 in a shootout against on October 21.

Halak will make his first start since December 28. He had been sidelined with an illness for five games, so the Blues will eas him back into action vs. the Flames and give Brian Elliott the second game of the back-to-back vs. the Canucks. Halak lost to the Flames on December 23, a night he allowed three goals on 29 shots in a 4-3 shootout final.