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.
Oshie left Tuesday's game following a collision with Taylor Hall, he did not return. The Blues are back in action on Thursday so monitor Oshie's status during the morning skate. They are already without Alex Steen, so if Oshie can't play they will be missing two-thirds of their top-line.
Datsyuk said that he is feeling better but not 100% so monitor his status tomorrow morning.
Varlamov allowed three goals on 33 shots in a win over the Sharks on Saturday. It was his third consecutive win and 19th of the season for Varly. Tonight he will take on the Senators in Colorado, he is 13-5-2 with a 2.23 GAA and .930 SV% at home.
Spezza was skating a line with Mark Stone and Colin Greening in the game-day skate. After missing four games he appears set to return tonight in Colorado. Spezza has 30 points (11G / 19A) and a minus-14 rating in 39 games.
Holland played well in an expanded role while Tyler Bozak was out, but with Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Jay McClement ahead of him, Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle has not been able to find a role for Holland. He will go to the AHL where he will see much more ice-time than the 4:10 he played last night.
Ashton has recorded one assist in 18 games with the Maple Leafs this season. Ashton will replace Peter Holland in the lineup, he has no fantasy value on Toronto's fourth line.
Enroth allowed two goals on 25 shots in a loss to the Jets on December 31 . Enroth has posted a 2.60 GAA and .910 SV% in 13 appearances this season, but still only has a single win. However that one victory came against the Panthers, who he will face on Thursday. The Swedish Olympian could make for a good deep-league spot-start.
Gaborik is not expected to be back in the Blue Jackets lineup until after the Olympic break.
Carrick recorded his first career NHL goal with the Capitals on October 3, it was the only point he has recorded in three games this season. With Hershey the 2012 fifth round pick (137th overall) has four assists and a minus-3 rating in 13 games.
Schneider allowed two goals on 22 shots in a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Despite posting a solid 2.13 GAA and .914 SV%, Schneider has struggled to win games, going 5-9-5 in his first 19 starts with the Devils. He will face a Stars team who have lost three straight while being outscored 18-8.
O'Reilly was injured while celebrating a Paul Stastny goal on Tuesday night. He is listed as day-to-day. Monitor his status prior to Friday's meeting with the Islanders.
