NHL Hockey Player News

Texier will take a seat on Thursday as Kasperi Kapanen draws back into the Blues' lineup. Texier has one goal and two assists in ten games this season.

Kapanen will return to the lineup on Thursday after sitting out Tuesday's game against the Bruins. Alexandre Texier will sit in his place.

Samoskevich filled in for the injured Sam Bennett (upper-body) on Tuesday, but will now be a healthy scratch again on Thursday with Bennett set to return. Samoskevich has two goals and two assists in 15 games this season.

According to head coach Paul Maurice, Bennett had something "tighten up," which prevented him from playing the previous game for the Panthers. Mackie Samoskevich will draw out of the lineup to make room for Bennett's return.

Smith was the 17th overall pick of the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft but has had trouble establishing himself at the NHL level. The 24-year-old puck-moving defenseman has not played an NHL game since a nine-game stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2022-23 season.

Frost did not play the previous game for the Flyers but will re-enter the lineup with Sean Couturier sidelined, day-to-day, with a lower-body injury. The 25-year-old Frost has six points (1G / 5A) and an ugly -11 plus/minus through 15 games this season.

Flyers' captain Couturier is battling a lower-body injury and will not play on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators, with Morgan Frost drawing into the lineup. Couturier has eight points (3G / 5A) in 16 games this season but has been held off the scoresheet in 13.

Brindley was the second-round pick, 34th overall, of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old played one game with the Blue Jackets last season, his NHL debut, after completing his campaign with the University of Michigan where he scored 53 points (25G / 28A) in 40 games.

Martinez has not played since the fourth game of the season, missing 12 straight, but appears to inching closer to a return. The veteran 37-year-old defenseman is averaging 21:02 time-on-ice through four games this season and has tallied one assist, 15 blocks, and one hit.

The Blackhawks will turn to Mrazek between the pipes on Thursday against the Seattle Kraken. The 32-year-old Mrazek has been serviceable this season, posting a 2.85 GAA and .905 SV% in 12 games (5-7-0), highlighted by a tremendous effort in his previous outing when he saved 32 of 33 shots (.970 SV%) in a 2-1 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild. That said, the Blackhawks enter the action on Thursday as +139 road underdogs against a Kraken club riding a two-game winning streak.

The Islanders have lost two straight (0-0-2), both with Ilya Sorokin in their crease and will switch to Varlamov on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 36-year-old Varlamov has struggled this season, posting a 3.01 GAA and .887 SV% in six games (2-3-1), but is coming off his best outing of the season, saving 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Islanders enter Thursday's contest as +163 road underdogs against the Canucks.

The Islanders have lost two straight (0-0-2), both with Ilya Sorokin in their crease and will likely switch to Varlamov on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 36-year-old Varlamov has struggled this season, posting a 3.01 GAA and .887 SV% in six games (2-3-1), but is coming off his best outing of the season, saving 28 of 30 shots (.933 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. The Islanders enter Thursday's contest as +163 road underdogs against the Canucks.

The Canucks will likely turn to Lankinen between the pipes for the sixth straight game and for the 11th time in the last 12. The 29-year-old Lankinen has earned his workload this season, being terrific in the crease for the Canucks, posting a 2.46 GAA and .911 SV% in 11 games (8-1-2). The Canucks enter the action on Thursday as -180 home favorites against a New York Islanders club averaging 2.6 goals per game.

In mid-September, the Canucks announced that 28-year-old Dakota Joshua had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and successfully had a tumor removed but would not be ready for the start of training camp. After several months of recovery, Joshua is expected to make his season debut, likely with limited minutes on the fourth line. The fifth-year winger is coming off his best season in 2023-24, with 18 goals, 32 points, 60 PIMs, 84 SOG, and a +19 plus/minus through 63 games played.

The 32-year-old Brown has 25 points (10G / 15A) in 149 career NHL games, but has spent most of the previous two seasons in the AHL. Brown has seven points (3G / 4A) in 12 games with the Providence Bruins (AHL) this season.

Grubauer will suit on Thursday but serve as the backup to Joey Daccord against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 32-year-old Grubauer has a 3.27 GAA and .877 SV% in six games this season (1-5-0).

Philipp Grubauer has returned from an injury but will serve as the backup to Daccord on Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Daccord has started two straight, both victories, and has been serviceable all season for Seattle, posting a solid 2.71 GAA and .916 SV% in 10 games (6-3-1). Seattle enters the action on Thursday as -164 home favorites against a Chicago team coming off an impressive 2-1 overtime victory over the Minnesota Wild.

Only 16 games into the 2024-25 season, the red-hot Jets are riding their second seven-game winning streak and will turn to Comrie between the pipes in a cross-conference matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Comrie has only played once in the past eight games but has been serviceable in limited action when called upon, posting a 2.67 GAA and .914 SV% in three games (3-0-0). The Jets enter Thursday's contest as slight -102 road favorites against a Lightning squad riding a four-game losing skid.

Ullmark is riding his first two-game winning streak as a Senator and will try to extend it to three on Thursday. The 31-year-old Ullmark has a 2.51 GAA and .904 SV% in nine games (4-4-0) and is coming off his best performance of the season, saving all 27 shots he faced for his first shutout in a 3-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Senators enter the action on Thursday as -174 home favorites against a Flyers club with points in three straight (2-0-1).

With Viktor Arvidsson battling an undisclosed injury, the Oilers will switch to an 11-forward, seven-defenseman formation and bring Dermott into the lineup. The 27-year-old Dermott is averaging 15:14 time-on-ice, has zero points, and a -2 plus/minus in six games this season.