Stone was not at practice on Friday due to the birth of his child and his status for Saturday's game against Utah HC is currently uncertain. The 32-year-old Stone is off to a monstrous start to the 2024-25 campaign, tied for the lead in NHL scoring with 19 points (5G / 14A) in 11 games.
In the front end of a back-to-back against the Dallas Stars as part of the NHL Global Series in Finald, the Panthers will turn to Bobrovsky between the pipes. The 36-year-old Bobrovsky has had an up-and-down 2024-25 campaign, posting a pedestrian 2.97 GAA and .892 SV%. That said, Bobrovsky has been sensational against the Dallas Stars in his career, posting a 2.35 GAA and .924 SV% in 23 contests (18-2-2). The Panthers enter Friday's contest against the Stars as -118 favorites.
Justin Kirkland will be a healthy scratch for the first time since the opening game of the season, as Rooney re-enters the lineup for the Flames. In three games this season, Rooney has a -1 plus/minus and 10 hits.
Daniil Miromanov will draw into the Flames lineup for his ninth game of the season, replacing Bean. The 26-year-old Bean had a -2 plus/minus in Wednesday's 5-1 loss to Utah HC but has been productive from the blueline this season, tallying three points (1G / 2A) in seven games.
Kevin Rooney will draw into the Flames lineup on Friday, replacing Kirkland after playing nine straight games. The 26-year-old Kirkland has been productive in a limited role this season, averaging 11:22 time-on-ice and scoring five points (1G / 4A) in nine games.
Jake Bean will be a healthy scratch on Friday, allowing Miromanov to re-enter the lineup for the Flames. The 27-year-old Miromanov has been a regular in the lineup most of the season for the Flames, averaging 17:56 time-on-ice, recording one assist, 12 blocks, and five hits in eight games.
With Tampa Bay looking for a season-best four-game winning streak, they will turn to Vasilevskiy between the pipes on Friday night for his fifth straight start. The 30-year-old Vasilevskiy has had an up-and-down season, with a 2.47 GAA and .911 SV% in nine games (6-3-1), but has been exceptional lately, allowing two or fewer goals in three straight (3-0-0), posting a stellar .962 SV%. Tampa Bay enters the action on Friday as slight +103 road underdogs against a Minnesota Wild club with only one regulation loss (6-1-2).
Coronato played five games with the Flames earlier this season, scoring two points (2G / 0A), and will draw back into their lineup after Samuel Honzek was reassigned to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL). Coronato was the 13th overall pick of the Flames in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and had an excellent 2023-24 campaign with the Wranglers, scoring 42 points (15G / 27A) in 41 games.
Tarasenko was battling the flu and did not play on Wednesday, but will return to the lineup of Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. The 32-year-old Tarasenko is off to a slow start in his inaugural season with the Red Wings, scoring only three points (2G / 1A) in his first nine games.
The Red Wings have been wildly inconsistent to start the 2024-25 season, heavily relying on their goaltenders, with a 4-5-1 record. Talbot will get the start in the crease on Saturday and has been equally inconsistent, a byproduct of porous team play, posting a 3.16 GAA and .913 SV% in five appearances (2-1-1). The Red Wings, with Alex Lyon between the pipes, were defeated 5-3 by the Buffalo Sabres one week ago.
Most teams that started the 2024-25 season by alternating goalies have geared away to the hotter hand, but in their 11th game of the season, the Flames will keep that trend alive and turn to Vladar between the pipes for his sixth start. The 27-year-old Vladar has been serviceable, albeit unspectacular, recording a 2-2-1 record with a 3.18 GAA and .895 SV%. The Flames, riding a four-game losing skid (0-4-0), enter Friday's contest against the New Jersey Devils, winners of two straight, as +151 home underdogs.
The Islanders have been very liberal in alternating goalies this season despite Sorokin seemingly returning to the form that made him a Vezina-trophy runner-up in the 2022-23 season. The 29-year-old Sorokin has been terrific to start the 2024-25 campaign, posting a dazzling 1.80 GAA and .932 SV%, but only has a 2-2-1 record to show for it. The Islanders rank worst in the league offensively, averaging only 2.2 goals per game, and enter the action on Friday as slight -104 road underdogs against the Buffalo Sabres.
Romanov has missed three straight games due to an upper-body injury but is likely to make his return on Friday, replacing Dennis Cholowski. The 24-year-old Romanov has two points (0G / 2A), 19 blocks, and 14 hits in eight games this season.
Bains recorded his first career NHL goal on Saturday and has been impressive in Vancouver this season but continues to be a part of paper transactions sending him back to Abbotsford (AHL) due to salary cap implications. Last season with Abbotsford (AHL), Bains was an offensive stalwart, producing 55 points (16G / 39A) in 59 games, but the 23-year-old has played exclusively at the NHL level this season.
Brannstrom has been solid in Vancouver this season, averaging 14:15 time-on-ice from the blue line, tallying a point (0G / 1A) and a +3 plus/minus. That said, he continues to be a part of paper transactions, sending him back and forth from Abbotsford (AHL) due to salary cap implications.
Declan Chisholm will draw in Minnesota's lineup on Friday for his seventh game of the season, resulting in Merrill being a healthy scratch. The 32-year-old Merrill has been a lineup-regular for Minnesota this season, averaging 13:01 time-on-ice and scoring one point (0G / 1A) in nine games.
Jon Merrill will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, allowing Chisholm to slide back into the lineup. The 24-year-old Chisholm has played six games this season, scoring one point (0G / 1A) and averaging 14:41 time-on-ice.
Ryan Hartman (upper body) will make his return from a five-game absence, making Gaudreau the odd man out of the lineup on Friday. The 31-year-old Gaudreau is averaging 13:59 time-on-ice and has three points (2G / 1A) through nine games this season.
With Mathew Barzal (upper-body) away from the team to get evaluated, Engvall will slide back into the Islanders lineup on Friday. The 28-year-old Engvall is averaging 10:27 time-on-ice and has four penalty minutes in two games this season.
Hartman has missed the last five games due to an upper-body injury but will make his return to the lineup on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, replacing Frederick Gaudreau. The 30-year-old Hartman was off to a strong start to the season before his injury, with two goals in his first four games.
