Motte suffered an upper-body injury after playing 9:33 time-on-ice in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Through four games this season, Motte has zero points, eight shots, and six hits. His status for Saturday's afternoon tilt against the Nashville Predators is up in the air.
Lundestrom played only 11:18 time-on-ice in Wednesday's 5-4 win over the Utah Hockey Club before exiting the game with an upper-body injury. The 24-year-old Lundestrom has one point (1G / 0A) in three games this season.
Wood left Wednesday’s loss vs. Boston with an undisclosed injury after just 12:46 TOI but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Anaheim Ducks. A myriad of injuries for the Avalanche thrust Wood onto their top line alongside Logan O'Connor and Nathan MacKinnon, where he should return on Friday night.
Vatrano will not play on Friday against the Colorado Avalanche due to the birth of his child. The 30-year-old Vatrano is coming off a career-best season, scoring 60 points (27G / 23A) in 82 games, but is off to a slow start in the 2024-25 season, with just one point (0G / 1A) in his first three.
Goldsmith was a fourth-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 19-year-old defenseman is in his fifth season in the WHL. He had 15 points (3G / 12A) and 122 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) last season.
The Sharks will continue their early-season goalie rotation and return to Blackwood between the pipes for the third time in their first five games. Blackwood was excellent in his last outing, despite a 3-2 losing effort in a shootout to the Dallas Stars, saving 36 of 38 shots (.947 SV%). The Sharks are one of three teams without a win this season (0-2-2) and enter Friday's contest as significant +317 road underdogs against the Winnipeg Jets, one of three clubs without a loss this season (3-0-0).
With William Eklund nursing an upper-body injury, Smith will draw into the lawn for his first game of the season. The 26-year-old Smith has 22 points (9G / 13A) in 155 career games and is in his first season with the Sharks organization.
Gushchin has not played since the opening night of the season but will re-enter the Sharks lineup on Friday as Will Smith will be a healthy scratch. The 22-year-old Gushchin has four points (2G / 2A) in seven career NHL games..
As part of pre-planned play-management for the 19-year-old rookie, Smith will have the night off on Friday against the Winnipeg Jets. Smith is averaging 14:01 time-on-ice through his first four NHL games this season, with zero points and a -2 plus/minus rating.
Eklund played 21:45 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars but was unavailable for practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to an upper-body injury. The talented 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in three games and is averaging a massive 22:27 time-on-ice.
Slafkovsky suffered a shoulder injury at practice on Friday but will still travel with the team to New York for the Saturday matchup against the Islanders. The 20-year-old Slovak is off to a strong start to the 2024-25 campaign, with four points (1G / 3A) in five contests.
Jiricek had 10 points (1G / 9A) in 43 games with the Blue Jackets last season. The talented 20-year-old offensive Czech defenseman had an impressive playoff run with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) last season, scoring 11 points (3G / 8A) in 14 games, and is trying to become a full-time NHLer this season.
Harkins spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, tallying four points (0G / 4A) in 45 games. The 27-year-old, in his first season with the Ducks organization, has 31 points (13G / 18A) in 199 career NHL games.
Ullmark did not dress for the last two Senators games (1-1-0), but could return to action as soon Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 31-year-old net-minder just signed a four-year, $33 million contract extension with Ottawa days before the start of the season. He has a 2.58 GAA and .914 SV% through two games with the team so far (1-1-0).
Hartman showed no signs of an ailment in his last contest when he scored a goal in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday. He has two points (2G / 0A) in four games this season and will be a game-time decision on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Blomqvist entered the season as the Penguins' third string goalie but has worked his way into the mix due to a preseason injury to Alex Nedeljkovic. In a surprising turn of events, Blomqvist has been the Penguins best goalie this season, outperforming a struggling Tristan Jarry, and will start for the third time in their first six games. The 22-year-old Blomqvist has a 2.86 GAA and .913 SV% in three appearances this season (2-1-0). The Penguins enter action on Thursday as +146 home underdogs against the Carolina Hurricanes.
A sparse schedule and a weather postponement have resulted in the Hurricanes playing the fewest games in the league thus far, only twice in the first two weeks of the season, but will likely turn to Andersen in the crease for their third game on Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Andersen has not played in seven days since saving 19 of 21 shots (.905 SV%) in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Andersen will likely see a steady split in playing time with Pyotr Kochetkov throughout the season unless one can run away with the starting job. The Hurricanes enter action on Friday as -161 road favorites against the Penguins.
The Jets have not played since Sunday and will return to Hellebuyck in the crease for the fourth straight time to start the season when they host the San Jose Sharks on Friday. Last year's Vezina-trophy winner has been outstanding to start the 2024-25 campaign, posting a ridiculous 0.66 GAA and .976 SV% through three games (3-0-0). The Jets are one of three teams without a loss this season and enter Friday's contest as gargantuan -373 home favorites against the Sharks.
Chinakhov is battling an undisclosed ailment but isn't expected to miss anytime, continuing his torrid start to the 2024-25 season. The 23-year-old Chinakhov is averaging 18:44 time-on-ice through four games this season, nearly four minutes more than last season, and has tallied six points (2G / 4A).
The Jets have not played since Sunday and will return to Hellebuyck in the crease for the fourth straight time to start the season when they host the San Jose Sharks on Friday. Last year's Vezina-trophy winner has been outstanding to start the 2024-25 campaign, posting a ridiculous 0.66 GAA and .976 SV% through three games (3-0-0). The Jets are one of three teams without a loss this season and enter Friday's contest as gargantuan -373 home favorites against the Sharks.
