Spurgeon will remain out of the lineup on Thursday but could return to action in one of the final three games of their seven-game road trip. After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon has missed three straight games in the 2024-25 campaign due to a lower-body injury.
Despite losing their last two outings, the Bruins will return to Swayman in the crease for the third straight game. After missing training camp due to contract negotiations, Swayman has been solid to start the 2024-25 season, despite an unspectacular 2-2-1 record, posting a 2.77 GAA and .911 SV%. The Bruins enter action on Thursday as slight -113 home favorites against the Dallas Stars. The 25-year-old Swayman was excellent against the Stars last season, posting a 2.42 GAA and .940 SV% in two outings (2-0-0).
Minnesota, one of four teams without a regulation loss (4-0-2), will turn to Fleury between the pipes for the first time since their second game of the season on October 12th. Fleury was serviceable in his only performance of the season, allowing four goals on 34 shots (.882 SV%), ultimately falling in a shootout to the Seattle Kraken. Despite their early-season success, Minnesota is a +131 road underdog on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, coming off an 8-5 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
The Rangers will roll with Shesterkin between the pipes for the sixth time in seven games to start the season. Despite a forgettable performance in his second outing, allowing six goals on 26 shots (.769 SV%) in a 6-5 overtime loss to Utah HC, Shesterkin has been in Vezina form to start the 2024-25 campaign, posting an excellent 1.98 GAA and .932 SV% in six games (4-0-1). The Rangers are one of four teams remaining without a regulation loss (5-0-1) and enter action on Thursday as -144 home favorites against the Florida Panthers.
Pesce signed a six-year contract to join New Jersey in the offseason after nine successful seasons on Carolina's blueline and will finally make his Devils debut on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings. In 70 games in 2023-24, he had three goals, 13 points, 20 PIMs, and a +10 plus/minus while averaging 20:17 TOI/GP.
Hughes will play his first game of the season on Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings after suffering a shoulder injury in mid-September. The sophomore defenseman will play a key role in the Devils' back end upon his return. In 2023-24, he had nine goals, 47 points, 135 SOG, 28 PIMs, and a -25 plus/minus in 82 games, finishing third place in voting for the Calder trophy.
Sundqvist underwent surgery for a torn ACL towards the end of the 2023-24 campaign and, after a long recovery, was cleared for contact last week and will make his debut on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old veteran enjoyed an average first season in St. Louis as far as personal production, with his six goals, 21 points, 68 SOG and 32 PIMs in 71 games played before the injury.
Fleury has not drawn into Seattle's lineup yet this season, but with Vince Dunn (upper body) not eligible to return from LTIR yet, Fleury has been recalled from Coachella Valley (AHL) several times over the last week. That said, Fleury has been a stranger to NHL action over the last several seasons. After playing 41 games with the Montreal Canadiens in his rookie season in 2019-20, the 25-year-old Fleury has only played 22 combined NHL games since. Last season with Coachella Valley, Fleury had 36 points (7G / 29A) in 65 games.
Alexey Toropchenko (lower body) will return to the lineup from a two-game absence, resulting in Bolduc being a healthy scratch. The 21-year-old Bolduc has two points (0G / 2A) in six games this season.
Toropchenko has not played the last two games due to a lower-body injury but will draw back into the Blues' lineup on Thursday. The 25-year-old has one point (0G / 1A) in five games this season. Zack Bolduc will draw out of the lineup as a healthy scratch.
Binnington has been outperformed by Joel Hofer early this season, but the Blues will turn to him for a second straight game when they face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. After starting the season with a stellar performance, saving 30 of 32 shots (.938 SV%) in a 3-2 win over the Seattle Kraken, Binnington has lost three straight (0-3-0), allowing 10 goals on 78 shots (.872 SV%). The Blues enter action on Thursday as sizeable +195 road underdogs against a Maple Leafs club looking to rebound after a disappointing 6-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in their previous outing.
Only five games into his tenure as a New York Islander, Duclair has suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks. The 30-year-old Duclair was signed in the offseason to add an offensive punch to a typically low-scoring Islanders club and was off to a solid start, with three points (2G / 1A) in five games.
Parker Wotherspoon will draw into the Bruins' lineup for his second game of the season on Thursday, resulting in Lohrei being a healthy scratch. Lohrei had played the last five games for the Bruins, a byproduct of strong play, posting four points (1G / 3A) in that stretch.
Mason Lohrei will be a healthy scratch against the Dallas Stars on Thursday, allowing Wotherspoon to return to the lineup for the first time since October 10th. In his only game this season, Wotherspoon played 12:56 time-on-ice, recording one shot and one hit.
Despite a spectacular 30-save performance for Alex Lyon in a 1-0 win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday, the Red Wings will turn to Talbot between the pipes on Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. Talbot's first start of the season was a sensational 42-save shutout victory but, as a whole, has a less impressive 3.31 GAA and .907 SV% in three appearances (1-1-0). The Red Wings enter action on Thursday as +138 home underdogs against a Devils club that has allowed 14 goals in their last two games (0-1-1).
Pacioretty returned from a two-game absence on Monday, but then exited Tuesday's game after only 9:58 time-on-ice due to a lower-body injury. Pacioretty has two points (2G / 0A) in five games this season. The 35-year-old Pacioretty has six 30-goal seasons under his belt but has been limited to only 91 games over the past three seasons due to various injuries.
The Stars organization made it very clear that Jake Oettinger is their goalie of the future, signing an eight-year contract extension last week, but they continue to be very liberal with their early-season goalie rotation and will return to DeSmith between the pipes for the third time in eight games. The 33-year-old DeSmith has been stellar when called upon early in the season, posting a 1.53 GAA and .941 SV% in two contests (1-1-0). The Stars enter the action on Thursday as slight +103 road underdogs against a Boston Bruins club that has been outscored 24-21 this season (3-3-1).
Woll has not played since a preseason contest on October 5th but will make his season debut for the Maple Leafs on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues. The Maple Leafs are sizeable -229 home favorites. The 26-year-old Woll was projected to be the opening night starter for the Maple Leafs but suffered a last-minute lower-body ailment, resulting in him missing the first seven games and pivoting the starting goalie role to Anthony Stolarz. That said, Stolarz has been terrific filling in this season, posting a 1.83 GAA and .938 SV% in five games (3-2-0), which could pose an obstacle for Woll's playing time if he is unable to get off to a hot start. In 25 games played in 2023-24, Woll had a 12-11-1 record with a 2.94 GAA and .907 SV%.
In their sixth game of the season, Tampa Bay turned to Jonas Johansson between the pipes for the first time but will likely return to Vasilevskiy on Thursday night for their seventh game. After winning his first three outings, saving 68 of 73 shots (.932 SV%), Vasilevskiy has dropped two straight, allowing a troubling nine goals on 42 shots (.786 SV%). That said, Tampa Bay enters action on Thursday as a -145 home favorite against a Minnesota Wild club that has yet to lose in regulation (4-0-2).
Woll has not played since a preseason contest on October 5th but will make his season debut for the Maple Leafs on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues. The Maple Leafs are sizeable -229 home favorites. The 26-year-old Woll was projected to be the opening night starter for the Maple Leafs but suffered a last-minute lower-body ailment, resulting in him missing the first seven games and pivoting the starting goalie role to Anthony Stolarz. That said, Stolarz has been terrific filling in this season, posting a 1.83 GAA and .938 SV% in five games (3-2-0), which could pose an obstacle for Woll's playing time if he is unable to get off to a hot start. In 25 games played in 2023-24, Woll had a 12-11-1 record with a 2.94 GAA and .907 SV%.
