Seguin was off to a strong start to the 2024-25 season, scoring three points (2G / 1A) in his first three games, but has been sidelined with a lower-body injury in the three games since. Seguin's impending return will create an interesting lineup dilemma for a Stars coaching staff rostering a deep and talented forward group.
Dumba exited the Stars' second game of the season after playing only 6:02 time-on-ice and has been replaced by Brendan Smith in the lineup in the four games since. The 30-year-old Dumba signed a two-year contract worth $7.5 million ($3.75 AAV) with the Stars in the offseason to be paired next to Miro Heiskanen on the Stars' top defensive pair.
Texier has not played since the season opener for the Blues, missing five games due to an upper-body injury. In his only game of the season, Texier recorded one assist and two shots on goal in 13:03 time-on-ice.
Lafreniere is battling an upper-body injury, and his status for Tuesday's game against the Montreal Canadiens is up in the air. After struggling to live up to his first-overall selection in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the 23-year-old Lafreniere is making a name for himself in his fourth NHL campaign, opening the 2024-25 season by scoring six points (3G / 3A) during a season-opening five-game point streak.
It is unclear if Laughton will be in the lineup on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals after being absent from practice on Monday to attend to the birth of his child. The 30-year-old Laughton has had a high-impact presence early in the 2024-25 season, tallying four points (2G / 2A) and 18 hits through five games.
The Flyers have reassigned Emil Andrae to the Lehigh-Valley Phantoms (AHL), clearing space for Seeler to be activated from Injured Reserve and make his season debut on Tuesday against the Washington Capitals. The 31-year-old Seeler appeared in 71 games with the Flyers in 2023-24, tallying a goal, 13 points, 78 PIMs and a +9 plus/minus.
The Canadiens are riding a three-game losing skid (0-2-1), being outscored 14-7, and will attempt to return to the win column on Tuesday with Montembeault between the pipes. The 27-year-old Montembeault was sensational to start the 2024-25 season, saving 72 of 73 shots (.986 SV%) in his first two games (2-0-0), before losing his next two outings (0-2-0), falling drastically to a .867 SV% in those two games. The Canadiens will host a New York Rangers team that has yet to lose in regulation (4-0-1).
Hughes was given a 6-8 week timeline to return from a shoulder injury suffered in mid-September during training camp and appears to be on schedule to return. The sophomore defenseman will play a key role in the Devils' back end. 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.
With his presence at practice the last several days, Pesce's debut with the Devils seems to be on the immediate horizon. Pesce signed a six-year contract to join New Jersey in the offseason after nine successful seasons on Carolina's blueline. 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.
The struggling Predators, the only team without a point in the 2024-25 season (0-5-0), are looking for a spark and have recalled L'Heureux from the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) to make his NHL debut on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. The 21-year-old L'Heureux was the 27th overall pick of the Predators in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He had 48 points (19G / 29A) in 66 games with Milwaukee last season.
The Islanders will turn to Sorokin between the pipes on Tuesday evening against the Detroit Red Wings. Despite two tremendous outings, Patrick Roy and the Islanders' coaching staff continue to be very liberal in their goaltending rotation between Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov. In two contests (1-0-1), Sorokin boasts a gaudy 1.48 GAA and .953 SV%. After an uncharacteristic 2023-24 campaign, he seems on track to return to the form that made him a Vezina-trophy runner-up in the 2022-23 season.
Slafkovsky has been battling a shoulder injury since last week. He was a game-time decision on Saturday but managed to play and recorded two points (0G / 2A), one shot, and four hits while playing 15:57 time-on-ice. This ongoing shoulder issue continues to be an impairment for Slafkovsky, whose status is uncertain for Tuesday's contest against the New York Rangers.
Tkachuk has not played since the second game of the season on October 10th, missing five contests, but appears to be on schedule for his targeted return date of October 22nd. Over the past three seasons, Tkachuk has been among the league leaders in the NHL, averaging 1.25 points per game. He has two points (0G / 2A) and seven shots on goal in two games this season and will reclaim his spot on the Panthers' top line and top powerplay unit.
On the tail end of a back-to-back against the Philadelphia Flyers, the Capitals will switch to Thompson between the pipes. The Capitals were on the victorious side of a 4-1 contest against the Flyers on Tuesday, courtesy of a strong performance from Charlie Lindgren. The 27-year-old Thompson, in the first season of his tenure with the Capitals, has been limited to only two outings thus far (2-0-0), posting a 3.41 GAA and .877 SV%. The Capitals enter the action on Wednesday as -138 home favorites against the Flyers, losers of five in a row (0-4-1).
Five games into the 2024-25 campaign, the Capitals will continue their goalie rotation and switch back to Lindgren between the pipes on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, losers of four straight (0-3-1). The 30-year-old Lindgren struggled in his first game of the season, allowing four goals on 32 shots (.875 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, but rebounded with a stellar effort in his second outing, saving 22 of 24 shots (.917 SV%), shutting the door in a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars.
Tampa Bay will likely turn to Vasilevskiy for the fifth time in five games to start the 2024-25 season. The 30-year-old former Vezina-trophy winner was stellar in his first two games (2-0-0), saving 46 of 48 shots (.958 SV%), before faltering in his last two (1-1-0), allowing eight goals on 53 shots (.849 SV%). Tampa Bay enters Monday night's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs as +127 road underdogs. That said, Vasilevskiy has been terrific in his career against the Maple Leafs, posting a 2.50 GAA and .921 SV% in 27 outings (15-10-2).
Andrae was recalled by the Flyers at the beginning of the season after Nick Seeler (lower-body) was placed on Injured Reserve, but did not crack the lineup for any of the five games he was with the team. The 22-year-old defenseman appeared in four games with the Flyers in 2023-24 but spent the majority of the year with Lehigh Valley (AHL) and had five goals and 32 points in 61 games played.
Cam Atkinson will likely draw back into Tampa Bay's lineup on Monday night, resulting in Sheary being a healthy scratch. Sheary has played two of the last three games for Tampa Bay, recording a -1 plus/minus, four penalty minutes, and one hit.
Atkinson has been held out of three of Tampa Bay's first five games but will likely return to the lineup on Monday as Conor Sheary is expected to be a healthy scratch. In two games, Atkinson has one point (0G / 1A) while averaging less than nine minutes of playing time.
The struggling Predators, the only team without a point in the 2024-25 season (0-5-0), are looking for a spark and have recalled L'Heureux from the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). The 21-year-old L'Heureux was the 27th overall pick of the Predators in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and has yet to make his NHL debut. He had 48 points (19G / 29A) in 66 games with Milwaukee last season.
