Highmore came flying out of the gate with Bridgeport (AHL) to start this season, picking up four assists in his first four games. He earned himself an NHL call-up but did not draw into the Islanders' lineup, and has been sent back down to the AHL. The 29-year-old is expected to provide some forward depth for the Islanders after he appeared in 41 games with Ottawa in 2024-25, picking up two goals and six points.
Gudbranson has been sidelined for two weeks due to a lower-body injury but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Washington Capitals. The 33-year-old Gudbranson is in his 15th NHL season, his fourth with the Blue Jackets, and was set to be a lineup-regular this season after being limited to only 16 games in 2024-25 because of a shoulder injury.
The Blue Jackets won their previous game, 5-1 over the Dallas Stars, aided by a strong performance from Elvis Merzlikins, but they will continue their goalie rotation, turning to Greaves on Friday against the Washington Capitals. The 24-year-old Greaves has been excellent early in the 2025-26 season despite a losing 1-2-0 record, posting a stellar 2.04 GAA and .928 SV%. The Blue Jackets enter Friday's contest as slight +102 home underdogs against a Capitals team that has outscored its opponents 21-13 through seven games (5-2-0).
Carrier exited Carolina's previous game early in the first period after only 1:16 time-on-ice due to a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old bottom-six forward was off to a solid start to the season, with three points (1G / 2A) in seven games. He is expected be out of the lineup for an extended period.
Robinson exited Thursday's game in the second period after playing 7:38 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury. The 30-year-old Robinson has four points (3G / 1A) in seven games and is expected to be out of the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Miller participated in Carolina's pregame warmup on Thursday but was a late scratch due to a lower-body injury. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour emphasized that Miller "could be a while" before he returns to the lineup. The 25-year-old Miller was off to a strong start with the Hurricanes, averaging 23:32 time-on-ice and scoring four points (2G / 2A) in six games.
Lyon had his first night off of the season in Buffalo's previous game, but he will likely return to the crease on Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After losing their first three games of the season, the Sabres have rebounded, winning three of four, due in part to strong play from Lyon. The 32-year-old netminder is sporting a solid 2.55 GAA and .924 SV% in six games (2-4-0). The Sabres enter Friday's contest as +111 home underdogs against a 3-3-1 Maple Leafs team.
The Kings will turn to Kuemper between the pipes for the fifth time this season when they travel to Dallas on Thursday. Kuemper flourished in his return from a lower-body injury on Tuesday, stopping 17 of the 18 shots he faced in a 2-1 overtime victory in St. Louis. The 35-year-old netminder carries a 1-2-1 record and an .883 SV% into Thursday's matchup in Dallas, where the Kings enter action at +125 on the money line.
The 36-year-old Dane will make his fifth start of the season when the Hurricanes travel to Denver to take on the Avalanche on Thursday. Andersen was tagged with the loss in his last start, allowing three goals on 25 shots in a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Golden Knights. He brings a 3-1-0 record and an .894 SV% into a difficult matchup with the Avalanche, where Carolina enters action at +120 on the money line.
Barron has been productive early in the 2025-26 season for the Jets, scoring five points (3G / 2A) in six games. The 26-year-old forward scored a career-high 21 points (8G / 13A) in 70 games in the 2022-23 season.
Daccord will make his sixth start of the campaign when the Kraken travel to Winnipeg on Thursday. Daccord was finally tagged with his first regulation loss in his last start when he allowed five goals on just 21 shots in a 5-2 loss in Philadelphia on Monday. The 29-year-old netminder brings a 3-1-1 record and .890 SV% into Thursday night's clash with the Jets, where the Kraken enter action at +185 on the money line.
Marchment is starting to find his rhythm in Seattle, scoring three points (0G / 3A) in his last three games. The 30-year-old Marchment was traded from the Dallas Stars to the Seattle Kraken in the offseason, and has four points (1G / 3A) in his first six games with his new team.
The Predators will turn to Saros for the seventh time this season when they host the Canucks on Thursday. Nashville's workhorse netminder struggled in his last outing, allowing five goals on 32 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Ducks on Tuesday. He carries a 2-2-2 record and a .906 SV% into Thursday night's matchup with Vancouver, where the Predators enter action at -115 on the money line.
Hampus Lindholm did not play on Sunday, supposedly given an extra day of maintenance after returning from an injury, but was out of the lineup on Tuesday and will now miss a third consecutive game on Thursday.
The Red Wings' five-game winning streak snapped last night in a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in the front end of a back-to-back. They will switch to Talbot between the pipes on Thursday against the New York Islanders. The 38-year-old Talbot has been sensational early in the 2025-26 season, posting a 1.78 GAA and .932 SV% in four appearances (3-0-0). The Red Wings enter Thursday's contest as +115 road underdogs against an Islanders team riding a three-game winning streak.
The Blackhawks are off to a solid 3-2-2 start to the 2025-26 season and will roll with Knight between the pipes on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. In his first full season as an undisputed starting goalie, Knight has been tremendous for the Blackhawks, boasting a 1.96 GAA and .937 SV% in five games (2-2-1). Still, Chicago enters the action on Thursday as a sizable +262 road underdog against a Tampa Bay team that surprisingly trails the Eastern Conference standings with a 1-3-2 record.
The Rangers have been among the NHL's worst teams offensively early in the 2025-26 season, scoring only 16 goals through eight contests (2.0 GF / GP), but have salvaged a serviceable 3-4-1 record thanks in part to elite goaltending from Shesterkin. The 29-year-old Shesterkin is boasting an incredible 1.17 GAA and .957 SV% through six games this season (2-3-1). Despite being winless at home (0-4-0), the Rangers enter Thursday's contest as -282 home favorites against a San Jose Sharks team looking for their first victory of the season (0-4-2).
The Lightning will hand Vasilevskiy his fifth start of the young season when they host the Blackhawks on Thursday. The former Vezina Trophy winner has endured a tough start to his 2025-26 campaign, going winless with an .886 SV% across his first four starts, although he did look more like his regular self in his most recent outing. Vasilevskiy stopped 29 of the 31 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss in Detroit on Friday. Luckily for Vasilevskiy, he draws a great matchup on Thursday as the Lightning enter action at -300 on the money line.
