Despite placing second on the Blackhawks with 54 points (18G / 36A) last season, Kurashev was a healthy scratch on Tuesday. He will draw back into the lineup on Friday against the Nashville Predators and hope to improve on a disappointing start to the 2024-25 season, with one point (1G / 0A) and a -6 plus/minus in six games.
The Flames have evenly rotated their goalies six games into the season and, being one of four teams without a regulation loss (5-0-1), are happy with the results. Vladar will occupy the Flames crease for the fourth time in seven games on Thursday when they host the Carolina Hurricanes. The 27-year-old Vladar has a 2.63 GAA and .890 SV% in three games (2-0-1). The Flames enter the action on Thursday as +172 home underdogs against a Hurricanes club that scored three unanswered goals to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday.
Barkov has missed the last six games due to a lower-body injury and will miss at least one more before a potential return to the lineup. The defending Stanley Cup Champions are off to a reasonable start to the 2024-25 season, posting a 4-3-1 record, but will be overjoyed to have their captain back in the lineup. Last season, Barkov had 80 points (23G / 57A) in 73 games.
The Panthers will roll with Bobrovsky in the crease for the fourth straight game on Thursday against the New York Rangers. Bobrovsky has struggled out of the gate to start the 2024-25 season, posting a 3.47 GAA and .875 SV% in six outings (3-2-1), a trend that Panthers' fans hope will mirror last season's trajectory. Bobrovsky had a tremendous 2023-24 season but also started slow, posting a .899 SV% in his first five contests (2-3-0). The Panthers enter action on Thursday as +130 road underdogs against the Rangers, one of four clubs without a regulation loss (5-0-1).
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.
