With Connor Ingram (upper body) returning from nearly a two-month absence, Stauber has been reassigned to the Tuscon Roadrunners. The 25-year-old Stauber played well in limited action with Utah HC, posting a 2.23 GAA and .925 SV% in four games (2-1-1).
Ingram has not played an NHL game since suffering an upper-body injury on November 18th, missing 18 games, but returns from the AHL after a one-game conditioning stint with the Tuscon Roadrunners where he saved 29 of 30 shots (.967 SV%) in a victory. Utah HC will hope that the forced time off helped Ingram rediscover his game from a season ago as he had struggled before his injury, sporting an ugly 3.61 GAA and .871 SV% in 13 games (6-4-3).
Kurtis MacDermid will draw into New Jersey's lineup on Thursday, resulting in Tatar being a healthy scratch. The 34-year-old Tatar is averaging 10:30 time-on-ice and has nine points (3G / 6A) in 38 games this season but has been held off the scoresheet in 12 straight.
Tomas Tatar will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing MacDermid to draw into the lineup for the first time since December 31st. The 30-year-old MacDermid is averaging 5:21 time-on-ice and has zero points through 15 games this season.
Walman last appeared in a Sharks' jersey on December 21st due to a lower-body injury and has skated the past few days but will remain out of the lineup on Friday. In 31 games with the Sharks this season, he leads all defenders on the team with five goals, 25 points and 80 SOG.
Kovalenko played 11:43 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights but was not able to practice on Wednesday or Thursday due to an undisclosed ailment. The 25-year-old Kovalenko has 14 points (5G / 9A) in 40 games this season.
Zetterlund played 20:46 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, recording an assist, but is battling a lower-body injury. The 25-year-old Zetterlund has 27 points (11G / 16A) in 43 games this season. The Sharks return to action on Friday against the Utah Hockey Club.
Seattle acquired Sprong via a trade with the Vancouver Canucks in November and has been placed on waivers only two months later. The 27-year-old Sprong has been in and out of the lineup all season, scoring two points (1G / 1A) while being limited to 10 games with Seattle. He will report to the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL).
With Radek Faksa returning from a lower-body injury, Texier will watch the game from the press box as a healthy scratch. The 25-year-old Texier is averaging 12:41 time-on-ice and has eight points (3G / 5A) in 23 games this season. He has three points (1G / 2A) in his last four.
The Golden Knights have outscored their opposition 12-5 during a three-game winning streak and will roll with Hill between the pipes on Thursday against the New York Islanders. Hill saved 23 of 24 shots (.958 SV%) in his most recent outing, a 3-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He has been excellent in the latter half of the season, allowing three or fewer goals in all but one of his last 15 games (11-3-1), posting a solid .923 SV%. The Golden Knights enter Thursday's contest as -164 home favorites against an Islanders squad coming off a 5-4 overtime win over the Boston Bruins.
Faksa has missed 12 of the previous 13 games due to a lower-body injury but will draw back into the lineup on Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 30-year-old Faksa is averaging 12:59 time-on-ice and has seven points (2G / 5A) in 30 games this season.
Fasching played the previous game for the Islanders but suffered an upper-body injury at some point that will keep him out of the lineup for approximately two weeks. The 29-year-old Fasching is averaging 8:56 time-on-ice and has yet to score a point through 19 games this season.
Smith returned from a multi-game absence due to an injury two weeks ago and will return to the sidelines due to a back tweak. The 35-year-old forward is averaging 11:41 time-on-ice and has 11 points (6G / 5A) in 30 games this season.
With Brock Faber exiting Tuesday's game with an upper-body injury, and Jonas Brodin also battling a lower-body injury, Minnesota recalled Jiricek from Iowa (AHL) on Wednesday. The 21-year-old Jiricek has not played an NHL game since being acquired in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has two points (0G / 2A) in 11 AHL games with the Iowa Wild.
Chytil exited Tuesday's loss to the Dallas Stars in the second period due to an upper-body injury, which does not appear overly severe given his presence at practice on Thursday. The 25-year-old Chytil is averaging 14:02 time-on-ice and has 17 points (10G / 7A) in 33 games this season.
Evangelista suffered a lower-body injury in the first period of Tuesday's loss to the Winnipeg Jets and will be out of the lineup for approximately four weeks. The 22-year-old Evangelisa is averaging 12:51 time-on-ice an has 14 points (4G / 10A) in 39 games this season.
Wilsby has not played since December 30th due to a lower-body injury, missing four consecutive games, and remains week-to-week. The 24-year-old Wilsby has played well in his first NHL season, averaging 18:43 time-on-ice and scoring three points (1G / 2A) in 15 games.
Dylan Coghlan will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Los Angeles Kings, allowing Samberg to return from a lower-body injury. The 25-year-old Samberg has not played since November 23rd. He was averaging 20:17 time-on-ice and had six points (3G / 3A) in 21 games before his injury.
Edmundson did not play the previous game for Los Angeles but appears to be nearing a return to the lineup. The 31-year-ol defenseman is averaging 20:39 time-on-ice, recording 10 points (4G / 6A), 57 blocks, and 60 hits in 36 games this season.
The Bruins are amid a five-game losing skid and will attempt to right the ship with Swayman between the pipes on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Swayman was solid in his previous outing, saving 35 of 38 shots (.921 SV%), but received no goal support in the 4-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The 26-year-old netminder has a 2.92 GAA and .893 SV% in 30 games this season (13-14-3). The Bruins enter Thursday's contest as +150 road underdogs against a Lightning team failing to score more than three goals in five straight games (1-4-0).
