Kostin has not played since December 12th and will miss a sixth consecutive game on Friday. The 25-year-old Kostin is averaging 10:12 time-on-ice and has four points (1G / 3A) in 20 games this season.
Walman will miss a second consecutive game on Friday due to a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old Walman is having a tremendous 2024-25 campaign, with 25 points (5G / 20A) in 31 games. He has 23 points (5G / 18A) in his last 22 games.
Eklund exited Monday's game with an upper-body injury after playing only 7:39 time-on-ice and will not play on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 22-year-old forward is averaging 19:43 time-on-ice and has 27 points (7G / 20A) in 36 games this season.
Georgiev did not play the last two games for San Jose but will return to the crease on Friday against the Vegas Golden Knights. The 28-year-old Georgiev has an ugly 3.75 GAA and .869 SV% in three games since joining the Sharks (1-2-0). The Sharks have lost five straight and enter Friday's contest as significant +210 home underdogs against a Golden Knights club riding a four-game winning streak.
Miller has missed the last six games but could return to the lineup on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Chad Ruhwedel was assigned to Hartford (AHL) in a corresponding move.
With K'Andre Miller (upper body) being activated from Injured Reserve, Ruhwedel has been assigned to Hartford (AHL). In five games with the Rangers, Ruhwedel averaged 14:06 time-on-ice and scored one point.
Gibson is battling an illness and was not at practice on Friday. Lukas Dostal will likely be between the pipes if Gibson misses any time. The Ducks return to the ice on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Coghlan has not played much this season, limited to only two games with Manitoba (AHL) and one with Winnipeg (NHL). The 26-year-old defenseman had 41 points (16G / 25A) in 61 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) last season.
Pastrnak suffered an upper-body injury in the second period of Monday's game against the Washington Capitals but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After scoring over 110 points in each of his past two seasons, Pastrnak has been producing at a slower pace this season, with 35 points (12G / 23A) in 36 games. That said, he has been picking it up lately, scoring 16 points (4G / 12A) in his last 13 games.
Fresh off of signing a five-year contract extension, Blackwood will be between the pipes for Colorado on Friday against the Utah Hockey Club. The 28-year-old netminder has a 3.05 GAA and .905 SV% in 219 career games (84-92-25), primarily while playing for non-playoff teams in New Jersey and San Jose, but has been tremendous since joining Colorado, posting a 2.03 GAA and .931 SV% in four games (3-1-0). Colorado enters Friday's contest as -130 road favorites against Utah.
Eyssimont has been a lineup-regular for Tampa Bay this season but will be out of the lineup with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old is averaging 10:53 time-on-ice, scoring five points (3G / 2A) in 31 games.
For the seventh time in eight games, Utah HC will roll with Vejmelka between the pipes. Vejmelka was riding a four-game winning streak before allowing three goals on 29 shots (.897 SV%) in Utah's most recent contest, a 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. The 28-year-old Czech netminder has a solid 2.33 GAA and .917 SV% in 20 appearances (8-8-2). Utah HC enters Friday's contest as +117 home underdogs against a Colorado Avalanche club riding a three-game winning streak.
Olofsson was a second-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft but has only played three NHL games since the 2019-20 season. The 30-year-old defenseman has 11 points (2G / 9A) in 27 games with the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL) this season.
Stezka was recalled on an emergency basis, a sign that Joey Daccord might be unable to suit up after battling through an injury in his previous game. The 27-year-old Stezka has a 2.94 GAA and .906 SV% in 18 games this season (6-9-3).
Gustavsson was solid in his return from a lower-body injury on Monday, saving 28 of 31 shots (.903 SV%) in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, and will return to the crease on Friday against the Dallas Stars. The 26-year-old Gustavsson boasts a terrific 2.28 GAA and .921 SV% in 23 games this season (15-5-3). Minnesota, without their leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, enters Friday's contest as +186 road underdogs against a Dallas Stars club coming off a 3-2 win over Utah HC.
Texier played the last three games for the Blues but could draw out of the lineup on Friday against the Nashville Predators. The 25-year-old Texier is averaging 12:53 time-on-ice and has five points (2G / 3A) in 18 games this season.
The Predators are riding a two-game winning streak and will likely turn to Saros between the pipes on Friday against the St. Louis Blues. Saros was excellent in his most recent outing, saving 25 of 27 shots (.926 SV%) in a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. The 29-year-old Saros has a 2.69 GAA and .907 SV% in 28 games this season (8-14-6). The Predators enter Friday's contest as -130 road favorites against the Blues.
Niko Mikkola will be out of the lineup due to an undisclosed injury, creating space for Boqvist to re-enter the lineup. The 24-year-old Boqvist has been limited to only 13 games this season, averaging 12:03 time-on-ice and scoring four points (2G / 2A).
