Werenski is battling a lower-body injury and might be unavailable for Friday's game against the Colorado Avalanche. Werenski has been effective offensively lately, tallying five points (1G / 4A) in his last four games.
The Sabres will turn to Luukkonen for the sixth time in the last seven games after giving him the night off in their last outing, a 3-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks. Luukkonen has been tremendous lately, winning four of his last five (4-1-0), including saving 32 of 34 shots (.941 SV%) in his last outing, a 6-2 win over the Seattle Kraken. The Sabres enter action as +190 road underdogs against the high-scoring Edmonton Oilers.
Crookshank was a fifth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The 24-year-old played seven games with Ottawa earlier this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with Belleville (AHL), tallying 46 points (24G / 22A) in 50 games.
Zary was skating on a line with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil at practice on Thursday but is still not likely to return to the lineup on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. Zary has been effective with the Flames this season and had three points (0G / 3A), five shots, and six hits in his last four games before his injury.
Connor Brown will draw back into the lineup for the Oilers on Thursday, making Ryan a healthy scratch. Ryan has only played once in the last three games and has not scored a point in his last 11 games.
Brown did not play on Tuesday but will return to the lineup on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres, replacing Derek Ryan, who will be a healthy scratch. Last week, Brown scored his first goal of the season on his 89th shot.
Matt Martin will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Engvall to draw back into the lineup. Engvall did not play the last game and has 21 points (8G / 13A) in 61 games this season.
Sebastian Aho will be the odd man out of the lineup for the Islanders on Thursday, allowing Bortuzzo to return from a multi-month absence, playing for the first time since January 2nd. The 35-year-old veteran has yet to pick up a point in 15 games this season with both New York and St. Louis.
Pierre Engvall will draw back into the lineup for the Islanders on Thursday, sending Martin to the press box as a healthy scratch. Martin has six points (3G / 3A), and 129 hits in 45 games this season.
Sorokin will lead the Islanders on Thursday in a matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, two teams battling for a Wild Card position. The Islanders have lost five straight, including four with Sorokin between the pipes. In his last outing, Sorokin allowed three goals on 33 shots (.909 SV%) in a 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Islanders enter action as slight -112 road underdogs.
Markstrom has missed the last five games due to a lower-body injury but could return to the crease as soon as Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks. Dustin Wolf will likely serve as Markstrom's backup for the duration of the season as Dan Vladar is set to undergo season-ending hip surgery.
Vladar's season has abruptly ended as the Czech netminder will undergo hip surgery. The 26-year-old backstop has struggled tremendously this season, showcasing an unimpressive 3.62 GAA and .882 SV% in 20 games (8-9-2). Dustin Wolf will likely stay with the Flames for the remainder of the season, backing up Jacob Markstrom.
Jesper Fast will not play on Thursday due to an upper-body injury, allowing DeAngelo to re-enter the lineup. DeAngelo has not played since February 25th, when he scored a goal in 15:46 ice time.
Fast is battling an upper-body injury and will not play on Thursday. The 32-year-old Fast has 18 points (6G / 12A) in 66 games this season while averaging 12:47 time-on-ice. Tony DeAngelo is expected to suit up on the blue line for the Hurricanes.
With Torey Krug battling a lower-body injury, Scandella will re-enter the lineup for the Blues. Scandella has not played the last five games but has been semi-productive when in the lineup lately, scoring three points (0G / 3A) in his last seven games.
Krug is battling a lower-body injury and will not play on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. Krug is averaging a modest 0.49 points per game this season but has been limited to only two points (0G / 2A) in his last nine outings.
Blackwood has been out of the lineup since suffering a groin injury on February 27th. Magnus Chrona has served predominantly as the starting netminder recently due to Blackwood's injury and Kaapo Kahkonen's trade to the New Jersey Devils. With Chrona being reassigned to the San Jose Barracuda (AHL), Blackwood will likely take control of the Sharks' crease.
