NHL Hockey Player News

The Kings will turn back to Rittich after Cam Talbot got the nod in each of the team's last two games. Rittich secured a victory his last time out, allowing four goals on 32 shots as Los Angeles held on to defeat the Bruins by a score of 5-4. Rittich owns an impressive .919 SV% and 2.25 GAA on the season to go along with his 8-2-3 record. He draws a solid matchup on Thursday, with the Kings being -160 favourites to pick up the win over the visiting Predators.

Saros will return to the Predators' crease after a rare backing up of Kevin Lankinen in Nashville's last game after he was the first goalie off the ice at an optional skate on Thursday. The 28-year-old has recently become the talk of trade speculation even though he is having one of the worst seasons of his nine-year career, with his 21-21-2 record, 3.02 GAA and .902 SV%. He will head to Los Angeles to take on the Kings on Thursday, who have won four straight and are third in the NHL in shots per game (33.5).

The Golden Knights are already without Mark Stone (upper body) but fortunately will have Marchessault in the lineup on Thursday night. Despite being held without a point in two straight, Marchessault has been extremely productive lately with 15 points (11G / 4A) in his last 13 games.

Grubauer will start for only the second time since returning from an injury that kept him out for several months. The German netminder saved 26 of 27 shots (.963 SV%) in a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on February 13th, the only contest this season that he has allowed fewer than two goals (6-9-1). Seattle enters action as a +114 home underdog against the Vancouver Canucks.

Demko will return to the crease for the second straight game as the Canucks look to snap a three-game losing skid where they have been outscored 17-10. That said, the California-born netminder played well in a 3-1 losing effort on Tuesday, saving 24 of 26 shots (.923 SV%). The Canucks are -126 road favourites in a tilt against their division rivals, the Seattle Kraken.

Adin Hill will tend the twine on Thursday night as he attempts to snap a season-worst three-game losing skid. Uncharacteristically, Hill has allowed three or more goals in four straight games, the first time this season, showcasing an ugly .884 SV%. The Golden Knights will face off against a Maple Leafs club that played last night, a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes, and is riding a five-game winning streak.

The Maple Leafs will turn to Jones for the tail-end of their back-to-back after Ilya Samsonov got the nod in Wednesday's victory over the Coyotes. Jones had all the goal support a goalie could ask for his last time out, stopping 19 of the 21 shots he faced as Toronto cruised to a 9-2 win over the Ducks on Saturday. Jones' record sits at 10-7-1 on the season to go along with a .908 SV%. He and the Maple Leafs find themselves as slight favourites (-115) over the Golden Knights on Thursday.

Tkachuk suffered the injury late in the first period of Thursday's game and did not return. We should expect to receive an update on the injury and a potential timeline for his return in the coming days.

Forsling suffered the injury late in the first period of Thursday's game and did not return. We should expect to receive an update on the injury and a potential timeline for his return in the coming days.

Ullmark will be back between the pipes on Thursday after the Bruins broke their typical goalie rotation on Wednesday, handing Jeremy Swayman back-to-back starts as they travelled to Edmonton to take on the Oilers. Ullmark had a rough outing in his last contest, allowing five goals on 35 shots (.857 SV%) in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Ullmark and the Bruins are -125 favourites to emerge victorious in Calgary on Thursday.

Rifai and Maxime Lajoie will sit on Thursday as Morgan Rielly and William Lagesson will draw back into the Leafs' lineup. Rifai is pointless through two games with the Leafs this season.

Lajoie and Marshall Rifai will sit on Thursday as Morgan Rielly and William Lagesson will draw back into the Leafs' lineup. Lajoie has no goals and one assist in seven games this season.

Ryan Reaves will take the place of Gregor as the Leafs opt to get fresh legs in their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Gregor has five goals and six assists in 53 games this season.

Reaves will take the place of Noah Gregor as the Leafs opt to get fresh legs in their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Reaves has two goals and no assists in 28 games this season.

Lagesson hasn't played since suffering an upper-body injury in Saturday's game against the Ducks. He's expected to skate alongside Morgan Rielly as he's set to return from his five-game suspension.

Shattenkirk will take the place of Matt Grzelcyk, who is out with an upper-body injury. Shattenkirk has five goals and nine assists in 45 games this season.

Brazeau impressed in his first two NHL games, scoring a goal and registering eight shots on goal, but he will be the odd-man out on Thursday. Jakub Lauko (upper-body) draws back into the lineup in Brazeau's place.

Lauko had been unavailable the previous two games after suffering an upper-body injury in Saturday's game against the Kings. Justin Brazeau will sit in his place.

Grzelcyk was limited to only 35 seconds on the ice, exiting the game with a lower-body injury after receiving a slash to his leg from Ryan McLeod of the Edmonton Oilers in his first shift. The 30-year-old defenseman has zero points in his last 12 games.

Nylander was never able to secure a full-time role with the Penguins, making just 14 appearances for the team over the last two seasons. The former eighth-overall pick has played primarily with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season, scoring 17 goals and adding 15 assists in 43 games.