NHL Hockey Player News

Annunen will likely return to the crease for the Avalanche on Thursday, his second start in the last five games. Annunen struggled in his last outing, allowing four goals on 30 shots (.867 SV%) in a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, but is starting to see game-action more regularly as the Avalanche attempt to cycle in more rest days for starting netminder Alexandar Georgiev. Colorado is a +112 road underdog against a Tampa Bay Lightning club riding a two-game winning streak.

Dumoulin picked up a lower-body injury early in Monday's game in New Jersey and did not play Tuesday against the Islanders. Justin Schultz returned from absence due to personal matters and replaced Dumoulin on the third defensive pair.

Binnington will start for the third straight game and look to rebound after a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Binnington allowed three goals on 31 shots (.903 SV%) on Tuesday, his worst performance in the last three weeks, an indication of how great Binnington has been since mid-January. That said, Binnington and the Blues enter Thursday's contest as +170 home underdogs against an Edmonton Oilers club that ranks fourth in the league offensively (3.51 GF / GP).

Lizotte has been out of the lineup since January 15th with a lower-body injury and has been moved retroactively to LTIR. The 26-year-old Lizotte had been held without a point in 11 straight games before his injury.

Grundstrom played only 3:43 time-on-ice before exiting Tuesday's 7-0 loss to the Buffalo Sabres with a lower-body injury. Before his injury, Grundstrom had one point (1G / 0A), eight shots, and 13 hits in his last three games.

Denis Gurianov will draw back into the lineup on Thursday, sending Evangelista to the press box. Evangelista has two points (0G / 2A) in his last five games while averaging under 12 minutes of time on ice.

Luke Evangelista will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Gurianov to re-enter the lineup. Gurianov has been held off the scoresheet in nine straight games and is expected to play on the fourth line with Egor Afanasyev and Mark Jankowski.

Saros will return to the crease on Thursday in a divisional matchup against the Dallas Stars. Saros has allowed three or more goals in four straight games (1-2-1) but played well in a 4-2 losing effort to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, saving 43 of 46 shots (.935 SV%). Saros last played the Stars on December 23rd and allowed two goals in the final minute en route to a 3-2 regulation loss.

Daccord had his first night off in nearly a month on Tuesday, and despite Philipp Grubauer playing well in a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders, the Kraken will likely return to Daccord between the pipes on Thursday night. Daccord and the Kraken have fallen off after an amazing run through December and the beginning of January, but the netminder has played well despite winning only two of his last nine games (2-6-1), posting a respectable .916 SV%.

Jeannot was activated off Injured Reserve earlier this week and made his return to the lineup on Tuesday, but was limited to only 5:44 time-on-ice before re-aggravating his lower-body injury. The 26-year-old bruising winger has filled in his bottom-six role well this season with 12 points (6G/6A), 52 SOG, 61 PIMs, and a -11 plus/minus in 41 games played before the injury.

Vanecek was excellent in a losing effort over the weekend, allowing one goal on 32 shots (.969 SV%) in a 1-0 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. Nico Daws started and won both games in a back-to-back set on Monday and Tuesday and will start between the pipes again on Thursday.

Palat is dealing with an apparent bug and his status is up in the air for Thursday's contest against the Los Angeles Kings. Palat has been quietly productive lately, scoring six points (3G / 3A) in his last six games.

Guenette made his NHL debut last season, playing one game with the Senators. The 22-year-old Guenette was the Senators' seventh-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and has 23 points (4G / 19A) in 41 games with the Belleville Senators (AHL) this season.

Zub played every game for the Senators since January 11th before missing Tuesday's contest with a lower-body injury and has been quietly productive from the blueline in that span, scoring seven points (0G / 7A) in his last 11 games. He has spent most of his time lately on the top defensive pair alongside Thomas Chabot.

Reaves has played five straight games, recording one goal and 15 hits, after being a healthy scratch for most of the previous two months. He will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, indicating that one or both of Mitch Marner and John Tavares will likely return to the lineup from illness.

Steeves made his season debut on Tuesday, logging 10:14 time-on-ice, one shot, and six hits. He will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, indicating that one or both of Mitch Marner and John Tavares will likely return to the lineup from illness.

Parker Wotherspoon will draw into the lineup on Thursday, replacing Shattenkirk, who will be a healthy scratch for the third time in the last four games. Shattenkirk was limited to only 13:21 time-on-ice in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning and has been in that range for the last several weeks while seeing deployment on the third defensive pair.

Kevin Shattenkirk will be a healthy scratch on Thursday, allowing Wohterspoon to draw back into the lineup. Wotherspoon last played on February 10th, registering a whopping eight hits in 19:36 time-on-ice.

Connor Ingram suffered an injury on Wednesday against the Minnesota Wild and did not complete the contest. Luckily for the Coyotes, Ingram's injury is not expected to be long-term. Villalta has a 2.58 GAA and .913 SV% in 34 games (22-11-1) with the Tuscon Roadrunners (AHL) this season and will serve as the backup to Karel Vejmelka in the interim.

Vasilevskiy will start for the third straight game on Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche, a repeat of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. The 29-year-old Vasilevskiy has been extremely consistent lately, allowing three or fewer goals in 11 straight (9-2-0), posting a solid .917 SV%. Tampa Bay is a slight -109 home favourite against a Colorado club that snapped a four-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals.