Jones has been a stable presence on the Rangers blueline this season. The 24-year-old defenseman is averaging a career-high 16:38 time-on-ice, recording eight points (1G / 7A), 15 blocks, and 13 hits in 25 games.
Utah HC has won three straight and will likely roll with Vejmelka between the pipes for this fifth consecutive game. The 28-year-old Czech netminder is far and away having the best season of his career, posting a stellar 2.37 GAA and .915 SV% in 18 appearances (7-7-2). He has allowed three or fewer goals in three straight (3-0-0), posting a .917 SV%. Utah HC enters Friday's contest as +112 road underdogs against a Minnesota Wild club coming off a disappointing 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers.
The Rangers are 3-8-0 in their last 11 games and will be desperate to right their ship on Friday against the Dallas Stars. Despite an ugly 2-8-0 record in his previous 10 games, Shesterkin has been serviceable between the pipes, albeit not his usual elite self, posting a .904 SV%. He has a 3.04 GAA and .908 SV% in 23 games this season (10-12-1). The Rangers enter Friday's contest as +156 road underdogs against a Stars squad that was defeated 5-3 by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Panarin has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury and his status for Friday's game against the Dallas Stars remains up in the air. The Rangers have failed to score more than three goals in five straight (1-4-0) and can ill-afford to be without Panarin's team-leading 36 points (15G / 21A) in 29 games.
Rempe has not played since November 25th but will return to the lineup on Friday against the Dallas Stars. The 22-year-old Rempe has only played four games with the Rangers this season, spending most of his time in the AHL, scoring five points (3G / 2A) in 18 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Dennis Hildeby was reassigned to the Marlies, swapping places with Murray. The 30-year-old Murray has not played an NHL game since the 2022-23 season, when he recorded a 3.01 GAA and .903 SV% in 26 games with the Maple Leafs (14-8-2), but will make his season debut with the club on Friday. He has been impressive in limited AHL action this season, posting a 1.85 GAA and .931 SV% in eight games (4-1-2). The Maple Leafs enter Friday's contest as -148 road favorites against a Buffalo Sabres club amid an 11-game losing skid (0-8-3).
Travis Dermott will draw back into the lineup on Friday against Utah HC, resulting in Merrill being a healthy scratch. The 32-year-old Merrill is averaging 13:37 time-on-ice and ha three points (0G / 3A) in 25 games this season.
Jon Merrill will be a healthy scratch on Friday against Utah HC, allowing Dermott to re-enter the lineup. The 27-year-old Dermott was limited to only 7:47 time-on-ice in his debut with Minnesota last week. He has zero points in 11 games this season.
Filip Gustavsson remains sidelined with a lower-body injury, giving Fleury his third start in the last four games. Fleury struggled in his previous outing, allowing six goals on 33 shots (.818 SV%) in a 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. He has a 2.88 GAA and .898 SV% in 10 appearances this season (6-2-1). Minnesota enters Friday's contest as a -123 home favorite against the Utah Hockey Club, winners of three straight.
Pontus Holmberg will draw back into the lineup on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres, sending Reaves back to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 37-year-old Reaves has played seven of the last eight games for the Maple Leafs and has one point (0G / 1A) and 70 hits in 23 games this season.
Ryan Reaves will be a healthy scratch on Friday against the Buffalo Sabres, allowing Holmberg to re-enter the lineup. The 25-year-old Holmberg is averaging 13:09 time-on-ice and has six points (2G / 4A) in 28 games this season.
Kaiser has been a regular in the Blackhawks lineup this season, playing 28 games while averaging 17:33 time-on-ice. The 22-year-old defenseman has one point (0G / 1A), 54 blocks, and 33 hits this season.
Smith has been out of the lineup since suffering an injury in the third period of last Thursday's loss against the New York Islanders. The 35-year-old Smith has 10 points (6G / 4A) in 26 games while averaging 11:47 time-on-ice.
Marchment's tests came back negative, a huge positive for the Stars, but he remains sore and will be a game-time decision on Friday against the New York Rangers. The 29-year-old Marchment has played exclusively alongside Matt Duchene this season and is pacing for the best offensive output of his career, with 27 points (12G / 15A) in 30 games.
Oettinger's 26th birthday didn't go according to play when he was between the pipes on Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, allowing four goals on 12 shots (.667 SV%) before being pulled in an eventual 5-3 loss. He will get the chance to redeem himself on Friday, looking to build on his 2.43 GAA and .909 SV% in 24 games this season (16-8-0). The Stars enter Friday's contest as -178 home favorites against a New York Rangers club that has scored three or fewer goals in five straight (1-4-0).
Talbot has been sidelined most of December due to a lower-body injury but will return to the crease for his second start in eight games. The 37-year-old Talbot has been solid between the pipes in his first season with the Red Wings, posting a 2.69 GAA and .916 SV% in 16 games (6-6-2). The Red Wings enter Friday's contest as -155 home favorites against the Montreal Canadiens. The two teams will meet again on Saturday in Montreal.
Edvinsson suffered an upper-body injury in the first period of Wednesday's victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. The 21-year-old defenseman has primarily played on the Red Wings' top defensive unit alongside Moritz Seider, scoring 13 points (3G / 10A) in 30 games.
Shore played the last two games, and 13 of the last 14 for Minnesota after spending the first part of the season with the Iowa Wild (AHL). The 30-year-old Shore is averaging 8:11 time-on-ice and has zero points in 13 games with Minnesota this season.
Boyd has 298 games of NHL experience, scoring 118 points (47G / 71A), but has only played two games this season. That said, 31-year-old has been lighting it up in the AHL, scoring 18 points (3G / 15A) in 17 games with Iowa.
Eller is battling an illness and will be shut down until after the Christmas break. The 35-year-old Eller has 13 points (6G / 7A) in 33 games this season, including six points (2G / 4A) in 16 games with the Capitals.
