NHL Hockey Player News

Martin will add some depth to an uncertain Hurricanes crease after being claimed off waivers from the Blue Jackets. Pyotr Kochetkov (concussion) and Frederik Andersen (blood clot) are both currently sidelined for the Hurricanes, though Kochetkov's return to the lineup seems imminent. Martin last played on January 2nd, allowing four goals on 27 shots (.852 SV%) in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, a fair representation of his seasonal 3.65 GAA and .887 SV%.

Karlsson last played for the Canucks on January 4th, one of four games this season. He has yet to record a point while averaging 10:09 time-on-ice.

Originally believed to be a possibility on Saturday, Scheifele will remain out of the lineup through the weekend and possibly beyond, as he has not resumed skating yet. Scheifele has been replaced on the top line by Adam Lowry, who will have a tough time replacing Scheifele's production as, before his injury, he had five points (2G / 3A) while riding a four-game point streak.

Sorokin will likely start the eighth straight game on Friday and attempt to snap a three-game losing streak. Sorokin has only one win in his last six outings (1-5-0), allowing three or more goals five times, posting a pedestrian .900 SV%. That said, Sorokin is coming off a great performance in a losing effort, saving 40 of 43 shots (.930 SV%) in a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The Islanders have a favourable matchup as they are -250 road favourites against a Chicago Blackhawks club that played last night and was shut out 3-0 by the Buffalo Sabres.

Johnson left Thursday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks with an upper-body injury after playing only 11:18 time-on-ice. The veteran Johnson has been held off the scoresheet in seven straight games.

Jokiharju played the last two games after missing the previous two but returns to the sidelines with a day-to-day prognosis due to soreness. In his last two games, Jokiharju has averaged over 19 minutes on ice while tallying seven shots and four hits.

With Pinto's 41-game suspension for activities relating to sports wagering nearing an end, the Senators have signed the 23-year-old to a one-year $775,000 contract. The final game of his suspension is on Saturday, and he will be eligible to return to the lineup for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Senators forward had 35 points (20G / 15A) in 82 games last season.

Zetterlund, battling an illness, will likely be a game-time decision before Saturday's contest against the Anaheim Ducks. He has been held off the scoresheet in the last three games while tallying 11 shots on goal and six hits.

The positive news for the Panthers is that Barkov will not miss extended time, but he will not be available for Friday's contest against the Minnesota Wild, missing a second straight game due to a lower-body injury. Before his injury, Barkov was producing at a torrid pace, scoring 16 points, all assists, in his last 11 games. Anton Lundell is expected to skate on the top line alongside Sam Reinhart in his absence.

Pospisil played only 3:46 of time-on-ice in Thursday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs before leaving with an upper-body injury. Pospisil was providing reliable depth scoring for the Flames, tallying four points (0G / 4A) in his last seven games and will create a void in the Flames lineup for the next several weeks.

Gaudreau played only 9:02 time-on-ice before exiting Thursday's contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning with an upper-body injury and is unlikely to play on Friday against the Florida Panthers. Gaudreau has one point (0G / 1A) in his last nine games.

McCarron will be the odd-man out on Thursday as Cody Glass will draw back into the Predators' lineup. McCarron has six goals and five assists in 34 games this season.

Glass returns to the Predators lineup for Thursday's game in Los Angeles after serving as a healthy scratch for each of the last three games. Glass has just one goal and one assist in 17 games this season.

Saros will make his 35th start of the season on Thursday as the Predators travel to Los Angeles to take on the Kings. Saros took the loss his last time out, allowing three goals on 28 shots as the Predators fell to the Golden Knights by a score of 4-1. It was another dip in performance in what's been uncharacteristically up-and-down season for Nashville's number-one netminder. Saros owns a 17-16-1 record on the season to go along with a .900 SV% and a 3.02 GAA. He and the Preds are slight underdogs in Los Angeles on Thursday at +125.

Hayden will be the odd-man out on Thursday as Andre Burakovsky is set to return from a lower-body injury. Hayden has played just one game with the Kraken this season, registering one shot on goal and two hits.

Kane played 18:58 time-on-ice against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, his highest total of nine games, but was a game-time decision to play on Thursday due to a hand injury. Kane is amid one of the worst stretches of his career in terms of productivity, being limited to only three points (2G / 1A) in his last 14 games.

Burakovsky played only 1:40 time on ice before exiting Saturday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury and has missed two games since. John Hayden will sit in order to make room for Burakovsky on Thursday.

Daccord will be back between the pipes for the Kraken on Thursday after Chris Driedger got the nod in the tail-end of a back-to-back on Tuesday. Daccord was unlucky to see his personal eight-game winning streak snapped his last time out, allowing just two goals on 32 shots as the Kraken fell to the Penguins by a score of 3-0. Daccord's incredible run of form has seen his SV% on the season climb to .923 while his GAA is down to just 2.28. He'll need to be at his very best again on Thursday as the Kraken travel to Edmonton to take on Connor McDavid and the Oilers.

van Riemsdyk will get the chance to play on Thursday in place of the injured Joel Edmundson (undisclosed). van Riemsdyk has no goals and seven assists in 36 games this season.

Merela will take the place of the scratched Alex Barre-Boulet. Merela is yet to register a point in 14 games this season.