NHL Hockey Player News

Linus Ullmark has been cleared to play, likely ending Swayman's control of the crease, but the Bruins will start Swayman for the fourth straight game on Thursday. Swayman was outstanding in his last outing, saving all 31 shots he faced in a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils for his third shutout of the season. Swayman and the Bruins will be tested on Thursday despite being -146 home favourites against the Colorado Avalanche, who have scored four or more goals in seven of their last eight games (6-2-0).

Lindgren will return to the crease on Thursday after watching Darcy Kuemper record a 2-0 shutout victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the last game for the Capitals. As he has been for most of the season, Lindgren has been excellent in his last two games since returning from injury (1-1-0), allowing only four total goals and posting a stellar .931 SV%. The Capitals are slight -109 home favourites against Lindgren's former club, the St. Louis Blues, amid a two-game losing streak.

Granlund suffered a significant upper-body injury, and although he will not need surgery, he is expected to be out on a week-to-week basis. With 29 points (5G / 24A) in 38 games, Granlund was pacing for his second-best point output in the last six seasons.

Couturier has missed the last two games due to an undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision on Thursday against the Dallas Stars. Before his injury, he had six points in his last six games (1G / 5A). If Couturier is unable to play, Scott Laughton will likely continue to center the top powerplay unit.

Drysdale has missed the last two games for the Flyers and will be a game-time decision against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Drysdale has been immediately productive since joining the Flyers, scoring two points (0G / 2A) in two games.

Schmaltz recorded one assist in the Coyotes' last contest but exited the game with a lower-body injury after playing only 11:11 time-on-ice. The talented playmaker has five points (3G / 2A) in his last six games, and his availability remains uncertain ahead of Thursday's game against the Vancouver Canucks.

As he did during a stellar stretch of play in early December, Ingram has retaken the Coyotes' net and will start for the fourth time in the last five games on Thursday night. Ingram has allowed three or fewer goals in five of his last six appearances (3-1-1), including two shutouts, posting a terrific .927 SV%. That said, Ingram and the Coyotes face a difficult foe on Thursday and are +171 road underdogs against a Vancouver Canucks club that has points in their last six games (5-0-1).

Lindgren will likely return to the crease on Thursday after watching Darcy Kuemper record a 2-0 shutout victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the last game for the Capitals. As he has been for most of the season, Lindgren has been excellent in his last two games since returning from injury (1-1-0), allowing only four total goals and posting a stellar .931 SV%. The Capitals are slight -109 home favourites against Lindgren's former club, the St. Louis Blues, amid a two-game losing streak.

Antti Raanta has been serviceable filling in for Kochetkov over the last two games, but the Hurricanes will be eager to get him back in the crease, and his presence at practice the last two days is a promising sign that he should be ready to return shortly. The Hurricanes' next game is on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings.

Vasilevskiy will likely start for the seventh straight game and look to extend his winning streak to four games on Thursday night. After a disastrous performance on January 6th, allowing six goals on 26 shots (.769 SV%) in a 7-3 loss to the Boston Bruins, Vasilevskiy has responded admirably, winning three straight and posting a respectable .917 SV%. Tampa Bay is a -134 home favourite against the Minnesota Wild, who defeated the New York Islanders 5-0 in their last contest.

Korpisalo recorded a win in his last contest, snapping a five-game losing streak, and will likely start on Thursday, hoping to record consecutive wins for the first time since mid-November. The 29-year-old goaltender has struggled lately, a byproduct of a poor Senators team, winning only twice in his last 12 appearances (2-9-0), posting an abysmal .862 SV%. That said, the Senators are sizeable -180 home favourites against a Montreal Canadiens team that played last night, defeating the New Jersey Devils 3-2.

Rafferty will return to the Grand Rapids Griffins, where has 13 points (1G / 12A) in 33 games this season. The undrafted 28-year-old has three NHL games under his belt, most recently with the Vancouver Canucks in the 2020-21 season.

In a game originally scheduled for last night, Luukkonen will star for the Sabres on Thursday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Luukkonen has been tremendous lately, winning four of his last five starts, allowing two or fewer goals four times, including a stellar 28-save shutout in his last outing, a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks. Luukkonen and the Sabres have a favourable matchup as -255 home favourites against the Blackhawks, who have scored two or fewer goals in each of their last four games (1-3-0).

The Flyers, riding a four-game winning streak, will return to Ersson between the pipes after giving him the night off in their last outing. Ersson is coming off a marvellous performance in his last start, a 35-save shutout in a 2-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets last week. After a rocky start to the season, Ersson has been a driving force in helping the Flyers stay in playoff contention, posting a gaudy .941 SV% in his last eight games (5-2-1). The Flyers are +126 home underdogs against a Dallas Stars club that has outscored their opposition 8-2 over their last two games (2-0-0).

Hughes is battling an illness but, despite not participating in the morning skate on Wednesday, will suit up for the Devils' contest against the Montreal Canadiens in the evening. Hughes has been held without a point in three straight games but was on a roll before that, scoring seven points (3G / 4A) in a six-game span.

MacLean is one step closer to following in his 18-year NHL veteran father's footsteps as he has been recalled from Bridgeport (AHL) to the New York Islanders for the first time in his career. The 24-year-old undrafted free agent forward has enjoyed a solid AHL season with 19 points (6G/13A) in 36 games played prior to his call up.

After spending the last two seasons exclusively in the NHL, splitting time between the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators, Asplund could get his first crack at an NHL game this season after being recalled by the Panthers. In 33 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, Asplund has 19 points (4G / 15A) and 12 penalty minutes.

Bowers played the last three games for the Devils, being held without a point while averaging under seven minutes time-on-ice. The 24-year-old Bowers will return to the Utica Comets of the AHL, where he has seven points (6G / 1A) in 29 games this season.

Cizikas is eligible to return at any time after being placed on the Injured Reserve with a lower-body injury retroactive to January 9th on Wednesday but frees up an open roster spot on the Islanders in the meantime. The 32-year-old is producing at a similar rate to his previous seasons with 11 points (5G/6A) in 39 games played prior to his injury.