Dube has been ineffective while playing in all but one game for the Flames so far this season, scoring only seven points (3G / 4A) in 39 contests. His 0.18 point-per-game pace is the lowest of his six-year career and a significant decline over the 0.55 point-per-game pace he had last season.
Kuznetsov was recalled last week but could not crack the Flames roster and immediately returned to the Wranglers (AHL), where he has seven points (2G / 5A) in 31 games this season. That said, the Flames defensive prospect will make his NHL debut at home on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.
The red-hot Oilers will likely return to Skinner on Tuesday in a favourable matchup against the injury-depleted Chicago Blackhawks. The Oilers are riding a seven-game winning streak, and, as such, are significant -448 road favourites against a Blackhawks club whose leading active point-producer only has 23 points (8G / 15A) in 33 games. In addition to the already advantageous circumstances for the Oilers, Skinner has been tremendous between the pipes. While winning his last five starts, Skinner has allowed two or fewer goals four times, boasting a sensational .948 SV%.
Hughes and the Devils avoided a much worse prognosis on Tuesday morning, but the star forward will still be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis as he recovers from an upper-body injury. Hughes has already missed six games this season with a separate injury and provides another blow to an injury-depleted Devils club that is already without Timo Meier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Dougie Hamilton, and Ondrej Palat. Dawson Mercer has moved into the top six and onto the top powerplay unit and should be the main benefactor of offensive deployment during Hughes' absence.
Samuel Bolduc is expected to come out of the lineup for the Islanders on Tuesday with Pelech expected to make his return. This will mark his first game since November 24th, a 20-game absence. Before his injury, Pelech had three points (0G / 3A), 28 blocks, and 15 hits in 16 games.
Varlamov left last Tuesday's game against the Colorado Avalanche late in the first period due to an injury with the score being 1-1. He was replaced by Ilya Sorokin, who has started every game while Varlamov has been unavailable. He remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury but has been placed on IR retroactive to January 2nd.
Markstrom did not play in the back end of a back-to-back on Sunday, a disappointing 4-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, but will return to the crease on Tuesday versus the Ottawa Senators. Markstrom has quietly amassed several strong performances since returning from a fractured finger injury last month, boasting a tremendous .935 SV% in seven games (4-3-0). The Flames, losers of two straight, are -123 home favourites against a Senators club that has lost three straight, being outscored 13-5.
Clarke was service in his season debut on Sunday, recording one shot on goal and one hit in 15:43 time-on-ice but will draw out of the lineup in favour of Jordan Spence on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before his call-up last week, he spent the entirety of this season with the Ontario Reign of the AHL, amassing 32 points (7G / 25A) in 30 games.
Spence will re-enter the lineup for the Kings as Brandt Clarke will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday. Before coming out of the lineup on Sunday, Spencer played nearly every game for the Kings over the last three months, scoring 12 points (0G / 12A) while averaging 15:11 time-on-ice through 34 games.
Wilson did not practice on Tuesday but should be ready to play in Thursday's contest against the Seattle Kraken. Wilson played 15:13 time-on-ice in his last game, tallying four shots and two hits, matching his lowest hit output in nine games.
Schwartz has been on long-term injured reserve since November 28th, missing 16 games with an upper-body injury, but returned to practice last week and is scheduled to play on Tuesday. Before his injury, Schwartz was in the midst of a cold streak, scoring only one point (0G / 1A) and registering a -5 plus/minus in his last eight games.
Kahkonen did not play in Saturday's 4-1 home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs but will tend the twine on Tuesday in a rematch in Toronto. The Sharks are riding an 11-game losing streak, failing to record a point in each contest (0-11-0), and, as such, are sizeable +379 road favourites against the Maple Leafs, who have won three straight, outscoring their competition 9-2.
Kuznetsov was recalled last week but could not crack the Flames roster and immediately returned to the Wranglers (AHL), where he has seven points (2G / 5A) in 31 games this season. The Flames play at home on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.
Pitlick will make his season debut and team debut with the Blackhawks on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers. The 26-year-old Pitlick has been an effective contributor at the NHL level in the past, scoring 54 points (21G / 33A) in 123 games, but has played exclusively in the AHL thus far this season, scoring 24 points (8G / 16A) in 32 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Anderson will play for the first time since December 17th, a 10-game absence due to a left shoulder injury. Anderson has five points (0G / 5A) in 13 games this season and is expected to play on a line with Colin Blackwell and Jason Dickinson.
Hofer will make his first start of 2024 but has become more of a regular fixture between the pipes for the Blues over the last two weeks due largely to a strong stretch of play. Hofer has allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last four appearances (2-1-0), posting a tremendous .949 SV% in the process. That said, the Blues will need to be heroic on Tuesday if they expect to get a victory against a Florida Panthers club that is riding a season-best seven-game winning streak and has outscored their opposition 22-7 over their last four games.
Phillips played only 5:56 time-on-ice on Sunday, his first game action in five games, recording a -1 plus/minus rating. He will be a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks on Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.
Taylor Raddysh's return to the lineup has prompted the Blackhawks to make Johnson a healthy scratch on Tuesday. Johnson is averaging 11:20 time-on-ice through 27 games for the Blackhawks this season, scoring two points (2G / 0A) and 56 hits.
Reese Johnson will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Raddysh to return to the lineup after missing five games with a lower-body injury. Raddysh has 10 points (5G / 5A) in 35 games this season and is expected to play on the top line of an injury-depleted Blackhawks roster alongside Rem Pitlick and Philipp Kurashev.
Hofer will make his first start of 2024 but has become more of a regular fixture between the pipes for the Blues over the last two weeks due largely to a strong stretch of play. Hofer has allowed three or fewer goals in each of his last four appearances (2-1-0), posting a tremendous .949 SV% in the process. That said, the Blues will need to be heroic on Tuesday if they expect to get a victory against a Florida Panthers club that is riding a season-best seven-game winning streak and has outscored their opposition 22-7 over their last four games.
